‘Exceptional’ team joins Hannah Mary Goodlad as hard work begins
HANNAH Mary Goodlad has unveiled her “exceptional” all-female staff team and has promised they will immediately get to work on fulfilling her manifesto promises.
Shetland’s MSP and her new hires – three of which are islanders and will be based in Shetland – spoke of their desire to ensure her ambitious election pledges could be made reality in the coming years.
Goodlad, Shetland’s first SNP MSP ever, said she had selected four “exceptional people” with “diverse mindsets” to lead her team.
And though all four are female, Goodlad insisted that she did not set out with the intention to create an all-woman team.
“These are four incredible women, who are experts in communication, strategy, execution, negotiation and integrity,” she told Shetland News at Lerwick Harbour on Monday.
“We couldn’t ask for more.
“We had over 100 applications from all over the world. They [her staff team] just all happened to be women.”
Eilidh Munro will manage her office from Edinburgh, while Chris Bain, Disa Hunter and Alex Wyllie will lead the Shetland-based office.
Bain is in charge of executing Goodlad’s pre-election manifesto, while Wyllie will lead on communications and content, and Hunter will be her case worker.
“The big thing about them is the diversity of their backgrounds,” Goodlad said.
“Their backgrounds are very non-political, that’s really important for supporting a community like Shetland.”
Munro said that Goodlad had run an “inspirational campaign”, which had “captured the imagination” of those in Shetland and further afield.
“It’s a really exciting time to be part of the team,” she said.
“She’s [Hannah Mary] ambitious about what she wants to achieve. She wants to make life better.”
Bain said that it was “very unusual” for a candidate to bring out their own manifesto – something usually associated with political parties – in the lead-up to an election.
She is tasked with making Goodlad’s manifesto a reality, and Bain said she is “very enthused” about the opportunity.
“I think we’re looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting stuck in,” she said.
“We have a fantastic team to help develop that.”
She said it was rare to work with an MSP who is also “at the heart of government”, referencing Goodlad’s dual role as public finance minister.
Bain added she was “absolutely looking forward to delivering” Goodlad’s manifesto.
Hunter has previous experience in the social care sector, which she believes leaves her perfectly placed to be Goodlad’s case worker.
“I’ll be bringing that into the role, using that kind of empathy,” she said.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to get involved.”
And Wyllie, who will lead Goodlad’s communications and content output, said Shetland’s MSP had really showed how confident she was in Shetland and her own campaign before the election.
Goodlad said her staff team would be very important “for the next five years and beyond”.
“I hope to be MSP for Shetland for a very long time,” she added.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I want to be as transparent as possible with our progress so people can see where we are.”
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