Meet the team
Claire Bates, General Manager
Claire leads the strategic and day-to-day operations of the Visitor Centre. She’s currently guiding the team through preparations for reopening, planning operations, and shaping how the centre will run as we move forward.
Originally from a small village in Derbyshire, Claire studied History at university before completing a Master’s in Heritage Management. Along the way, she gained hands-on experience working and volunteering across museums and heritage sites.
Her career has taken her to Portsmouth, where she worked as Operations Manager for the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Most recently, she lived and worked at the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales. There, Claire managed the National Park Visitors Centre before becoming Head of Regenerative Tourism.
When the opportunity to join Calanais arose, Claire said,
“The site itself is of such international significance that the opportunity to play even a small part in its history felt too good to miss.”
With extensive experience in running visitor centres and creating meaningful visitor experiences, Claire brings in a wealth of knowledge to the role.
Kathryn Lamont Smith, Heritage Manager
Kathryn leads our Heritage team – developing and shaping our heritage programme, events and exhibition. She also heads up our comms team, overseeing the website, social media and all things digital.
With a focus on the new exhibition, Kathryn works closely with some of the UK’s leading archaeologists, researchers, designers and artists as well as local community – all with one goal: to create something really special!
Born and raised in Tong on the Isle of Lewis, Kathryn studied History at the University of Glasgow before beginning her career in museum education with the National Trust for Scotland at Callendar House Museum. After travelling the world, Kathryn returned to the UoG to complete a postgraduate degree in History of Art, where she discovered her passion for museum collections, interpretation and making arts, culture and heritage accessible to new audiences.
Kathryn went on to spend several years in London, working at Tate Britain and managing art collections across the UK, before returning home to Lewis. Here she began working at An Lanntair and UHI, gaining a deep understanding of the vital role culture and heritage play in sustaining small communities.
When the opportunity arose to join Calanais, Kathryn knew it was too good to miss – a chance to help shape the future of Calanais as an internationally recognised site.
Looking ahead, Kathryn is passionate about inspiring the next generation or archaeologists, historians and artists through the stories of the Calanais Standing Stones. Kathryn tells,
“I love to see my children running among the stones and sharing the stories they hold, and I want to spark that same sense of wonder and curiosity in them, as well as in audiences from Breasclete to Brazil.”
Yuliya Peeva, Business Manager
Playing a key role at Calanais, Yuliya oversees a wide range of responsibilities with a strong focus on financial governance.
Yuliya grew up in a small village in Bulgaria before moving to the city to complete her education. Although she originally planned to study Psychology, life had other plans – and motherhood became, in her words, “the best job I’ve ever had!”
After moving to Scotland 10 years ago, Yuliya seized the opportunity to join the Calanais team in 2022, drawn by the chance to be part of such a special place. The flexibility and healthy work-life balance are among the aspects that make her role so rewarding.
Mark Davies, Project Delivery Manager
Raised in Shawbost on the Isle of Lewis, Mark attended the Nicolson Institute before beginning his career on the island with local hotels and businesses.
London soon beckoned, and he went on to join Berni Inns, progressing to Senior Manager. Before joining Calanais, Mark also worked with Welsh Water as Head of Visitor Attractions for Wales, but the pull of home was strong.
When the opportunity to join the Calanais team arose, Mark saw it as the perfect chance to return to the island, be closer to family, and play a leading role in delivering a high-profile project that will benefit both the local community and wider island.
“Creating a visitor centre that the team working there can be proud of because it works for both internal and external customers.”
Marianne Campbell, Engagement & Marketing Officer
Keeping everyone connected to what’s happening across the centre. From newsletters and media releases to guided tours and expert talks, she makes sure the word gets out – all with creativity and a strong people-first approach.
Ask Marianne where she’s from and she’ll say “the middle of the Minch as I have a foot on the islands and a foot on the highlands.” While her family roots are firmly in Lewis, she grew up around the Cromarty Firth, attending school on the Black Isle and in Tain, whilst all her holidays were spent back in Lewis with family.
After school, Marianne headed south to study Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing in Bristol. Her career began in London with Euromonitor Consultancy, before taking herself freelance – and around the world! From walking on the Great Wall of China, exploring the Valley of the Kings, to diving the Great Barrier Reef – only to name a few!!
On her return, Marianne worked as a Marketing Officer at An Lanntair and as a Freelance Business Advisor with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, before taking on the challenge of renovating and running the old school at Loch Croistean in Uig as a coffee shop and restaurant up until covid.
Joining the Calanais team came at the perfect time. Drawing on her experience in marketing and hospitality, Marianne plays a key role in supporting the Calanais II025 project.
