Trustees and CEO

I’m delighted to join Age UK Surrey and its team of dedicated staff and volunteers providing such a breadth of advice and support across our communities.

I look forward to building on the legacy of my predecessor, Sue Zirps; to increase our reach and to develop further innovative services which focus on meeting local needs.

I join Age UK Surrey with wide experience of senior roles within the charity sector - as a Chief Executive of several charities, as a Trustee of both local and national organisations and as a Consultant specialising in strategy and fundraising.

I live close to Petworth in West Sussex with my husband, three children and two dogs.

I have lived in Surrey all my life.  When my children were small I was a volunteer at the Citizens Advice Bureau. During my working life, I worked as a  lawyer specialising in divorce, family and child protection.  I worked for several local firms and local authorities around the country. I have represented both parents and local authorities in court. I have also advised adult social services departments.

Since retirement, I have joined the Board of the Friends of Guildford Cathedral, a charity which makes grants to the cathedral from the Friends.  I am also chair of governors of Kingfield Primary School in Woking and their designated safeguarding governor.  I joined the Board of Age UK Surrey in 2020 and have a particular interest in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. 

In September 2023 I retired after a 40-year career in the civil service and the wider public sector. Most recently I was the Chief Financial Officer of a 31-school multi-academy trust based in Kent. I previously had a wide variety of finance-based roles in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education. I have lived in Surrey since 2010 and I joined the board of Age UK Surrey in August 2023 as honorary treasurer.

My wife and I have five grandchildren and very much enjoy spending time with them. I am a lifelong supporter of Leeds United Football Club and travel to see them play as much as I can. I am also a keen follower of cricket, rugby and horse racing - watching, not participating these days! 

Now that I have some free time, I am thoroughly enjoying helping the AUKS team as much as I can, with a particular focus on financial oversight.

I am recently retired, after a 35-year career in the software industry, specialising in data & analytics, digital marketing and privacy/GDPR.

I am particularly keen to use my background and experience to help charities as a digital trustee, as well as getting involved in technical and financial advocacy/advice. I currently volunteer for a number of charities, including the RSPCA (Temporary Trustee) and SERV Surrey & London (Blood Bikes). I am also actively involved in local youth football at league and club level, after coaching my two sons from a young age.

Brought up in Manchester, I have lived in Surrey since 1996. I have been a season ticket holder at Manchester City for many years, so spend most of my weekends on the M6.

I have been a trustee of Age UK Surrey since February 2024.

Born and educated in Surrey, I have lived in Runnymede and Woking for over 40 years. I have led a successful career in global enterprise software and became a full-time carer for my dear parents in 2023. I am proud to work part-time at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust in Guildford as a Patient Safety Partner.

The mission of Age UK Surrey is something at the centre of my everyday lived experience as a carer and I am passionate about making a difference for older people in Surrey. 

I bring over a decade of experience in global strategic sales and transformation programmes, during which I have helped build and lead several global Sales Centres of Excellence. I've overseen specialist teams across Sales Strategy, Risk Management, Cyber Security, Project Management, Tax Compliance, Commercial Strategy, Creative Excellence, and Knowledge Management.

From Tokyo to Toronto, I have personally contributed to developing and executing global sales, risk management and transformation strategies, implementing new operating models and frameworks, and facilitating workshops on-the-ground internationally. Focused on fostering cross-border relationships, crafting innovative narratives, and driving synergies across geographies, I have successfully led teams in designing major change programmes and business critical services.