Advice & Outreach Team Staff

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    Emma Gray
    Head of Policy and External Communications

    Emma Gray heads the SPSO’s Policy and Communications section and is a member of the Senior Management Team. She is responsible for raising awareness of the SPSO among the general public, promoting good complaint handling in organisations delivering public services and feeding back the learning from complaints to public bodies, policy makers and the government.  She also manages the SPSO’s press relations. 

    Emma’s early career was journalism, followed by human rights advocacy and lecturing in Russian studies and media.  She joined the SPSO in September 2005.

    Tel 0131 2402974

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    Carol Neill
    Advice & Outreach Team Leader

    Carol Neill joined the SPSO in January 2004. Carol comes from the Housing Association sector in Edinburgh where she held a variety of administration and housing management roles over a twelve year period.

     Tel: 0131 240 8840

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    Grainne Byrne
    Outreach & Communications Officer

    Grainne joined the SPSO in August 2006. For two years Grainne worked in advertising sales and sponsorship with The Scotsman Publications Limited.  Before this, Grainne studied Spanish with Film & Media Studies at The University of Stirling.   As Outreach & Communications Officer, Grainne gives advice to members of the public and complaint handlers, and is responsible for customer relationship management, media relations and communications.

    Tel: 0131 240 8849

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    Nicola Tooey
    Advice & Outreach Assistant

    Nicola joined the Outreach Team in June 2008. Nicola has worked for the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland as a Casework Administrator and, more recently, for Falkirk Council before joining the SPSO.

    Nicola handles general enquiries from the public and gives advice on how to make a complaint, providing publicity material if required. She gives direction to other bodies if necessary and manages the administration of new complaints on the SPSO’s complaints management system.

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    Julie Margiotta
    Advice & Outreach Officer

    Julie Margiotta joined the SPSO in May 2004 from a private sector background. Julie worked in customer service at Standard Life where she handled pension complaints for 5 years.

    Tel: 0131 240 8842

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    Adam McNinch
    Advice & Outreach Officer

    Adam joined the SPSO in October 2008 from Castlerock Edinvar Housing Association where, amongst other things, he was responsible for complaints administration.  Before this Adam gained a wide range of public sector experience within local authorities, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the care sector. Adam studied Law at The University of Aberdeen and graduated in 2003. 

     Tel: 0131 240 8812