Charity chief executives are communicating more effectively through social media, according to Simon Blake, who judged the top 30 leaders.
Blake (pictured) who is chief executive of Brook, announced the charity chief executives who had made this year’s list at an event last night, and said the overall quality of the nominees had “developed so much since last year”.
“The confidence with which chief executives seem to be using social media had grown,” he added.
The list, which organised by digital consultants Zoe Amar and Matt Collins, recognises those that have incorporated social media into their work and become a visible figurehead of the organisation to connect with staff and service users.
This year 100 chief executives were nominated for the accolade and the 30 winners were decided by a judging panel made up of Blake, Lucy Caldicott, director of fundraising at Clic Sargent and Dalton Leong, chief executive of the Children’s Trust, who made the list last year.
There are 20 new faces in this year’s list, including Paul Farmer of Mind, and Ruth Owen of Whizz Kidz. 10 chief executives from last year’s inaugural awards, including Vicky Browning of Charity Comms and Deborah Alsina of Bowel Cancer UK.
Amar said that: “We felt that his year’s 30 really raised the bar.”
"This year’s winners are pioneering the use of digital by leaders from charities of all kinds. They demonstrate how social media is now central to the skillset of CEOs, and how having leaders on digital helps charities be more visible and transparent,” she added.
Amar and Collins have also published a briefing that includes a number of examples of best practice on social media.
This year’s top 30 are (alphabetical order):
- Debra Allcock Tyler, Directory of Social Change, @deballcocktyler
- Deborah Alsina, Bowel Cancer UK, @deboralsina
- Cathy Ashley, Family Rights Group, @CathyAshley
- Julie Bentley, Girlguiding, @juliebentley
- Caron Bradshaw, Charity Finance Group, @caornlb
- Paul Breckell, Action on Hearing Loss, @pbreckell
- Vicky Browning, Charity Comms, @browning_vicky
- Ava Easton, the Encephalitis Society, @encephalitisava
- Nigel Edwards, Nuffield Trust, @nedwards_1
- Paul Farmer, Mind, @paulfarmermind
- Mark Flannagan, Beating Bowel Cancer, @MarkFlannCEO
- Richard Hawkes, Scope, @R_Hawkes
- John Hibbs, the Hibbs Lups Trust, @hibbsy
- Helena Holt, Devon Air Ambulance Trust, @hgholt
- Jonny Hughes, Scottish Wildlife Trust, @jonnyecology
- Ruth Hunt, Stonewall, @ruth_hunt
- Karen Ingala Smith, nia, @K_IngalaSmith
- Javed Khan, Barnardo’s, @javedkhanceo
- Kevin Kibble, the Nurture Group Network, @kevinkibble
- Louise Macdonald, Young Scot, @louisemac
- John May, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, @johnccmay
- Kevin Murphy, Voluntary Arts Ireland, @kpmurphy557
- Polly Neate, Women’s Aid, @pollyn1
- Ruth Owen, Whizzkidz @ruthowenobe
- Lucy Perry, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, @LucyPerryCEO
- Cliff Prior, UnLtd, @cliffprior
- Janie Tregelles, Mencap, @JanTregelles
- Peter Wanless, NSPCC, @PeterWanless
- Imogen Ward, Lessons for Life Foundation, @imogenward
- Jamie Ward-Smith, IVO/Do-it, @jamiewardsmith
The 2013 list:
- Mark Flannagan, Beating Bowel Cancer, @MarkFlannCEO
- Julia Unwin, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, @JuliaUnwin
- Thea Stein, Carers Trust, @Thea_Stein
- Emma-Jane Cross, The BB Group, @EnmmaJaneCross
- Jeremy Taylor, National Voices, @JeremyTaylorNV
- Alex Swallow, Small Charities Coalotion, @Alex Swallow
- Paul Jenkins, Rethink, @PaulJRethink
- Deborah Alsina, Bowel Cancer UK, @DeborahAlsina
- HelenaHolt, Devon Air Ambulance, @HGHolt
- Dalton Leong, The Children’s Trust, @DaltonLeong
- Neeta Patel, New Entrepreneurs Foundation, @NeetaPatel
- Gary Buxton, Young Advisors, @YoungAdvisors
- Chris Ham, King’s Fund, @ProfChrisHam
- Caron Bradshaw, CFG, @CaronLB
- Stephen Cornish, Medicins sans Frontieres Canada, @Stephen_Cornish
- John May, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, @JohnCCMay
- Polly Neate, Women’s Aid, @PollyN1
- Peter Wanless, NSPCC, @PeterWanless
- Julie Bentley, Girlguiding, @JulieBentley
- Tony Hamilton, Celtic FC Foundation, @PolishTurnstile
- Ben Summerskill, Stonewall, @BenSummerskill
- Matt Hyde, Scout Association. @MattHyde
- Karen Ingala Smith, nia, @K_Ingalasmith
- Jeremy Swain, Thames Reach, @JeremySwain
- Charlotte Hill, UK Youth;@LotteUKYouth
- Louise Macdonald, Young Scot, @LouiseMac
- Vicky Browning, Charity Comms, @Browning_Vicky
- Kevin Kibble, Nurture Group Network, @KevinKibble
Simon Blake and Zoe Amar will on a panel discussing getting the most out of you social media following at this month's Charity Technology conference, organised by Civil Society Media.
