CIEH Pest Control Conference

Alexia Naylor, Business Manager at the Bed Bug Foundation CIC and Director at Cimex Store Ltd. Alexia has worked for the Bed Bug Foundation (BBF) CIC since 2016, alongside her husband Dr Richard Naylor, author of the European Code of Practice: Bedbug Management. BBF CIC is an independent not-for-profit organisation that raises bed bug awareness through communication and education. They provide information and advice to homeowners and businesses alike, to help combat the stigma, financial and emotional cost that bed bugs can bring. BBF CIC is also a specialist certifying body for the bed bug canine scent detection industry, supporting a network of teams across Europe to promote good practice in the detection of bed bugs.

Ana Carolina Yamakawa, PhD Student at University of Reading. Ana is a veterinarian with a background in serological diagnosis, molecular biology, and public health. Her expertise extends to scientific research, with a focus on diagnostics, molecular biology, and the intersection of zoonoses and one health. Currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Reading, Ana is dedicated to advancing knowledge with a specific emphasis on working with rodent diseases and their implications for public health. The research aims to enhance disease understanding, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes for both animals and humans.

Bob Mayho, Chair of the National Pest Advisory Panel (NPAP). Bob worked as a policy officer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) from 2002 until 2016. He managed a wide policy portfolio that majored in housing and health issues, with a particular focus on the private rented sector. He has been Chair of NPAP since 2012 and has represented CIEH and NPAP on the Government’s cross-sectoral planning group on invasive mosquitoes.

Dr Claire Donald, Lecturer in Microbiology at University of Glasgow. Claire is a Lecturer in Microbiology at the University of Glasgow within the School of Infection and Immunity. Her research background is in virology, specifically focusing on mosquito-borne viruses and the interactions they have with their vertebrate hosts and invertebrate vectors. During her post-doctoral studies, her work focused on Zika virus investigating the rise in Zika-associated neurological symptoms seen during the Brazilian epidemic. More recently she has become interested in the influences of environmental factors, such as light and temperature, on disease transmission and how changes in the global climate impacts the spread of mosquito-borne viruses.

John Horsley, Technical Support Officer at British Pest Control Association (BPCA). John started his career in pest control in April 2012, working around Lincolnshire and building a great deal of experience in rural and urban pest control. In 2017, he successfully applied for a technical officer role and for four years he played a pivotal role in training technicians, office staff and customers in all aspects of pest control, in the classroom and out in the field. John joined BPCA in August 2021.

Dr Matthew Davies, Head of Technical Department at Killgerm Chemicals Ltd. Matthew is the Technical Editor for Pest Control News, was the Chair of the 9th International Conference on Urban Pests 2017 and holds a PhD from Aston University. At Killigern, Matthew advises on all aspects of public health pest control, particularly entomology and provides pest control training, product testing, insect identification, pest control audits and technical literature. He is also the industrial supervisor for a University of Reading CASE PhD studentship regarding rodenticide resistance and dissemination of pathogens by rats and mice.

Nigel Semmence, Contingency Planning and Science Officer, National Bee Unit at Animal and Plant Health Agency. Nigel has worked at the National Bee Unit (NBU) since 2009 and has been responsible for contingency planning for exotic pests and diseases since 2015. NBU has been working with stakeholders and Defra to develop a response to incursions of the Asian Hornet.