ACTION DEAFNESS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Trustee / Board Member since 2023 / Former Treasurer of Farnborough Deaf Centre
Alan is Deaf and a BSL signer. He works for a B2B company as a Corporate Chartered Architectural Technologist. He is a Former Treasurer of Farnborough Deaf Centre.
Alison is profoundly Deaf. She is the Sensory Operational Lead based within the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) / Staffordshire County Council. Alison founded DEAFvibe UK (Staffordshire) in 2010 and has been a Trustee for 14 years. She is an experienced leader within health & social care for Deafness, Sight loss and Deafblindness. Access to information, communication and language is close to Alison's heart and she is passionate about inclusion, accessibility and equity for all.
Job Titles:
- Trustee & Chair / Board Member since 2015 / Chair since 2024
Alison is profoundly Deaf and has significant experience in the areas of deafness, disability, discrimination & equality. She was also the first ‘Deaf' person to qualify as an Audiologist in the NHS in England & Wales.
Job Titles:
- Patron / Patron since 2011
Staffordshire-born Andrew is a Conservative Party politician and has been the Member of Parliament for the constituency of North West Leicestershire since 2010.
Job Titles:
- Communicator Guide & Intervenor Team Manager
Job Titles:
- Specialist Support Co - Ordinator / Specialist Support Co - Ordinator
Job Titles:
- Specialist Support Co - Ordinator / Specialist Support Co - Ordinator
Job Titles:
- HR Manager
- People Executive
Charlotte is a qualified HR Manager who worked for a large telecommunications company before joining Deaf Direct. Charlotte joined AD following the merger with Deaf Direct in 2019.
Job Titles:
- Specialist Support Coordinator / Specialist Support Coordinator
Christopher joined Action Deafness in 2020 as a Specialist Support Worker, having previously served as a mentor for young people at the British Deaf Association. Within AD, Christopher progressed to Senior Specialist Support Worker, then served as Interim Registered Manager for Care, and now hold the role of Specialist Support Coordinator.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Director of Service Delivery / Director of Service Delivery
Christopher joined in March 2024 and has extensive experience in roles of managing services for D/deaf people and in health and social care commissioning. At AD, his focus will be on Community & Care, particularly on growth and business development.
As Head of Commercial at Action Deafness, Christopher focuses on building meaningful partnerships and driving sustainable growth to support accessibility and inclusion. With a background in Partnership Development and Neuro Linguistic Therapy, Christopher brings a people-first approach to commercial strategy - balancing business goals with genuine social impact. Their work is driven by a belief that communication should always be a bridge, never a barrier.
Job Titles:
- Trustee / Board Member since 2024 / Former Trustee of SignHealth
Clare is deaf, qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant, and has previous experience as a trustee at a Deaf organisation. This experience has fuelled her passion for advocating for every deaf person's ease of access to various services without any obstacles. With a strong social ethos, she is excited to support Action Deafness in growing its services to the Deaf Community.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
Craig has pioneered many prominent leadership and management positions over the past 25 years within the Deaf and Disability Sectors, obtaining an MBE in recognition of his work. Craig is co-chair of the BSL Advisory Board under the UK Government's Disability Unit and Trustee of Royal School for the Deaf, Derby. A Deaflympian, he also served as the 8th President of Deaflympics 2009-2013 and Honorary President of UK Deaf Sport 2014-2022.
Job Titles:
- Intervenor Specialist Lead
Ellie joined Action Deafness as Brand Manager in August 2024, with a focus on the marketing of all AD services, campaigns, and brand communications. Ellie has over eight years' experience in the marketing sector, and has extensive expertise with design, social media, and blogging within the Deaf Community. Ellie previously worked for RAD, British Deaf News, Phonak, and The Limping Chicken.
Job Titles:
- Team Leader ( Staffordshire ) Team Leader ( Staffordshire )
Jay joined Action Deafness in 2025 as a Communicator Guide and was promoted to Team Leader for Staffordshire later that year. They ensure high-quality care for clients, and enjoy working in the community and supporting TeamAD. Previously, Jay held roles as Community Engagement Officer and Events & Project Co-Ordinator at Deaflinks. Jay also taught BSL for life skills to families and professionals to support better communication.
