Leadership Team

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in July 2010 after completing a BA in Social Science, an MA in Social Work.  I have progressed through the organisation from Housing Support Worker to Operations Director. I predominantly design and implement new services within the organisation and act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the organisation.

I love my role at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind.  It allows me to be creative and reactive to requests to support in the design of services that we know are needed in the local area. This helps to improve services for people who need them, at times when they them most!

As Crisis Services Manager I oversee five teams providing crisis support and advice to individuals when they need it most.

I am lucky to work with such a compassionate team who embody Hull and East Yorkshire Mind’s values of being authentic and being human.  I am excited for what we can achieve together.

I contacted Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in the late 90s for support with my own mental health and the empathy I have because of my own lived experiences helps me support others.

After studying Social Work at Hull University, I worked in temporary homelessness provision where I learned on the job skills that my education couldn’t teach.  I moved into the voluntary sector providing specialist money advice to help people regain control of their wellbeing. While there I developed a Hull Armed Forces Money Advice project which was a pioneering project at the time.

I am passionate about achieving meaningful change in the work that we do and providing trauma informed, person centred support is at the core of everything I do.

Out of work I love spending time with my family and friends. My happy place is when I am swimming or at the beach – I sometimes wonder if I was a mermaid in a former life!

I started working for Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2015 after working in the commercial sector for many years. My finance career began in 2005 as an Accounts Assistant. I later became a Management Accountant before starting my employment at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind. My original role at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind was Assistant Accountant but due to their recent growth and development, I have now taken on the role of Group Finance Manager. Over the last 18 years working in finance, I have gained a varied knowledge of accounts but I am yet to complete my CIMA qualification. I am currently working towards this with the support of Hull and East Yorkshire Mind.

So far, my time at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind has been an emotional roller-coaster. The staff have become family and with family comes tears of joy, tears of sadness and a heap of laughs. It is an amazing team of people to work with!

Aside from work, my family is my world and we love going on wellie walks. I have 3 children which keep me very busy, but this wouldn’t be my bio without me mentioning my infatuation with Take That. I find their shows to be a great form of escapism in an otherwise chaotic world.

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2008 as Administration Manager.  I progressed through the organisation and in August 2018 I became Chief Executive.  My background was always administration but was in construction which is very different to working for a mental health charity.  I am passionate about the work we do and am forever in awe of the teams adapting to change so that we can help more people in our area.    What I love most about working for this organisation is that we make a tangible difference to people’s lives.  I spend my weekends climbing hills in the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales.

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in February 2020. Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant many years ago, I spent most of my career in finance and business consultancy working in many different industries across several countries.

I moved into the charitable sector after spending 10 years as a Trustee for a large homeless charity. That experience made me realise how much more rewarding it is to work full time in a sector that makes a real difference to peoples’ lives. I feel privileged to work for such a wonderful organisation that does so much to support the local community.

Joining Hull and East Yorkshire Mind also meant relocating to the East Riding, something my wife and I should have done years ago. It’s a beautiful part of the county and we love spending our time enjoying the countryside and wildlife. It has inspired me to take up photography again!

Service area – Community based services

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2019. I had a change of career after being made redundant in my previous job and it was the best decision I ever made.

I work as a Service Manager for Hull and East Yorkshire Mind and I am also a qualified counsellor. I love the mixture that this offers me in terms of being able to work with clients directly, whilst also knowing I am making a difference through managing the services we deliver. I wholeheartedly believe in the support we offer and have the pleasure of seeing, through the work we do, the difference we make to people’s lives day in and day out.  The services that I manage are being delivered out in the community and are client facing.

The staff do an amazing job and are a pleasure to work with. I consider myself very lucky to work for such a fantastic charity that not only has their clients but also their staff at the heart of everything that they do. I am trying to give back and have recently run the Hull 10km on my birthday. I was inspired by this and have signed up to run the Great North Run in 2024. Exercise is a passion of mine and I play volleyball (badly) in my spare time.

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2018 as a Team Leader in the Vocational Support Services and was instantly impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm of the team here. I have worked in the voluntary sector for the majority of my career mainly in the fields of substance misuse and mental health. Recently I returned to college and completed a Diploma in Human Resource Management, which I undertook in order to complement my management experience and gain an understanding of how staff can best be supported in the workplace. In my spare time I enjoy reading, quizzing and getting out to see live music. When I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind I found that there are a few other members of the team who love the same music and we often find ourselves at the same gigs!

I’ve been with Hull and East Yorkshire Mind for nearly a decade, starting as an apprentice back in 2015. Over the years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to grow alongside the organisation, and today, I’m proud to be the Group Marketing and Communications Manager.

