Epilepsy Action announces first new CEO in 37 years
Rebekah Smith has been announced as the new CEO of national epilepsy charity, Epilepsy Action.
The appointment will see Smith move up from the position of deputy chief executive at the charity. Prior to joining Epilepsy Action in 2021, Smith worked in the higher education sector and helped to set up a bereavement support charity in Yorkshire.
Smith said: “My role is about continuing to be ambitious over the next five years so that by 2030 everyone in the UK will truly know what epilepsy is and how they can help people with epilepsy.”
White Ribbon UK welcomes new CEO
White Ribbon UK, which focuses on engaging men and boys to prevent violence against women and girls, has appointed Lynne Elliott as its new CEO.
Experienced sector leader Elliott takes over from Anthea Sully, who led White Ribbon UK from 2018 before stepping down at the start of this year.
Elliot said: “I am in awe of the incredible work the staff, ambassadors, champions, organisations, and supporters do. I can see the difference we are making every day, and I’m proud and humbled to be a part of it.”
New interim chief executive for SMK
Katie Roberts has been appointed as the interim chief executive at campaigner support charity, Sheila McKechnie Foundation.
Roberts has worked for over 20 years delivering community engagement programmes for social change across a range of social and environmental justice organisations.
She said of her appointment: “I am really excited to be joining the SMK team and to have the chance to work alongside and support so many inspiring and courageous people committed to the common good.
“To even hope for a change can, feel like an act of resistance in light of current headlines. I am proud to be part of an organisation that still believes and invests in the individual and collective agency within our communities for lasting change.”
Live Music Now Scotland appoints CEO
Live Music Now Scotland has announced Judith Anderson as its new CEO. Anderson will take over the role from outgoing director, Carol Main.
Anderson previously served as head of development and operations at Starcatchers, Scotland’s national arts and early years organisation.
She said: “I’m excited about the challenges ahead and look forward to working with exceptional musicians and partners to ensure that great live music experiences continue to connect with people in ways that are inclusive, meaningful, and joyful.”
Sussex hospices welcome CEO
Sussex-based hospices St Barnabas House, Martlets, and Chestnut Tree House have announced the appointment of their new chief executive Stuart Palma.
A physiotherapist by background, Palma previously held senior roles at NHS England and most recently, NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board, as the chief allied health professions officer and director of all-age continuing care.
The news follows last year’s announcement that St Barnabas Hospices (incorporating St Barnabas House and Chestnut Tree House) would be merging with Martlets during 2024, a process that is now nearing completion to form the newly created Southern Hospice Group.
New CEO for Leeds Children’s Charity
Sharon Milner has been appointed as CEO of Leeds Children’s Charity. She replaces Dave Norman, who has been CEO for the last 10 years.
Milner spent the last two years as director of Bradford Hospitals Charity, and prior to that, 16 years as chief executive officer for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
Under her leadership, the charity aims to continue expanding its reach, ensuring that even more children can benefit from the support and care it provides.
Imperial Health Charity CEO announces retirement
Ian Lush, chief executive of Imperial Health Charity, has announced his retirement from the end of July 2025, after more than 10 years in the role.
Under Lush’s leadership, the charity – which supports the five hospitals of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – has grown significantly in terms of size.
Lush led the charity’s efforts to support the trust throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and, as chairman of NHS Charities Together, oversaw the successful Covid-19 Appeal, which raised more than £150m.
The recruitment process for Lush’s chief executive will begin shortly.
School Library Association unveils CEO
Victoria Dilly has been appointed chief executive of the School Library Association (SLA) and brings extensive experience of leading national education and training programmes in the charity sector and within schools.
Dilly has worked in the education sector for almost 20 years and for the last seven years has led and developed national programmes for charitable organisations, including National Literacy Trust, Speakers Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society.
The SLA, which has been running since 1937, supports schools to develop their school library, establish a reading culture and deliver independent learning skills.
Bath’s oldest charity announces CEO
Bath’s oldest charity, St John’s Foundation, has announced the appointment of Catharine Brown as its new CEO.
Brown has been serving as interim CEO since July 2024 and following a competitive selection process, trustees unanimously decided to appoint her to lead the charity into its next chapter.
With a background in leadership, strategy, and impact-driven change, Brown hopes to help the charity grow, evolve and continue to make a meaningful difference to the people of the Bath area.
New chair for Alzheimer’s Research UK
Business chief Gavin Patterson has been appointed as the new chair of leading dementia research charity Alzheimer’s Research UK.
The former president and chief revenue officer of Salesforce and CEO of BT Group will be taking on the voluntary position from 12 February.
Gavin holds a number of non-executive board roles including Ocado, Kraken and Kahoot. He reportedly felt compelled to take on this latest role at Alzheimer’s Research UK due to the increasing threat of dementia.
Comic Relief appoints chair
Philip Thomas, a leading figure in the global marketing and advertising industry, has been appointed as chair of Comic Relief’s board of trustees.
Thomas is the current chairman of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, which he led as chief executive between 2006 and 2016. He is currently executive chair of Informa Festivals, supporting the growth and development of a portfolio of global brands.
Beginning his career as a journalist, Thomas has worked on leading national and international magazines and newspapers, including as editor of Empire, the UK’s biggest-selling movie magazine.
