Our Board

Marie Chadwick

Chair

Marie joined our board in 2020 as an Independent trustee and became Chair in 2023. Marie is a Policy Leader at National Housing Federation, the trade body for the housing association sector. Marie has a wealth of experience in local and national government, and has worked in the charity sector.

As well as a passion for reading, Marie is a strong believer in the power of libraries to deliver positive outcomes for individuals and communities. She is a champion for equality, diversity and inclusion and hopes to bring her wide range of skills to further strengthen the Board of Libraries Unlimited.

Alex Kittow

Ex Officio Trustee

Alex was appointed as Chief Executive of Libraries Unlimited in 2019. Alex was previously Chief Executive of Bristol-based charity Southmead Development Trust, where he played a pivotal role in increasing traded income, securing and delivering a number of contracts, and grant-funded projects. Through his leadership the charity was able to significantly increase its positive impact on its beneficiaries, as well as growing its financial reserves and improving its governance structure. Alex has also worked for organisations such as Partner Aid International, based in East Africa, and for the Ministry of Defence, where he secured chartership as an Engineer.

In his role as Chief Executive at Libraries Unlimited, Alex is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation, ensuring Devon and Torbay’s libraries are thriving. Current areas of focus include seeking to raise awareness of our independent charitable status and the breadth of services that we offer, and diversifying income streams. Without having a libraries background, Alex has been very impressed with the reach of our services, the impact libraries have on the local economy, the health and wellbeing of individuals and their role in creating thriving communities, and he often finds himself challenging the library sector to think and speak outside of their traditional relationships.

Alex is also on the Board of trustees for Locality, a national charity promoting the work of community anchor organisations across the UK.

Andrew Prince

Community Trustee

Andrew joined our board in 2018. A Devon resident since childhood, Andrew had a long career in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy and a second career teaching in higher education at the Britannia Royal Naval College, the University of Plymouth and INTO University of Exeter.

He lives in Ashburton where he was treasurer and latterly chairman of the Friends Of Ashburton Library (FOAL) and he is a trustee of two other charities in the town. Andrew served for 15 years on the Town Council and was Mayor in 2009.

A strong advocate for lifelong learning and the wider use of libraries for all ages, he gained his Master's degree in his 40s and a Doctorate of Education in his 50s. Andrew brings a breadth of experience to the role of Community Trustee and is committed to developing Libraries Unlimited's customer offering in new, exciting and diverse ways.  He is committed to working with the Libraries Unlimited team to identify exciting and innovative ways to provide world-class library services.

Sue Simmons

Community Trustee

Sue is now in her second term as a Community Trustee, re-joining the Board in November 2021. She is a founder member of the Friends of Bovey Library (formerly known as BLAST). This Friends Group has been very active for several years now and continued to hold public Zoom meetings during recent lockdowns.

Sue has lived in Devon for over 25 years. Now retired, her background is in mental health nursing – in clinical practice, education and management in the NHS. Later in her career she worked part-time for the Care Quality Commission and undertook some independent consultancy work.

She has two adult sons now living in Bristol. For a number of years Sue and her husband were volunteer hosts with Nightstop, which provided emergency accommodation for homeless young people. She is a Trustee of a charity for education and welfare in Bangladesh.

A year ago Sue became a member of Bovey Tracey Town Council.

In her spare time, Sue loves to walk, cycle, garden, enjoy Devon’s beautiful countryside and, of course, read. She and friends established their local book group almost 20 years ago and it is still going strong. She is very positive about the future for Libraries Unlimited.

Morgen Witzel

Independent Trustee

Morgen joined our board in 2018. Morgen is a Devon-based writer, editor and consultant and is a Fellow of the Exeter Centre for Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School. He has written a number of management and leadership books and also wrote detective fiction with his wife under a pseudonym.

Morgen was a Trustee of EDP Drug and Alcohol Services for eleven years. He is also a Trustee of the Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust.

Crystal Carter

Independent Trustee

Crystal joined our board in 2020. Crystal is a marketing professional with over 10 years’ experience helping businesses and organisations in the UK, and around the world, to achieve their goals. With a specialism in strategic digital implementation, she is adept at creating new opportunities for revenue and customer engagement.

Currently working as a Senior Digital Strategist at Optix Solutions, she has held posts at Exeter City Council, Tomy Inc, and the Exeter Green Partnership. She is a university guest lecturer and has active local history partnerships with Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) and Devon Development Education.