Looking ahead, Marianne is passionate about helping ensure Calanais’ long-term success is for the benefit of the whole community.
Janet Donaldson, Visitor Operations Manager and Project Co-Ordinator
Janet plays a pivotal dual role at Calanais. Recently progressing to Visitor Operations Manager, she continues to oversee her original responsibilities as Project Coordinator, looking after our trade relationships, sales activity, and the implementation of new admissions and trading systems. In her expanded remit, Janet is now preparing for the opening of the new Visitor Centre — with a current focus on recruiting our new front‑of‑house team to deliver an exceptional visitor experience.
Originally from the Northeast of England, Janet moved to Northumberland in the late ’90s where she and her husband welcomed their daughter, before making the move to the Outer Hebrides last summer. Weekends are now filled with island adventures, and the family remain in awe of the beautiful place they now call home.
With more than 30 years’ experience in travel and tourism, Janet brings deep sector expertise. She began her career in tax accountancy before discovering her passion for the travel industry at Newcastle Airport, gaining experience in check‑in, ticketing, sales and reservations for international airlines including KLM and Braathens.
Her career then moved into sea travel, where she spent 22 years with DFDS, the Danish owned shipping and logistics company. Rising to Global Head of Sales Operation within the Passenger Sales division, Janet led a team of more than 30 direct and indirect reports, delivering and supporting multimillion‑pound annual sales across group travel and B2B markets. Her leadership strengthened operational performance across multiple regions and embedded a high‑performance, customer‑focused culture — experience she now brings to the Calanais team.
“Even before we moved, I had already fallen in love with Calanais during previous visits. When I read about the plans for the new Visitor Centre, it felt like the perfect match for my experience and a truly exciting place to work.” – Janet.
As we prepare the new centre for the season ahead, Janet is passionate about ensuring we offer an outstanding experience for visitors and the local community, shaped by the warm Hebridean welcome Calanais is known for.
“I’ve moved here with my husband and daughter, and I’m keen to build strong links within the community and grow my own roots on the island too.”
Leanne Macdonald, Digital Engagement Officer
Leanne leads our digital marketing across social media and is currently steering the exciting new website project. Her passion lies in sharing the Calanais story with digital audiences through thoughtful storytelling, creative content, campaign support and growing our online community across platforms.
Born and raised on the Isle of Lewis, Leanne is a proud Bacach (Gaelic for someone from Back). She attended the local primary school before moving on to the Nicolson Institute for her secondary education.
After school, Leanne headed to Aberdeen to study International Business Management at Robert Gordon University, later returning to complete a Master’s in Digital Marketing. During her studies, she spent a year in London working with RCL Cruises, supporting brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara – where her love for digital marketing truly took off.
Following her Master’s, Leanne returned home due to Covid and began her island-based career at Acair Books as a Digital Marketing Graduate, before freelancing for a short time. She then spent two years as Digital Storyteller with the Isle of Harris Distillery.
With Calanais entering such an exciting new chapter – including the opening of the new visitor centre – joining the team felt like the perfect next step.
Looking ahead, Leanne is excited to welcome our new online audiences into the visitor centre, building meaningful connections linking digital engagement with real-world conversations – both locally and further afield.
Laura Cooper, Retail Buyer and Visual Merchandiser
Laura leads our retail offering, curating the gift shop with thoughtfully chosen products that reflect the spirit of Calanais. Her aim is to connect visitors with the ancient history of the site, the island, the folklore andmythology, and the crafts and traditions rooted in the land.
Originally from a small village in the Peak District in Derbyshire, Laura grew up dreaming of becoming an archaeologist. She went on to study in Prehistory and Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, where her love of ancient monuments truly took hold.
After graduating, Laura spent time travelling the world and working in a variety of roles jobs before changing direction and pursuing a career in social work. This path brought her to Edinburgh, where she completed a Masters in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh and worked as a Mental Health Social Worker for 12 years.
In 2021, Laura decided to follow a different creative path and trained as a florist, later opening her own small business and gaining retail experience with Black Moon Botanica, Edinburgh. That same year,she also co-founded the Leith Witchcraft Market with a friend – a seasonal market celebrating local makers, artists, and small businesses, which ran seven times a year for five years.
When the opportunity to join the team at Calanais came up, Laura immediately recognised how perfectly the role brought together her passions for heritage, creativity, and community.
“Honestly, this is my absolute dream job!” – Laura.
Laura is now looking forward to finding her island home with her two cats and settling into island life. She’s especially excited to curating a retail space in the new visitor centrew that reflects the significance of the site, while building strong relationships with local makers, suppliers, and small businesses.
