About Us About the IMRF Staff Caroline Jupe - CEO Caroline Jupe is the CEO of the IMRF, a position she has held since February 2023. With over 16 years of experience in the UK charity sector, Caroline has worked in various roles at organisations such as Action on Hearing Loss and the British Heart Foundation. She joined the IMRF in March 2016 as Fundraising Manager and later became Head of Fundraising and Projects. During her time at the IMRF, Caroline played a key role in developing initiatives aimed at enhancing the capabilities and best practices of maritime search and rescue (SAR) organisations worldwide. Notably, she was involved in the #WomenInSAR initiative, which seeks to increase the representation of women in the maritime SAR sector, and the #SARyouOK? campaign, which focuses on raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues SAR personnel face. As CEO, Caroline leads the IMRF in its mission to improve maritime SAR capacity and operational effectiveness globally. She emphasises the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing among maritime SAR organisations to drive positive change in the industry. Caroline is also a strong advocate for mental health and wellbeing, both professionally and personally. She incorporates exercise into her routine to manage stress and prioritises family time and self-care to maintain a balance between her personal and professional life. Tom Lees - Senior Project Officer Tom joined the IMRF in June 2025 from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), where he worked in a coordinating role for the RNLI's International Team. A graduate of the Department of War Studies at King's College London, Tom is a keen student of geopolitics and current affairs. He brings extensive experience in coordinating international teams across the international development and security sectors, having previously served as a Team Leader in a 24/7 Global Operations Centre for a private travel security company. Outside of his work at the IMRF, Tom is a qualified ski instructor and spent the winter of 2024/25 working in northern Japan. Roly McKie - International Maritime Organization Representative and SAR Advisor Roly spent more than 30 years with the United Kingdom’s HM Coastguard where he spent 12 years as a frontline SAR mission coordinator at MRCCs Dover and Yarmouth. This was followed by 19 years in various roles in SAR administration working on policy, procedure and process design, development and implementation. He was later part the senior management team providing strategic direction and leadership to the running of the coastguard service. The last six years of his career was as Head of Operational Standards, overseeing the conducting of regular operational audits of the Coastguard, and promoting high operational standards. Before joining HM Coastguard, he worked in civilian commercial aviation and then served in the UK Royal Air Force for nine years. He took up coastal sailing in the late 1970s and continued this off and on during his air force career, which led him to join HM Coastguard when he left. Roly is based in Southampton, UK. He is married with two children and one grandchild. Jaakko Heikkilä - International Programme Manager Besides working for the IMRF, Jaakko retains the position of Head of Training at the Finnish Lifeboat Institution (FLBI), where he has worked since 2016. He also serves as a volunteer lifeboat crew member at the FLBI Helsinki Station. Prior to these roles, Jaakko spent 13 years as a Senior Researcher working for the Finnish government, contributing to various interdisciplinary research projects. He holds a Licentiate of Science degree in environmental economics, and believes in science-based decision-making. Outside of his professional commitments, Jaakko is a father of two children and a happy servant to a dachshund. Clare Green - Finance Manager Clare joined the IMRF team in December 2020. She has a strong finance background, having trained with Saffery Champness, a London accountancy firm. Since then, she has been working in successful small- to medium-sized privately owned businesses, as well as briefly working at the RNLI in 2019 - so she is no stranger to maritime SAR! Clare is very friendly and extremely happy to help you with any questions or queries you may have. Steve Wills - Project Manager Steve holds over 25 years of experience in global drowning prevention and maritime search and rescue. He began his career at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), where he played a key role in developing international lifesaving initiatives. With extensive experience in disaster risk reduction, public health, and community resilience, Steve worked with global organisations such as the World Health Organization and UNICEF to drive policy changes and secure government funding for drowning prevention programmes. He also served as a volunteer with the RNLI’s flood rescue team for over a decade. Steve works for the IMRF as a part-time Project Manager, bringing his expertise to support the IMRF’s mission to enhance search and rescue operations worldwide. Julia Swales - Community Support Officer Julia joined the IMRF in November 2025, bringing a wealth of experience from a variety of research, market intelligence, content development and project management roles across the supply chain and maritime sectors. Prior to this, Julia was Head of Publishing at a leading international business book publisher in London, commissioning books for supply chain and maritime academic and practitioner markets. Paul Duffy - Maritime SAR Academy Project Manager Paul brings more than twenty years of search and rescue experience across research, development and training delivery, working at strategic, tactical and operational levels. He has previously held several senior roles within HM Coastguard (UK), including National Search Lead (Lost & Missing Person Search), Head of Technical Training, and Area Commander. Paul brings strong instructional credentials, including training in the UK Overseas Territories, and a practical focus on topics such as incident management and human factors, which will be valuable as we shape the Academy content and learning journey. Manage Cookie Preferences