Trustees

Roger Lilley (Chair)

Roger has contributed to the Capturing Cambridge project and worked on other WWI related local history projects in Cambridge for several years. Currently a governor of Homerton Children’s Centre and treasurer of St John the Evangelist Hills Road, he was previously a teacher at Milton Road Primary School, a national campaigner for Friends of the Earth and an underwriter at Lloyd’s of London. Among his hobbies are early choral music, piano accompanying, travel and birdwatching.

Adam Bastin (Treasurer)

Adam is a qualified accountant (CIMA) and over the last 20 years has occupied a variety of M&A and Corporate Finance roles at technology companies and investment banks, including an extended period at Arm Limited in Cambridge. Adam therefore brings significant finance and investment experience to the Board. Adam currently serves as a non-executive director at investment trust which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has previously served on the boards of various early-stage technology companies, thereby bringing experience of governance in a corporate setting. Adam joined the Board of Trustees in July 2023 and lives in Cambridge with his wife and two daughters.

Dr Claire Allen-Johnstone (Trustee)

Claire is an Exhibition Research Assistant at V&A South Kensington. Before this she was an Assistant Curator of Furniture, Textiles, and Fashion at the V&A, working across areas including exhibitions, publications, gallery maintenance, and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. Claire has also carried out collections management and teaching roles and holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford on ‘Dress, Feminism, and British New Woman Novels’. She was part of the editorial team for Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion and has also published on topics including scarves and papier-mâché. Claire lives in Cambridge, where her husband works, and enjoys the area’s nature, architecture, and arts and culture. In summer 2024 she joined the Museum of Cambridge’s Board of Trustees.

Lucy Astill (Trustee)

Lucy is a Project Manager for the National Lottery Heritage Fund, working on the development of new funding programmes. She has previously worked in numerous museums and heritage sites, including Nottingham Industrial Museum, Creswell Crags, and Stonehenge. Lucy has a special interest in collections management and project management, and sits on the Finance and Collection subcommittees.  She also contributes to Museum of Cambridge fundraising activity, particularly grant applications.    

Dr Matt Hann (Trustee)

Matt works in higher education fundraising for the University of Cambridge, where he is Senior Associate Director, London in the University’s development office. Prior to this he led Cambridge’s fundraising efforts in Europe and worked as Associate Director for trusts and foundations fundraising at the University. As well as major gifts fundraising, he has experience in grant writing and was Alumni Relations Officer at Homerton College. He holds a PhD in political theory from the University of Durham, where he was president of the students’ union at Ustinov College. Matt chairs the Museum Fundraising Subcommittee and leads on Fundraising Strategy. 

Al Herron (Trustee)

Al is a marketing and comms professional with over 20 years of experience. He has led marketing teams at global analytics and AI companies, tech start-ups, and founded a marketing agency. He moved to a small village just outside Cambridge and is passionate about local history. As a trustee, Al is committed to using marketing best practice to help the museum reach a wider audience.

Ruth McPhee (Trustee)

Ruth has worked as part of the retail team for the University of Cambridge museums and collections for 15 years. Since 2021 she has been Head of Product Development for Curating Cambridge Ltd, with additional responsibilities as the Publishing Programme Coordinator for the University of Cambridge/Nosy Crow children’s publishing partnership. She grew up in Cambridge and returned after University, with a renewed love for the city and the history and folklore of the region. She has a PhD in Film Studies and Critical Theory from King’s College London.

Maria Antonieta Nestor (Trustee)

Maria Antonieta Nestor, known affectionately as “Antoinette,” has made Cambridge her home for over a decade. Originally from Santiago, Chile, she’s a mother of three and a University of Cambridge professional. Antoinette founded “A Toy’s Life and Beyond,” a local enterprise educating families on recycling and the circular economy. She has organised playground clean-ups, repair cafes, and represented climate issues at UN meetings. A legal scholar with degrees from Ireland and the USA, Antoinette leads public interest law initiatives at Lucy Cavendish College and is a member of Murray Edwards College’s net-zero committee. Recently elected as a City Councillor for Castle Ward, Antoinette’s continues her commitment to enhancing Cambridge’s community.