About Us

Trustees

Suzanne O’Brien Chair

Suzanne O’Brien
Chair

Suzanne is an experienced non-executive director with extensive senior leadership experience.  A qualified accountant and tax consultant with over 30 years’ experience in business, primarily financial services, she now has a portfolio career. She is Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee at Cross Keys Homes, the largest provider of social housing in Peterborough.  A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she works part-time as Principal Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University where she enjoys leading and inspiring the next generation.  With a proven track record of effective leadership, developing solutions that provide organisation-wide value, supporting growth and sustainability, she leads by example.  An advocate for social justice, she champions those who are disadvantaged

Dr David Oliver

Dr David Oliver
Vice Chair

David retired from the full-time position of Consultant Physician in Palliative Medicine at the Wisdom Hospice in Rochester in 2016 but remains active as an Honorary Professor at the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent. He trained first as a GP and worked at St Christopher’s Hospice with Dame Cicely Saunders before his appointment at the Wisdom Hospice in 1984.

He has lectured and published widely on neurological palliative care, particularly on the care of people with motor neurone disease. He is chair of the EAPC Reference Group on Neurology and Palliative Care and member of the Reference Group on Intellectual Disability and Palliative care.

David has two sons and four grandchildren. He is also a trustee for the Mortimer Society, which runs two care homes in the Medway area. David joined the Trust in June 2018.

Neil Hope, Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Neil Hope
Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Neil is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. In 2017 he retired from the Ministry of Justice where he had worked at a national level for 17 years in financial management for the prison and probation services. Prior to that, he had worked for the NHS in financial management in east Kent and elsewhere.

Married to Sue, with two daughters and three grandchildren, Neil lives in Lyminge. His interests include gardening, amateur dramatics and travel. Having been a member of Elham Valley and Wye Lions Club for many years, he is now a member of Ashford Lions Club. Neil joined the Trust in April 2018.

Paul Gannaway

Paul Gannaway

Paul is a chartered quantity surveyor and a director of a Canterbury-based construction consultancy, which he purchased eight years ago having started there as a trainee. His career in construction has spanned over 30 years and includes a diverse range of projects, including the Turner Gallery, University of Kent and Shepway Sports Trust.

He lives in Whitstable and has three daughters: Isobel, who is a building surveyor, Beth and Amelia. Paul joined the Trust in June 2018.

Dan Cowley

Dan Cowley

Dan is a solicitor who specialises in commercial property and development law and is a director of a multi-office Kent-based practice. Dan has previously been a trustee of a charity that seeks to combat human trafficking and of another charity that provides low cost accommodation for international students in Oxford.

Dan is married to Helen and has a son and lives in Canterbury. In his spare time he enjoys spending time in France, watching too much television and getting out on his bike as much as he can.

Jo Willacy

Jo Willacy

Jo is a highly experienced commercial executive and strategic management consultant, who has spent over 35 years working across a number of industry sectors including Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Retail, Transport, Tourism, Service Industries and Public Sector Services.

Most recently she was employed by Eurotunnel as Commercial Director for the Passenger & Freight Shuttle Services and as the senior UK-based director for operations and staff. Prior to joining Eurotunnel, Jo was a Managing Partner at Quadrant Consultants, specialising in business strategy development.

Jo lives in Stowting with her husband John and two boisterous spaniels. In her spare time she keeps fit with yoga and long cycle rides on her much loved electric bike

Ceridwen Evans

Ceridwen is a lecturer in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent. She completed much of her education at Bangor University, where her PhD focused on the best ways to coach special education and social enterprise staff in developing employability skills in the people they supported. Prior to her PhD, Ceridwen worked as a behaviour specialist in a special education school and is passionate about enhancing community involvement and vocational opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities.

In her spare time Ceridwen enjoys hiking and spending time with friends and family. Ceridwen joined the board in September 2022.

 

Dr Malcolm Stewart

Malcolm trained in London as an obstetrician and gynaecologist and has held consultant posts in Kent. He has been Clinical Director and Executive Medical Director in acute trusts in the home counties and west country, and Medical Advisor to a strategic health authority.

He has been Chairman of the Friends of the William Harvey Hospital and is a past President of the Rotary Club of Folkestone Channel. Malcolm joined the Board in September 2022 and would like to strengthen the fundraising activities and governance of the Trust.