I am a retired Lawyer and have lived in Surrey for more than 30 years. I first became involved in Crossroads 1994 when I joined the management board of Tandridge Crossroads. I became chair of that board and helped to advise on funding and grants from Social Services and the Health Authorities as well as on issues to do with staff and premises.

After seven years in that role, I had a break for several years and then joined the newly merged Surrey Crossroads in 2009. I have been on the Board since then, continuing to advise on legal issues, serving as Chair in 2021, and as a member of the Quality Assurance & Compliance Committee. I have a long-standing commitment to Crossroads which provides valuable support to carers in Surrey, and I continue to join with other board members in making decisions which will help to strengthen and expand the services we offer to local people. In my spare time I am a beekeeper and enjoy looking after my hens and walking my dog.

With the growing carer population in the UK, more pressure will be placed on those who selflessly provide this critical service. I am indeed most privileged to serve as a Trustee and Treasurer on the Board of Crossroads.

I moved away from the world of international banking, which has provided me with some skills that I can apply in this role. Originally from South Africa, I served on boards of charities there, structured to care for children and adults with learning disabilities for more than 10 years.
I have served as a past vice chair and chair of the finance committee of Aspens Charities, caring for adults with learning disabilities and those on the autistic spectrum.

Coupled with my commercial background, I am also a non-practicing barrister. I am married to Margaret and have two adult children. Andrew has a learning disability, and my daughter Megan is an architect.

I have been a Director/Trustee of Crossroads Care Surrey since March 2018. I have witnessed first-hand the excellent services it provides to those in Surrey and I wish to continue to support the executive and fellow trustees in delivering an exciting vision for the future.

I have worked in the charity sector for more than 30 years. The last 13 as a Chief Executive or Chief Operating Officer. I have used my strategic and change management skills to guide my current organisation through a period of major transition and these skills will be beneficial for Crossroads. In addition, I have raised more than £100m through various fundraising campaigns and hope to support Crossroads in increasing its fundraising income streams.

I am currently chairman of trustees of the Young Lives Foundation in Kent, a charity which is facing similar challenges.

I joined Crossroads as a Trustee in 2019 and with a background in business and finance, became part of the Finance Committee.

As a management accountant, my career in both large and small enterprises took me to Asia and continental Europe. My husband and I eventually settled in Surrey and brought up our children here. In 2008 my father was diagnosed with dementia and my grandmother also needed care. I experienced first-hand the difficulties of caring for elderly relatives whilst bringing up my own children. The story is one experienced by many families who are helped by Crossroads. This experience helped me understand and appreciate the vital role that Crossroads staff play in the lives of many people and I am glad to be able to play a small part in that.

I have always been involved in the local community having been a School governor, a Trustee of St Nicolas Church and Bookham United Charities.

I have been a Trustee of Crossroads for the last 20 years, initially with the Epsom Branch, then through two mergers to be on the Surrey Board.

Professionally I have had an extensive and varied career working with and around the NHS as a Nurse and Health Visitor in both acute and community care, in management at all levels and as a private health care consultant and counsellor. Consultancy work has provided me with the opportunity to meet and work with people across all the caring agencies, including the voluntary sector, and the community as a whole which has broadened my insight into the care issues of today across the whole system.

I have extensive experience of working with children, particularly those with special needs and within Crossroads. I have been able to use that experience to support the work with children and their Carers. During my career I have had the privilege of working with Carers in a variety of ways and have gained insight and a great deal of respect for the work that they do so selflessly. I believe through Crossroads we can make a difference to their lives all be it in a small way.

I am retired now but during my working life I worked for British Aerospace in procurement. I have two hobbies which are gardening and swimming.

I undertake voluntary work for the following organisations:

Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network – I serve as a Patient Experience Ambassador.

I am the co-chair for Surrey Coalition of Disabled People and I mentor many executives for NHS Surrey Heartlands.

I believe in fairness and well-being of all carers of any age, paid or unpaid. I think I can bring experience and knowledge to the board of trustees having a wealth of experience commercially and also from my experience working in the voluntary sector, in particular working with Surrey Chief Executives.