Charlie McConnell heads up the senior management team at Schumacher College- the International Centre for Sustainable Living. He is also a member of the senior management of The Dartington Hall Trust. Charlie is a political scientist and has worked for over thirty five years in both the UK and internationally in community development education and in the consumer movement. He has also held lecturing posts in further and higher education. Former jobs include CEO of the Community Education Council, European and Public Affairs Director of the Community Development Foundation, CEO of Carnegie UK Trust and Head of Community Development with the Scottish Government. He was for five years the Secretary General of the International Association for Community Development and was the first Chair of the UK's professional training standards body for community learning and development. He has written and edited several books and has advised the Council of Europe, UK and Scottish governments on community empowerment. He joined the college in 2008.