Chaired by Dr. Kathryn Bedford (Director) the Advisory Board plays a crucial role in providing expert guidance and strategic insight to support the organization’s mission and objectives. Unlike the Board of Directors, which is responsible for governance and operational decisions, the Advisory Board offers independent advice and specialized expertise to help shape policies, initiatives, and long-term strategy.
Wayne Cocroft
Wayne Cocroft has recently retired as a Senior Archaeological Investigator with Historic England. For over 30 years he has specialised in the investigation and assessment of recent defence sites, including explosives factories, research and development establishments, and Cold War era installations.
He is the author of Dangerous Energy: the Archaeology of Gunpowder and Military Explosives Manufacture, and he has also co-authored Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989; A Fearsome Heritage: Diverse Legacies of the Cold War; War Art, Legacies of the First World War, and The Archaeology of The Teufelsberg: Exploring Western Electronic Intelligence Gathering in Cold War Berlin. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.
Molly Tunstall
Molly is a Hospitality Business Management with Marketing student at Leeds Beckett University, passionate about visitor experience, tourism, and event management. With experience working in hotel events, Molly has developed strong skills in event planning, logistics, audience engagement, and marketing.
This year, Molly is undertaking a consultancy project for the Cold War Network to develop and launch the National Cold War Heritage Week. Her focus is on establishing this as a successful, recurring annual event, ensuring it continues to grow and attract visitors year after year. She brings expertise in event strategy, audience development, and brand positioning. As an advisory board member Molly is committed to shaping the future of Cold War heritage events, creating a strong foundation for this initiative to thrive and to become a key fixture in the heritage tourism calendar.
Jeff Hawley
Jeff Hawley is the Vice Chairman and Trustee of the Airfield Research Group, where he also serves as the Community Heritage and Conservation Manager. Jeff is a United States Air Force veteran who served during the Cold War, witnessing pivotal moments in military history. He now shares his expertise and personal military experiences through educational talks and tours.
As one of the charity’s archivists, he plays a key role in promoting the study of 20th-century military architecture. In addition to his contributions to military heritage, Jeff has co-authored several Cold War architectural reports, which have lead to the listing of significant Cold War-era buildings. Jeff aims to use his firsthand military knowledge and experience to help the Network educate future generations about the legacy and stories of those who lived through the Cold War
Dr. Milka Ivanova
Dr Milka Ivanova is a Course Director for the Postgraduate provision in Events and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. Her research is interdisciplinary and post-disciplinary with background in history, and culture studies as well as tourism, hospitality and events management. Dr Ivanova has experience in teaching modules on sustainable development, current issues, culture and tourism, introduction to hospitality, destinations management, crisis management, introduction to management as well as research methods.
Dr Ivanova is a qualitative researcher and her work focuses on creative and innovative / disruptive methodologies, authenticity, and visitor experiences at communist heritage sites in eastern and central Europe as well as Cold War tourism visitor experiences in the UK. Dr Ivanova’s research predominantly explores the relationship between tradition and modernity, particularly within the emerging identity of ‘New Europe’ countries. She examines how heritage, particularly dissonant and difficult heritage is represented and negotiated through tourism, focusing on the dynamics of traditionality versus transitionality.
Her work has provided significant insights into how post-communist countries, such as Bulgaria, are portrayed in the tourism industry and the evolving role of cultural heritage in this process. Her current work focuses on Cold War heritage in the UK to deconstruct visitor experiences at Cold War sites via memory and nostalgia. Her most recent publications focus on the inclusion of communist heritage in the emerging representation of Eastern Europe through tourism and the rethinking of communist heritage tourism via the concept of the rhizome.
Dr Philip Stone
Dr Philip Stone, co-founder and Director of the Institute for Dark Tourism Research (iDTR) at the University of Lancashire, has pioneered the field of dark tourism globally. Over two decades, Philip’s interdisciplinary scholarship has spanned thanatology, heritage and tourism studies, sociology, psychology, human geography, and business management, generating transformative ideas that have shaped the discourse on difficult heritage.
His acclaimed publications including The Future of Dark Tourism and Children, Young People and Dark Tourism, exemplify his ability to merge theoretical frameworks with emerging trends. With over 8,200 citations and substantial research impact, Philip has not only expanded the conceptual boundaries of dark tourism but has also influenced its practical application within global societal contexts
