Our Board of Trustees

I joined Young Epilepsy’s Board of Trustees in September 2020.

As a chartered certified accountant by training, I moved into the more specialised areas of corporate finance and treasury some 30 years ago. 

At Young Epilepsy I am Vice Chair and also chair the Finance, Audit and Estates committees, where I apply my professional skills to ensure we efficiently manage the financial management of the organisation to enable us to deliver our strategy and charitable objectives.

I was attracted to Young Epilepsy because it’s a purpose-driven charity that makes a massive difference in people’s lives and improves health outcomes. This sense of purpose, coupled with the contributions I can make in marketing, financial and estate management make being a trustee hugely rewarding.

I’ve previously been a governor of a London college and enjoy working with young people.

I currently advise Taulia, a leading Fintech (technology to improve and automate working capital solutions) owned by SAP. I previously held senior leadership positions in Centrica, a major energy provider, as well as Reckitt Benckiser, a global consumer group and the UK’s 11th largest listed company.

I like to travel widely, have managed to visit almost 80 countries and lived in eight. I also enjoy cooking and tennis.

I was appointed to the Young Epilepsy Board of Trustees in 2008.

I am the Prince of Wales’s Chair of Childhood Epilepsy and Director of the UCL-Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH). I am also Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, and Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, UK.

I’ve been involved with Young Epilepsy for many years since my medical training. Working with the charity has been a real privilege, allowing me to broaden the range of relevant research topics and bring user experience to the table.

I lead the research programme across UCL GOS ICH, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Young Epilepsy. The aim of my research has been finding ways to improve outcomes in early-onset epilepsy, specifically in assessing the roles of surgery, dietary therapies and other novel treatments.

I’ve held key leadership roles, nationally and internationally. I’m currently President of the International League Against Epilepsy 2021–25 (the global body for professionals involved in the care of people with epilepsy) and Clinical Advisor to the National Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Service.

I was Clinical Advisor to the update of the NICE guidelines for Childhood Epilepsy 2018–22. I’ve published more than 400 peer-reviewed research publications, reviews and book chapters, and have received several awards for my work.

I’m married with three adult daughters, one of whom is a doctor.

I joined the Young Epilepsy Trustee Board and Education Governing Body in June 2017 serving as Surrey County Council’s representative.

Having worked voluntarily in the community for many years, my experience as a governor of two schools in Tandridge and of working at Headway, Uckfield with ABI clients mean I am able to offer valuable insight and perspective.

My career started in accountancy and as a founder member of the Women’s Association for Corporate and Certified Accountants I moved on to gain a teaching certificate and lecture in Business Studies.

Today, I have completed a three-year counselling course, qualified as a hypnotherapist and studied other complementary and alternative therapies.

My involvement in local politics stretch back many years and in May 2024 I was re-elected as the District Councillor for the Wards of Dormansland and Felbridge.

I am a serving Police Officer with the Metropolitan Police Service working across frontline policing and more recently within Learning and Development. Prior to joining the MPS, I held a number of senior leadership roles within the education sector both in schools and further education colleges across Surrey, London and Worcestershire.

I have a wide range of leadership and management experience and have been responsible for leading organisational turnaround, curriculum development, quality improvement, commercial growth and an enhanced learner experience.

My educational background includes a degree from Cardiff University, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and an MBA from Warwick University.

I  joined the Education Governing Body in October 2020 and I am currently Chair.

I joined the Young Epilepsy Board of Trustees in November 2020. Through my trustee role I get to help, support and oversee the great work Young Epilepsy does for children, young people and families affected by epilepsy. 

 
I’m lucky to have had a long association with Young Epilepsy, joining as a Darzi fellow in 2014 and continuing with research and policy projects. I’m particularly proud of the work I’ve carried out in partnership with young people and families, and I’ve seen first-hand the fantastic work Young Epilepsy does, and the difference it has made to their lives. 

I work as a Consultant Paediatrician with Expertise in Epilepsy at Barts Health NHS Trust and am currently the Epilepsy Regional Clinical Lead for North Thames. I bring my healthcare knowledge and experience to the Young Epilepsy Board and its Health Services Committee. 

My two young children keep me busy, but I still find time to enjoy football and running. I even fundraised for Young Epilepsy by running a marathon in my younger days! 

I was appointed as a trustee in October 2023. 

I have lived close to St. Piers School & College for over 20 years and have always been impressed with the excellent care and support provided by Young Epilepsy to children and young adults with severe forms of epilepsy and related conditions. The importance of the role of St Piers school and college became even more apparent to me in 2018 when I too was diagnosed with epilepsy.

My diagnosis motivated me to become more actively involved in Young Epilepsy and I was appointed as a governor in July 2019. Today I am proud to be the Vice Chair of the Education Governing Body and the Chair of the Finance & Resources Sub-Committee and to be able to help the Young Epilepsy management team and teaching staff.

