Helen O’Kane

Current positions: Board member of Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tourism (Director), co-chair and member of the PR/Marketing sub-group

Brief experience: Helen has managed Puzzlewood since 2008 and grown the business from a relatively small attraction to one of the leading attractions in the area. The business has gone from strength to strength and attracted worldwide attraction with Star Wars, helping to put the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley on the map.

Key skills: Management, business development, team work, marketing, publications, determination and energy.

Reasons for being a member of the board: Helen has been a member of the board (and the committee before that) since 2011 and is always prepared to give her time and energy to promote the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. She’s passionate about raising the awareness of the area, improving the visitor experience and increasing the conversion of day visitors into stay visitors. She has represented Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tourism on numerous occasions and has more recently secured external funding so that the organisation can survive financially though Covid-19.