Sara McCracken is an award-winning communications specialist with more than 20 years’ experience in different areas including environment, health, education, politics, equestrian and agri-rural businesses. She has worked in a range of businesses – a trade union, charities, political party, membership organisations and an alpaca farm.

Sara has been involved in activist campaigns including smoke free workplaces; organ donation; minimum pricing of alcohol; chest, heart and stroke illnesses; care of older people; education; children and young people; mental health; and the environment. She also co-found Women in PR Northern Ireland in 2018.

Sara led the CIPR double-award winning Revive our World campaign for RSPB NI, which resulted in climate change legislation being passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

David Boot is Head of Public Affairs at London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and has over 18 years’ experience of public affairs and wider communications, particularly relating to transport and the environment.

Prior to working for LNER, David worked for the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), leading on all UK and international stakeholder engagement, having previously worked for Gatwick Airport, National Highways and on behalf of a range of organisations across the private and third sectors, including working as a public affairs consultant and for a trade union.

Educated at the University of Leicester and the University of Leeds, David holds a degree in politics and a master’s in British politics and parliamentary studies. He is a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and Chair of the CIPR Public Affairs Committee. David has been politically active for over 20 years, and stood as a parliamentary candidate in 2010.