In my spare time I am a keen cyclist and runner and often enjoy jogging around the campus and meeting the pupils and staff. 

I was appointed as a Trustee of Young Epilepsy in October 2023.

My sister, Elizabeth, lived with epilepsy for many years and dedicated her working life to caring for young people with disabilities. She remains an inspiration and I fundamentally believe in the vision of creating a society where young people with epilepsy can thrive and fulfil their potential.

I have a track record of influencing public policy and of building partnerships between education, charities, government, and employers. This has been at the heart of my past work on initiatives like Disability Confident.

My current projects for the International Labour Organization (ILO) shine a light on innovative approaches to community engagement and to delivering social impact from across the world. I look forward to reaching into this to support the pioneering work of Young Epilepsy.

I am also the founder of HadleysComment, a provider of training, coaching and consultancy services as well as public speaking and event facilitation support. I launched my own business following several years as Policy and Campaigns Director and a member of the Senior Leadership Team at the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).

Being a Trustee and Board Member of Young Epilepsy is an honour and a privilege; it is an opportunity to work with a great team and to make change happen.

I was appointed to the Young Epilepsy Board of Trustees in November 2023. I am the Lead Trustee for Safeguarding.

My work on the board aligns with my belief that all children and adults, irrespective of age, gender and disability, should enjoy the rights that are inherent to their human dignity without discrimination of any kind, and that society must adapt its structures to ensure this happens.

A native Italian, I have spent most of my adult life in the UK prior to moving to Beijing 10 years ago, as my first international posting with Education in Motion (EiM). For the past eight years I have been a Director of Business Administration and Bursar at Dulwich College (Singapore), overseeing most of the non-academic functions in the College including Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, Nursing, Operations and Facilities, ICT, Governance, Compliance and Quality Assurance. I am also the Designated Safeguarding Lead. It is this experience I feel is particularly valuable to my role on the board at Young Epilepsy and I look forward to working with the team to put these skills into practice and making a difference in the lives of young people.

In my free time, I enjoy reading or watching the TV. I also love spending time with my family back in the UK, especially my two grandchildren.

I joined the Young Epilepsy Board of Trustees in March 2024.

My passion for Young Epilepsy and the work they do comes from my desire for equal opportunities for all and ensuring the voices of children and young people with epilepsy are heard and their rights protected.

I have had an amazing career working with big name brands leading award-winning creative campaigns, launching new innovations and building new world-first tech-led experiences partnering with the likes of Ferrari, James Bond, Peppa Pig and Minecraft.

I have built brands in six of the seven continents across a range of sectors from retail, consumer goods and entertainment. With brand and marketing experience spanning some of the world’s biggest businesses from Coca-Cola, Vodafone, LEGOLAND to Unilever, I now also share my expertise by lecturing at the London Business School.

A qualified kickboxer and a keen cook, I love to relax with my family and friends and spend time in the Cotswolds.

I was appointed as a Trustee and Governor in May 2024. 

I am a serving Director of SEND at Academies Enterprise Trust with 57 schools, including 5 special schools. As an ambassador for SEND children over the last 20 years in both mainstream and special settings at school as well as trust leadership levels, I am absolutely passionate about inclusion and safeguarding and fully dedicated to improving children's lives chances.

Having worked with a significant number of children in special and mainstream settings with diagnosed epilepsy, I was attracted to Young Epilepsy because of their vision, purpose and values as well as their encompassing work with health, research and education whilst placing children and young people at the centre of everything they do by giving them a voice.

I enjoy travelling and reading. In my spare time I knit and crochet and I am now learning embroidery.

I was delighted to join Young Epilepsy as a trustee and governor in May 2024. 

During my first visit to the St Piers campus, I was impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm of staff and students and how well the organisation’s ethos and culture resonated with my personal and professional beliefs. I am enthusiastic about collaborating with the whole Young Epilepsy community and furthering my commitment to providing aspirational education and support while advocating for our young people. 

Currently, I serve as Education Director and Principal at Cavendish Education, overseeing the strategic and operational management of multiple special educational needs schools across the country. My diverse background in education includes roles as a teacher, Senior Leader, Governor, and Trustee across both mainstream and specialist schools in Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Over the past 15 years, I have founded, opened, and led new schools, gaining extensive experience in school structures, curriculum development, school improvement, leadership, finance, and HR. I look forward to bringing these skills to the inspirational work of Young Epilepsy and St Piers. 

In my spare time, I enjoy playing softball, swimming, and taking country walks with my cavapoo, Rookie. When I’m not active, I love listening to podcasts, watching TV, playing board games, and slowly learning to play the guitar (a work in progress, but I am determined!). 

I look forward to contributing to the vital work of Young Epilepsy and St Piers and making a positive impact on the lives of young people with epilepsy.