Chichester art charity announces new director and trustee
Lucia Barbato has been appointed as director and trustee of Oxmarket Contemporary, a charity that unites artists and the public together in Chichester; she will take up her new roles from May.
Barbato brings decades of experience in marketing and PR to the charity where she will support community engagement and help to grow its work with new and emerging artists.
She is CEO and co-founder at Ilex Content Strategies, a global B2B marketing and communications agency established in 2012 and headquartered in Chichester.
Mind appoints interim executive director of social change
Mental health charity Mind has announced that Jemima Olchawski, outgoing chief executive of the Fawcett Society, will join the organisation as its new interim executive director of social change in March 2025.
Olchawski joins Mind after 20 years of working in the social justice and equality field. Most recently, she was at the Fawcett Society, a globally renowned women’s rights advocacy organisation.
She said: “I'm delighted to be joining at a moment when there is so much potential to reform approaches to mental health and energy in the movement for change.
“It's an organisation with values that I hold dear and I'm looking forward to working with the brilliant team at Mind.”
Macmillan announces first chief engagement officer
Sonia Sudhakar has joined Macmillan Cancer Support as its first chief engagement officer.
In the role, Sudhakar will lead the organisation in engaging with people across the UK who need cancer information and support, and who support the charity through fundraising and volunteering.
The new post is part of Macmillan’s executive team and brings together accountability for the organisation’s cancer information, marketing and mass fundraising functions.
Sudhakar brings expertise in marketing, customer experience, revenue generation and transformation, having led teams at household names including the Guardian, ITV and Royal Mail.
Green Alliance announces head of social impact
Environmental think tank Green Alliance has appointed Cath Smith as its new head of social impact, effective immediately.
Smith was previously the CEO of the Women’s Equality Party.
She has also worked for over a decade in social justice campaigning.
Sports charity appoints new director
Camilla Knight has joined Greenhouse Sports as its new director of impact, innovation and engagement.
The youth development charity places coach-mentors in schools, offering free sports coaching and mentorship to those children most in need.
Knight, who will join Greenhouse Sports from Swansea University in June 2025 following a transitional consulting period, brings with her international expertise across youth sports.
New global director of fundraising for Fauna & Flora
International nature conservation charity, Fauna & Flora, has announced the appointment of Dave Hillyard as its global director of fundraising, a new senior leadership position that will drive the organisation’s strategic planning and delivery for fundraising globally.
Joining Fauna & Flora in March 2025, Hillyard has over 25 years of leadership experience across international development, conservation and climate action organisations, including Oxfam, Earthwatch and WaterAid.
Hillyard is also the founding chief executive of the Carbon Technology Research Foundation.
New treasurer for Lymphoma Action
Lymphoma Action has welcomed Melanie Brittain to its board of trustees.
Brittain joined Lymphoma Action as Treasurer, bringing over 17 years of senior level financial experience.
She is keen to share her professional skills to support the work of the charity, following her own treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014.
Crisis welcomes trustees
National homelessness charity Crisis has announced the appointment of three new trustees to guide and support the organisation’s work: Matt Sanders, Baroness JoJo Penn, and Sem Moema.
Sanders is currently director of education at Meta and Penn is a member of the House of Lords in parliament and a former government minister.
Meanwhile, Moema is the London Assembly member for North East London and is deputy cabinet member for private renting and housing affordability.
Centre for Mental Health announces appointment of new trustees
Centre for Mental Health has today announced the appointment of three new trustees to its board: Ariel Breaux Torres, Emma Mamo and Philip Ross.
Breaux Torres is head of mental health equity at Mind and is a clinical forensic psychologist while Mamo is a specialist in workplace wellbeing and former head of workplace wellbeing at Mind.
Meanwhile, Ross is co-founder of Safehinge Primera and chair of the Design in Mental Health Network.
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity appoints new trustee
Anuj Ranjan has been appointed as a new trustee to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Ranjan is the chief executive officer of Brookfield’s Private Equity Group and Brookfield Business Partners.
He brings global experience to the charity, which funds research to improve the lives of cancer patients around the world.
Three new trustees for London Marathon Foundation
Aida Cable, Shrina Shah and Denise Stephenson have joined the London Marathon Foundation’s board of trustees, bringing experience in charity leadership, law and health and wellbeing.
The foundation is one of the UK’s major funders of projects that help children, young people, and marginalised communities to lead active and healthy lives.
In 2024, it announced it had reached a significant funding milestone of awarding £110m to inspire activity since 1981.
London Historic Buildings Trust announces appointment of five new trustees
The London Historic Building Trust (LHBT) has announced a substantial refreshing of its board with the appointment of five new trustees.
The new trustees are Sarah Beacock, Chania Fox, Eleanor van Heyningen, Boryana Ivanova and James Leigh.
Beacock is also a trustee of the Crossness Engines Trust, Fox works for English Heritage’s national youth participation team, while Van Heyningen is director of strategy and innovation at the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Meanwhile, Ivanova is an early careers committee member of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies and a Young Advisor for Historic England, and Leigh was formerly senior audit partner and vice chair at Deloitte in London, prior to retiring.
Good Things Foundations appoints two new trustees
Digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation has announced the appointment of two new trustees, Juliet Upton and Thomas Beautyman, to its board.
Beautyman has a background in learning, change and digital transformation.
Meanwhile, Upton is an advocate for social change with over 30 years of experience in the charity, private and public sectors.
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