People
Armadillo consultants are all highly experienced at living and working in hostile environments – being present in every major conflict since 1992. They all spend sometime in the field each year working with humanitarian agencies as security advisors – reducing risk without compromising the image or principles of their charges. As trainers, they are uniquely capable of passing on their skills and knowledge.
Michelle Mackintosh: Co-Founder and Director
Michelle has fifteen years experience in the humanitarian safety and security sector, much of it first hand and practical as a security officer and a global security advisor for a major INGO. She has developed organisational security plans, trained hundreds of staff, managed real crises, and helped many to avoid them. She is our lead on field operations, and is mostly still to be found in the field, side by side with humanitarian actors.
Michelle was Head of Logistics for the UN in the former Yugoslavia, responsible for a team of 150 and the resupply of over 400 locations with food, water and other essentials; in addition, she was responsible for managing the security of the team. In 1997, Michelle was in charge of the demobilisation, demilitarisation and rehabilitation of the RUF in Sierra Leone for DFID. Michelle was head of Security for the Foreign and Commonweath Office in Southern Iraq from 2004-2006, where she was responsible for more than 200 security guards and close protection operatives in order to provide security for 100 FCO diplomats. Her hostage management plan was subsequently adopted for use by the FCO worldwide. Michelle managed a number of major crises in Iraq, including attacks on the Basra Consultate office, an abduction, a kidnapping, and numerous IED and other attacks on convoys. She also provided advice on the security situation to Government ministers, including the Prime Minister.
Steve McCann: Co-Founder and Director
Steve is an experienced and practical safety and security specialist in the humanitarian sector, with both UN and military experience, but like all Armadillo staff, familiar with and committed to the humanitarian imperative, knowing that humanitarian security is different – not even all about security in traditional terms. Steve focusses now on consultant support, working the centre to support programme delivery by our team, though ensuring that like all Armadillo staff, he works several weeks each year in the field with clients.
Steve Ritchie
Steve has been involved in security and safety all his working life, with detailed experience in enabling the continuation of programmes within difficult environments . His greatest strength though is his ability to work with our clients to help them achieve sustainable change, improved safety and security practices. Steve is our lead in South Asia, with a detailed and extensive knowledge of the contexts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Another person who lives in the field, Steve is also experienced in much of Africa, especially Sudan, and also in Gaza.
Patrick Fox
Patrick has extensive experience in Afghanistan, Pakistan and South Sudan and is a former ICRC delegate, active with Armadillo client partners in all those countries and more besides. Patrick is expert at reviewing and assessing our clients safety and security capacity, and working with them to make significant and sustainable improvements.
Kjell Bjork
Kjell brings great strength to the Armadillo line up with his impressive history of working in the field combined with an academic capacity that has he has recently honed to gain a PhD. Kjell has experience in Afghanistan and a host of other contexts and will lead Armadillo trainings in the field. Kjell is currently working as head of the EU mission in Georgia.
Phil Jones
Phil is a field-experienced NGO safety and security specialist. Phil has been involved at field and senior organisational level for over 10 years and has worked across Africa, Asia and the Middle and Far East in Post War, Hostile, Disaster (Emergency Response) and Developmental environments. Phil has programme experience to draw on which helps in the planning, training and implementation of Safety and Security in the field.
Hedd Thomas
Hedd is humanitarian specialist in hostile areas and conflict zones, complex cultural settings, faith based humanitarian work, training, supporting local community groups, and mentoring international staff. Currently working with Armadillo on knowledge management, operational security, and training. Extensive experience in Europe, USA, Africa, and South East Asia.
Rachel Halton
Rachel is our UK based administrator. She would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like further information: contact her through our contact form.
Work with Armadillo?
We are field based practitioners who are proud of our commitment to the humanitarian sector and our ability to communicate learning to people of many cultures. If you have a strong security and NGO background, and can demonstrate a passion for training as well as the ability to review an organisations safety and security stance, and with the ability to communicate with staff of every level, contact us. In truth we are slow at replying, our clients come first, but we will.
Candidates must have good communication skills and be prepared to live in the field. Languages are especially welcome with French, Arabic & Spanish being amongst the most useful. Contact us for more information through our contact form.