VODG Board of Trustees
Meet the Board
Chris Hampson
Chris’s career spans over 25 years in the housing sector, most recently with Look Ahead. A key priority in recent years has been to strengthen the links between health, social care and housing, both within Look Ahead’s services and more widely across the sector.
Chris recognises the need for VODG’s support and influence, to and for members, during these times of political, policy and economic challenge, and welcomes the opportunity to play a part in this. He recognises the immense value of the space VODG provides for constructive conversations, healthy debate and collective problem-solving. Chris especially recognises the value of the variety of member organisations and the open and transparent way in which information is shared for collective benefit.
Chris is Chief Executive at Look Ahead, a specialist supported housing association that provides care, support and accommodation services across London and the Southeast. He also holds a number of non-executive roles, including Southern Housing, NHS Mental Health Confederation, as Chair of the Mental Health and Housing Group, and GreenSquareAccord.
John Heritage
John is an experienced leader with over 20 years’ experience in the voluntary sector and the NHS, working in operations, commercial and business development roles delivering mental health, learning disability and community services.
John is a strong advocate of the unique and pivotal role that VODG plays advocating for and representing the views of providers of services for disabled people, and the people those organisations support. He recognises the increasingly important role that VODG provides in collectively working together to ensure that the views and needs of disabled people are protected and highlighted with policy makers at all levels.
John is Chief Executive at David Lewis, a provider of services to people with epilepsy, learning disabilities, autism and other complex support needs.
Azra Kirkby
Azra is a Chartered Accountant who began her career at Price Waterhouse before gaining a breadth of experience in blue chip commercial housing before joining the charitable social care sector in 2004. Azra brings a strong commercial finance background and experience as CFO and CEO from within the social care sector. Supporting York Museums Trust within their Audit and Risk Committee, Azra has also undertaken the role of Treasurer within a number of smaller charities.
Azra is a strong advocate of VODG and has worked within the Finance Directors’ Professional Network in recent years. Believing in collaboration and the strength of a united VODG, Azra hopes that together we can provide a greater impact for the social care sector and, with improved insight on social care provider issues, collectively use VODG to create more awareness of the challenges, including access to adequate housing provision.
Azra is Chief Executive at St Anne’s Community Services, a North East based registered charity and housing association that provides support to people with learning disabilities and mental health needs, in addition to community-based services including Shared Lives, homelessness and those requiring substance rehabilitation.
Jo Land
Jo began her career as an HR professional in the private sector, before seeking a role where values are acknowledged as more important than driving profit. Having moved to the voluntary sector over twenty years ago, she is now an experienced senior leader in social care.
Jo cares passionately about the sector and believes that, collectively, we can achieve great things for the people we support and their families, the people we employ and for the wider communities in which we operate, and that, as providers, our reach and influence is underestimated.
As a member of the VODG board Jo will contribute to raising the profile of the sector and influencing policy, research and decision making at all levels, along with providing support to others to share knowledge, intelligence and experience.
Jo is Chief Executive of Avenues Group, a specialist provider of support services to people with learning disabilities, autism and acquired brain injury. She also sits as a Non-Legal Member of the Employment Tribunal service.
Anna McEwen
Anna has worked in social care for over 25 years in both the statutory and voluntary sectors, and has been heavily involved in the personalisation agenda, ensuring that coproduction is at the heart of services and support. As part of her career, Anna also worked for a national membership organisation that supported members to come together with a unified voice.
Anna brings lived experience to the board as the parent of a child with additional needs. She is a passionate about the difference a membership organisation can make, especially in areas that influence change.
Anna intends to use her skills and experience to help VODG be the best that it can be, as we collectively work towards a better future for disabled people.
Anna is Chief Executive at Bromley Mencap, a charity that provides a range of services for disabled people, families and carers, and campaigning on issues of interest which impact the lives of disabled people.
Mel Shad
With more than 30 years experience of working in and across the voluntary sector in a range of disciplines including mental health, learning disability, autism and criminal justice, Mel is passionately committed to providing support to people who need it to live full and happy lives of their choice.
Mel became a VODG trustee to contribute to VODG’s work in responding to the challenges and developments occurring in the sector and operating environment, and would like to help support organisations (just as she is supporting her own) through this change process as part of the VODG Board.
Mel is Director of Business and Development at Choice Support, a national charity, formed in 1984, supporting people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health needs.
Irene Sobowale
Irene enjoyed a career in accountancy within the financial services sector, before an opportune meeting with the then CEO of the Disabilities Trust introduced her to an organisation whose values and objectives were closely aligned with her own. She joined the Trust as the Director of Finance, before becoming CEO two years later
Irene brings her financial and business expertise to VODG, as well as her experience running a national service provider organisation and driving and implementing strategic change.
Irene has joined the VODG board of trustees to help amplify the voices and needs of people with disabilities, represent the sector as we unite as one voice and strive to influence government policy, drive societal change, and contribute to the creation of a more equitable society for all.
Irene was appointed the Brainkind’s Director of Finance in 2013 and became the Chief Executive two years later. Before joining the Brainkind (formerly The Disabilities Trust, and the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT)), Irene held several senior finance roles within the CLS Group and elsewhere, including Barclays Bank. Irene is also a qualified accountant and ACCA Fellow.
James Watson O’Neill
James brings his lived experience as a disabled person to the VODG trustee board, along with 20 years’ experience in the charity sector, most of which has been spent working in social care provider charities. James is passionate about disability equality and person-centred practice.
James has worked for organisations that have been members of VODG for many years and has always admired the work of the charity and believes VODG has much to offer the sector. By getting involved as a trustee, James hopes to help VODG develop further, achieving its vision and mission.
James is Chief Executive of the national deaf health charity SignHealth which provides social care, psychological therapy and domestic abuse support to deaf people by deaf people in British Sign Language.