Phil joined the Thera North Board in May 2018 as a non Executive Director, keen to help support those with a learning disability. Phil, a chartered engineer, spent his whole career working in the public sector on environmental improvements and retired as a Deputy Director in the Environment Agency at the end of 2019. He became the chair of Thera North in September 2020.
Craig is passionate about empowering people to have an ordinary life and for them to be in control of how and where they live and the support that they receive. Craig started his career as a support worker in 2002, working his way up to Director of Development after roles in operations and person centred planning. In 2015 he moved to a major health and welfare charity as Head of Operations and was responsible for a range of services across the Northwest and Midlands. Craig joined Thera North in 2017 and works with the local teams to continue providing excellent support.
Catherine has a learning disability/autism and she has worked in self-advocacy for thirteen years. Catherine has worked and creating training in following subjects, employment, self-advocacy, social and the medical model of disability, parenting, The Equality Act 2010, easy read. As part of previous work, Catherine has worked for an equal rights charity organisation promoting and listening to the voices of people with learning disabilities or autism. She has travelled the world giving presentations or training and worked on many projects about the same subject. Her biggest achievement to date was winning the Mencap Activist of the year award in 2018 where she did a speech in the Houses of Parliament around health for people with learning disabilities in front of the health minister Caroline Dinenage MP.
Frances has lived experience of having a learning disability and co-worked as a project co-ordinator for CHANGE, a leading campaigning rights organisation, for 14 years. She researched and wrote 2 Easy Read books on how to be a good parent. She has also developed resources and training for employers, police and other front line services. Frances is an experienced Train the Trainer facilitator and has worked with Thera North to make their training more inclusive for the people they support.
Joanne joined the Thera North Board in November 2023 as a Non-Executive Director.
Joanne hopes to bring to the role governance and service delivery knowledge from working with charitable organisations (currently the Stroke Association) and lived experience as a carer for her adult son who has moderate learning disabilities and autism.
Malcolm has joined the board of Thera North as a non-executive director. Malcolm has forty years experience as a clinician and operational leader across health and social care organisations. Malcolm has led numerous major change programs and managed large organisations specialising in creating innovation in rehabilitation and community care opportunities for older people and has been a director of services for children, community adults, and those with mental health. Malcolm wants to help Thera North to continue to be successful and provide opportunities that truly enable those whose voices are not always heard.
Angela is an Assistant Professor and Head of Subject (Nursing), in the Department of Nursing Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Northumbria University in Newcastle.
Angela is a Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse and is a champion for the rights and inclusion for people with learning/intellectual disabilities. She joined Northumbria University in 2009 and during that time has successfully led MSc/BSc Learning Disability Nursing at Northumbria University to achieve local recognition as well as award winning national success. Angela is qualified to Doctoral level, and her research interests include women with intellectual disabilities in secure settings, learning disability student nurses in midwifery services and implementing forum theatre to challenge unconscious bias.
Kate is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and has worked in both the ‘for profit’ and ‘not for profit’ sectors for over 20 years. Working latterly in both the education and social care sectors, providing strategic financial leadership to ensure financially sustainability and also leading finance, IT and property portfolios.
Kate’s day to day role is Group Executive Director – Strategic Finance and Partnerships, where she ensures that Thera continues to provide excellent support and opportunities to people with a learning disability in a financially sustainable way.
Kate is a Non-Executive Director on both national, and local not for profit organisations including Parkinson’s UK and St Lukes Hospice in Sheffield. She has experience of being the chairperson of both Finance and Resources Committee and Audit and Risk Committees.
Natalie is a Human Resources Consultant and Certified Member of the CIPD. Alongside her HR consultancy, Natalie also volunteers in her local community. Natalie re-joined the Thera North board in 2024 as she was keen to support Thera make a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities. Having moved to Cumbria with her family, Natalie loves spending time with her menagerie of pets and poultry, walking in the mountains, CrossFit and running, with the whole family (& our dog) enjoying Parkrun.
Isaac is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant and Business Unit Reporting Controller at NatWest Group. He has over ten years of experience gained in financial services, energy sector and pharmaceutical industry. Isaac brings his finance expertise to the board and experience of helping people with learning disabilities as a support worker.
Jenny has worked as a Speech and Language Therapist for over 20 years, supporting and empowering children and adults who have speech, language and communication needs. Jenny has worked at managerial level in a Head of Therapy post and currently is working as Designated Clinical Officer for North East and North Cumbria ICB.