Lynn Morris

Independent Trustee

Lynn joined the board in 2022. She brings experience in international development, communications and journalism. She is a Country Director of BBC Media Action. She has worked in Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Kenya but is most at home in a muddy part of the Devon countryside. She is passionate about reading and the power of libraries to enhance communities and improve people's lives.

Marwa Tourky

Independent Trustee

Marwa E. Tourky is Associate Professor of Marketing and Brand Management at Cranfield School of Management, UK, and Deputy Editor of Journal of Marketing Communications. Marwa has held the roles of Director of MSc Strategic Marketing at Cranfield University, and Programme Director of BSc Business Studies and Exeter College Liaison Officer at Exeter University. As a former Library Liaison Officer at Exeter University Business School (2018-2021), libraries have always held a special place in her heart as gateways to knowledge, creativity, and empowerment, and resonates deeply with her passion for fostering inclusive learning environments and driving positive community change. Her passion for widening participation has always been at the core of her personal and academic journey and professional contributions. By acting as Widening Participation Lead, and the Liaison Officer for Exeter College and Exeter University (2017-2021), championing diversity and inclusion, she is enthusiastic about supporting Libraries Unlimited's commitment to serving a broad spectrum of the community.

Steve Williams

Independent Trustee

Steven Williams joined our board in 2024. He worked in book publishing and then founded, and was CEO of, Midas Public Relations, the leading UK PR agency for publishing, culture and the arts. Clients included most of the UK’s top publishers,, trade organisations such as the Booksellers Association, many bestselling authors, book awards and literary festivals. He was a Trustee of the Arvon Foundation for over ten years with particular responsibility for fundraising. He is currently Chairman of BookBrunch, the online news service for the publishing industry

Steven was born in Plymouth into a naval family and has strong links to Devon. Books, and by extension the importance of libraries, and independent bookshops, have been integral to his life and career. Being a trustee of Libraries Unlimited which goes above and beyond in its promotion and provision of books and libraries is an exciting prospect for him.

Katie Villa

Independent Trustee

Katie is a Freelancer Theatre Practitioner with 15 years experience working in the South West Arts Sector. Katie is the Artistic Director of Quirk Theatre CIC, an Exeter based theatre company who make magical, socially conscious shows for young people and their families at Christmas time, offering a meaningful alternative to pantomime. Passionate about the power of the Arts to create positive change, Katie also works as a freelance theatre director, a performer and a creative facilitator. As an emerging cultural leader and Clore Leadership Fellow 23/24, Katie has been leading initiatives that bring people together to make creative stuff happen, like The Artist's Failspace (in collaboration with Exeter Northcott) and the Sustainable Arts Network (with Theatre Alibi).

Katie is an avid reader and thinks that libraries are radical and magical spaces, offering life changing services to anyone and everyone. She believes stories have the power to change the world, is happiest with a huge pile of books next to the bed and is thrilled to be joining the Libraries Unlimited board as an Independent Trustee. 

Alan Nash

Staff Trustee

Alan has worked for Libraries Unlimited for three years and is currently the supervisor of Paignton and Brixham libraries. A qualified librarian with more than 20 years' experience in the sector, he is passionate about the social impact of libraries on local communities, and sits on the Equality Diversity and Inclusion group within LU. He is the former Staff Forum chair and has a particular interest in library services which incorporate an understanding of mental ill health, diversity in all its aspects, poverty, immigration, and the positive impact of reading for pleasure. He is also a self-confessed bookworm.

Eve Ashton

Staff Trustee

Eve joined the board as a Staff Trustee in 2024. Eve lives in Torquay, and is currently the Centre Manager, overseeing the four Torbay libraries. Previously, Eve was the Library supervisor at Totnes Library, also overseeing Buckfastleigh Library. Eve has a passion for developing library teams to see the power of their spaces and the impact on our communities. Eve is also the Chair of the EDI working group at Libraries Unlimited, working with a team of library staff to ensure that our organisation is held accountable for being as inclusive and welcoming to everyone as possible. Recent EDI projects that Eve has led include becoming an Anti-Racist organisation and partnering with the Hidden Disability scheme.

Having lived in Devon since 2020, Eve previously lived in the Midlands, working in Birmingham leading a learning centre, supporting children between the ages of 3-18, of all backgrounds, to boost their skills and confidence in English and Maths.