Jessica joined Action Deafness in 2025 as Sensory Services Manager, bringing over 14 years of experience in the sensory sector. She has developed extensive expertise in supporting people with a wide range of sensory needs. Prior to AD, Jessica held various roles at SENSE, RNID, and BID. Most recently, she served as Sensory Service Manager at BID, where she led teams and drove service development to improve outcomes for the communities she supported.
Job Titles:
- Registered Manager, Community & Care / Registered Manager, Community & Care
Jessy joined AD in 2018 and has risen through ranks from being PA coordinator to Team Leader and is now the Registered Manager.
Job Titles:
- Patron / Patron since 2015
Josette is a Leicester-born, acclaimed Shakespearian and television/film actress. She has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance & Operations
- Member of the Leadership Team
Karen joined Action Deafness in January 2020 and has extensive experience in both public and private financial accounting and has worked in educational establishments and charitable organisations.
Leanne joined Action Deafness from SignHealth in 2024, bringing extensive experience in managing and delivering high-quality support and care for deaf people in community, supported living, and residential care homes. At Action Deafness, Leanne's focus will be on our Care and Support Services, ensuring services and processes meet quality standards, driving continuous improvement to maintain compliance, and facilitating development opportunities within the organisation.
Job Titles:
- Patron / Patron since 2017
Coventry-born Leon was an accomplished English rugby union footballer, playing for Leicester Tigers, Gloucester and England before retiring. Leon is the CEO of "Switch the Play", a social enterprise company established to support transition for retired athletes.
Job Titles:
- Community Team Leader ( Hertfordshire )
Lucy joined Action Deafness in 2019 and has been the Team Leader for Southern England for the past three years. In this role, Lucy oversees the region's growth and ensures effective operations, working closely with our Care Team to deliver high-quality support services.
Job Titles:
- Finance & Operations Manager / Finance & Operations Manager
Mags has around 20 years commercial management experience gained from working for Manchester Airport Group, TUI Holidays and Holland & Barrett, to name a few and now plays a key role in the Finance & Operations Department.
Job Titles:
- International Deaf Leader
- Patron / Patron since 2020
Markku is an accomplished International Deaf Leader who previously served as the President of the World Federation of the Deaf. Markku is now the CEO of the Finnish Deaf Association and the President of the European Union of the Deaf (EUD).
Martin rejoined Action Deafness in January 2025 as the Hubs Development Manager. He previously worked in the Community & Care Department at Action Deafness from 2017 to 2023. Martin was involved in developing services at the Deaf Specialist Care Home in Heanor for Residential Care from 2023 to 2025. With extensive experience in delivering Deaf-specific community projects, Martin has worked with a diverse range of clients, from 18 to over 65 years old.
Job Titles:
- Team Manager for Durham / Team Manager for Durham
Michelle brings a wealth of experiences to AD due to her experience with supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals: from community work at BID Services to working with young Deaf children with complex needs at the Percy Hedley Foundation's Northern Counties School. She now leads the Durham Hub team at Action Deafness.
Job Titles:
- Trustee / Board Member since 2020
Job Titles:
- Registered Manager ( Warwickshire ) Registered Manager ( Warwickshire )
Sandra joined Action Deafness in 2019, progressing from Specialist Support Worker to Registered Manager. She brings a wealth of experience, with 15 years in the care and community sector, particularly within various Deaf organisations. Throughout her career, Sandra has held numerous roles, showcasing her versatility and dedication to supporting the Deaf community.
Job Titles:
- Patron / Patron since 2020
A native of East London, Sophie is a well-known English stage and television Deaf actress. She was the first Deaf student to win a place at the prestigious drama school RADA.
Tanvir brings a wealth of experience to Team AD, having worked in Deaf and Disability organisations like RNID, Shaw Trust, and Serco for the past 30 years. He previously served as a Trustee for Action Deafness and is now excited to take on the Hubs Manager role.
Job Titles:
- Trustee / Board Member since 2020
William was previously a Trustee of Deaf Direct, serving as the Chair for eleven years. He continues to work as a Freelance BSL Tutor and is based in Malvern, Worcestershire.