In my role, I oversee everything related to branding, social media, campaigns, PR, and both internal and external communications for Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, North East Lincolnshire Mind, and our subsidiary, Wellington Care. I also recently took on new responsibilities and now oversee our volunteering and community engagement functions.

In 2022, I was honored to be named one of the Top 30 Under 30 in the Hull and Humber area—something I’m really proud of.

When I’m not doing any of the above, you’ll find me indulging in my love for travel, exploring new destinations (or the same ones!), and creating memories with friends and family. I am also the Co-Chair of Governors at Marfleet Primary Academy, the school in which I attended myself as a child. I am also Co-Chair at Alderman Cogan’s C of E Primary Academy.

I started at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2003 as a student on my final social work placement and then took on a role in the Supported Housing Team.  In the years that I have been here I have been able to work alongside many kind and brilliant staff, students and volunteers.  I have enjoyed moving up into various roles in the Housing Team and being a Practice Educator for social work students, both have been challenging and given me knowledge, skills and confidence in the work I do at Mind.

In 2016 Hull and East Yorkshire Mind became a Registered Social Landlord and I was privileged to take on the leadership of the property management in our accommodation based services, I am now the Estates Manager of a strong and empowered estates and property management team who support the organisation with office and accommodation support services.

I love my role in supporting staff and volunteers in a varied and complex job to help people live and work in safe environments that are positive to their wellbeing.  We continue to grow in the team and I’m excited to see what the future brings for us.

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2018, having worked in administrative roles within the charity sector since leaving University. I have been an Executive Assistant, supporting Senior Leadership Team’s and Trustee Boards since 2016. My role has evolved in recent years as Hull and East Yorkshire Mind has grown, and I enjoy the varied nature of my work. I love knowing the work I do behind the scenes helps the charity to support people within our local communities.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, visiting new places and going to the theatre.

Service area – Peer Support, Participation and Engagement

I have worked in the voluntary sector since 2000 with various mental health charities.

I started working with Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2009 after relocating from Glasgow.

In 2014 I left to work with young people at a further education college as a pastoral support officer and during 2020 decided that I wanted to go back to working in mental health again.

I am now service manager for Primary Care Mental Health Network Peer Support team,  Primary Care Network Modality and Hasp teams and the Children and Young People’s Primary Care Network pilot project.

I am also leading on the development of Hull and East Yorkshire Mind’s Participation and Engagement strategy encouraging those who use our services to be involved in all aspects of the work we do.   This is a new aspect to my role and I am excited to see this area grow and develop.

The culture and values of Hull and East Yorkshire Mind align very much with my own and I feel as an individual I am able to use my skills and experience to benefit others.

I love developing relationships with the teams I support and being part of their own personal growth as part of the organisation.  I am a naturally curious person and like to know how I can support someone in the way that helps them most.

As a neurodivergent person it is important to me that we encourage and support individuality, uniqueness and new perspectives on solving problems as this the key to building inclusive services.

Outside of work I love gardening, documentaries and an array of hobbies, mostly unfinished or abandoned, after a short burst of excitement!

Service area – Talking Therapies

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2016 as a freelance therapist and progressed through the organisation to my current role as Service Manager for the Talking Therapies (Adults) team covering Hull, East Yorkshire and the North East Lincolnshire area. I spent most of my career working in the public sector before moving to the charitable sector in 2010. I am a fully qualified therapeutic counsellor accredited with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

I find working for the organisation rewarding when working to our values and principles and seeing the positive difference this can have on peoples’ lives in our community.

I joined Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in March 2023 as Director of People and Culture.

I have worked in Human Resources for over 25 years in multiple sectors, but more recently within the care / charity sector and education.

I have also worked as a Tutor for the CIPD delivering HR qualifications, having started my career in the catering industry. I originally came into HR whilst working as an Operations Manager, having seen the impact good people and development practices can have on an organisation and how an engaged and motivated workforce can impact end users experience.

I am a passionate animal lover and walker and love to spend time in the Lakes and Dales with my family and my three rescue dogs.

Service area – Housing 

I started working at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind in 2010.  Prior this this, I had been a student on placement here as part of attaining my BA in Social Work and felt instantly at home.

My first role in housing was as a project worker with young people in 24 hour supported accommodation and I have since progressed to service manager and practice educator for students on placement with us- enjoying my role every step of the way.  I am passionate about ensuring people we work with and support are treated with compassion and respect.  I am surrounded by people who share this passion, making it a great place to work.