OUR TEAM

Max is a trained architect with over 20 years of experience in master planning and community design, with a particular focus on co-housing and collaborative living. He has designed entire communities in the Pacific Northwest and Scotland, helped form co-housing groups across London and was a co-creator of Springhill in Stroud the first new-build cohousing project in the UK. For decades, Max has advised groups nationwide on turning their community living aspirations into reality, combining deep architectural expertise with a passion for self-organised, resident-led development.

Building on this foundation, Max has also worked as a project manager, ethical business advisor, mentor, and executive coach. A serial social entrepreneur, he brings a unique blend of traditional business acumen and innovative, systems-level thinking to complex challenges especially in the context of housing affordability. His approach is hands-on, values-driven and rooted in a belief that civil society can and must lead where the market and state have failed.

Curious, adaptable, and always learning, Max works in a flexible and nomadic style that keeps him at the cutting edge of social innovation.

Dan is an experienced grants and social investment manager, with a strong track record in supporting charities and social enterprises to develop robust financial models, scalable business plans, and long-term sustainability. Over the past three decades, Dan has managed over £20 million in grants and social investment funds, working closely with major philanthropic trusts and foundations to back high-impact, community-driven initiatives.

Dan brings deep expertise in helping organisations refine their business models particularly those delivering measurable social value. He has supported a wide range of third-sector organisations with strategic financial planning, helping them move from vision to viability. Most recently, Dan has been instrumental in the development of the Equity Rent business model, working in collaboration with financial modellers from CBRE to design innovative, non-extractive approaches to affordable housing and community wealth-building.

Dan’s broader career spans academia, social care, and policy advocacy. He has led ground breaking research projects, including the UK’s largest study on unmet needs (commissioned by the Young Foundation), and played key roles in shaping consumer protection policy such as the establishment of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and securing PPI refunds for vulnerable consumers.

Maryam is an experienced manager of resident-led housing developments, with a strong track record in inclusive design and accessibility. She has led eight small-scale building projects across London, all of which were made wheelchair accessible. Maryam currently manages a resident-led housing community in London, supporting residents to actively shape the place they live centering participation, equity, and long-term stewardship. She was part of the management team that oversaw the transformation of a disused church into a thriving community space, securing over £9 million in Heritage Fund. 

Maryam also led the four-year Collaborative Care Communities pilot at Folklore Hoxton, creating space for collective learning, care, and experimentation (funded by the Lotteries Community Fund). Alongside her work in housing, Maryam is a social entrepreneur, academic, disability activist, and innovator in business and technology. She was awarded Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010 for her pioneering work in social care. A specialist in Participatory Action Research and Radical Co-production.

Maryam has led numerous research initiatives with marginalised, indigenous, and excluded communities in the UK and globally. She is co-author of Personalisation and Social Work and Radical Co-production, and regularly teaches across UK universities. 

Peter is a highly experienced building valuation surveyor with a specialist focus on accessible design, inclusive infrastructure, and ethical development. At Lemon Leopard, Peter leads all building and design-related work, managing a multidisciplinary team of around a dozen professionals including architects, planners, structural engineers, and quantity surveyors. With a sharp eye for detail and an unwavering commitment to social impact, he ensures that every project is delivered to a high technical standard while remaining aligned with the organisation’s values of inclusion, equity, and sustainability.

Peter originally studied international development and accessibility advocacy, combining a global systems view with hands-on technical training as a building surveyor. His career bridges practical surveying expertise with a deep dedication to community-centred design. He has worked extensively with charitable and mission-driven organisations, providing building condition reports, valuation surveys, and design guidance to help maximise the social value of capital investments particularly those supporting disabled and marginalised communities.

As a full-time wheelchair user, Peter brings lived experience to his professional role. Peter’s expertise has been called upon internationally, including large-scale projects and NGO partnerships in Kenya and beyond. 

Anne Shalo brings a wealth of experience in retail, sales, and digital marketing to her role as co-owner of Kribi Coffee Global, a Cameroonian coffee business distributing across the UK. She oversees operations, customer service, and digital marketing, drawing on over a decade in high-end retail with brands like Lululemon and SoulCycle, where she honed her skills in customer engagement and brand strategy.

Before stepping into the coffee industry, Anne held administrative and marketing roles at Java Master International, building a strong foundation in online strategy and business operations. She is also a certified barista with experience in upscale restaurants in the Netherlands. Beyond business, Anne is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor and professional dancer, offering private and group sessions rooted in movement, mindfulness, and a background in psychology and performance.

Sarah Mayers brings nearly two decades of experience in affordable housing, property management, and community services, making her an invaluable addition to the Lemon Leopard board. She is currently Head of New Business at City Guardians, where she leads on relationship development, affordable housing growth, and innovative rate mitigation strategies through property guardian services.

Her career reflects a consistent focus on housing justice and practical innovation. At Global Guardians Management and Grand City Property, she drove business development across Greater London, identifying new opportunities for affordable housing. Prior to this, Sarah held senior leadership roles at Rentplus-UK, first as Area Manager and then as Area Director, where she developed strategic partnerships to expand access to rent-to-buy homes.

Sarah’s roots in frontline housing run deep: over a decade at L&Q and Moat Homes saw her managing neighbourhood services, leading teams, and negotiating contracts to improve outcomes for residents across London and the South East.

With expertise spanning social housing, housing development, and community-led solutions, Sarah combines commercial acumen with a strong commitment to equity and participation. As a Trustee, she offers Lemon Leopard both strategic insight and a grounded understanding of how to deliver meaningful, systemic change in housing.