COMPASSION IN DYING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications & Scotland
Barbara was a social worker for over 40 years. She joined St Christopher's Hospice in 1987, and was Chief Executive there between 2000 and 2014.
Barbara was founder and Director of the Candle children's bereavement project and Chair of the national Childhood Bereavement Network. She was Module Leader on the MSc in Palliative Care and Policy run jointly by St Christopher's and King's College London. She has led and lectured on numerous international training programmes.
Barbara has written extensively about psychological and social aspects of palliative care and sat on many national committees supporting the strategic development of end of life care. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2010 and is an experienced charity trustee.
Cameron Brown is a publisher and was previously a merchant banker and director of a number of private and public companies.
Job Titles:
- Director of Fundraising and Marketing
David leads fundraising and marketing strategy for Compassion in Dying and our sister organisation, Dignity in Dying. He co-led the development of our digital living will service, the first free website in the UK to create a legally binding advance decision. He has a particular interest in how we frame conversations about the end of life to ensure as many people as possible have these important conversations.
David has enjoyed a long career in Marketing Research. This has given him a deep understanding of what ideas can do to people, what people can do with ideas and what it takes to win over hearts and minds. He has worked with many companies and charities on how to frame their purpose, decide upon strategy and develop communications in order to achieve their aims.
Davina is responsible for legal strategy at Compassion in Dying and our sister organisation, Dignity in Dying. Prior to working at Compassion in Dying, Davina worked for the BBC and the General Social Care Council.
Anushka, a British-Mauritian, qualified as a doctor in 2007 after studying medicine at Bart's and The London School of Medicine, Queen Mary's, University of London. In the NHS, she is an anaesthetist looking after a comprehensive spectrum of patients from the well to the critically unwell, in addition to women through all stages of their pregnancy - from the simple to the complex. Leaning on her professional experience and unbridled enthusiasm for teaching, she joined London Southbank University as faculty staff on the midwifery degree.
Anushka is a regular panellist and contributor speaking on a variety of health issues. She has worked with the BBC, the Observer and contributed to the Huffington Post. Her experience working in critical care has led to her very vocal support for advance care planning and she is now a clinical ambassador for Compassion in Dying, helping to break the taboo on conversations about end of life care and death.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director of Communications
Job Titles:
- Strategy and Scotland Campaigns Senior Officer
Job Titles:
- Policy and Research Senior Officer
Hannah is responsible for conducting research on end-of-life choice for Compassion and Dignity in Dying. She also supports both organisation's policy work. She has an MA in Human Rights where she developed an interest in protecting bodily autonomy and went on to volunteer with a women's rights charity and a charity working with refugees.
Job Titles:
- Information and Policy Officer
Jemma is responsible for supporting Compassion in Dying's services, including our free Information Line. Jemma holds an MSc in Mental Health Ethics and Law from King's College London where she specialised in mental capacity law.
Job Titles:
- Information Strategy and Development Manager
Job Titles:
- Fundraising and Marketing Officer
Jess provides support to the Chief Executive to ensure the overall smooth running of the office, including board meetings, recruitment and governance. Previously, Jess worked with Compassion in Dying's information line service and worked within fundraising for a Children's Hospice.
Jo has over 30 years experience in campaigning working across government, the voluntary, public and private sectors. Currently working as a freelance communications consultant for a number of voluntary sector organisations, she previously worked as a senior adviser for Tony Blair in Downing Street and moved with the former Prime Minister after he left office as his Director of Corporate Affairs.
Previously to that she was a Board Director at communications consultancy Edelman heading up the corporate and public affairs practice, and has also worked as a Special Adviser to Baroness Jay of Paddington and in PR roles at the FA, Labour Party, Citizens Advice Bureaux and various other organisations. Jo is a Home-Start volunteer and on the board of the Tottenham Hotspurs Supporters' Trust.
Job Titles:
- Director of Policy and Research
Job Titles:
- Media and Campaigns Officer
Ruky is responsible for the overall finance function and ensuring the accurate recording of the organisation's finances. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has had varied work experience within both the Not for Profit Sector as well as within the Commercial Sector.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Lead and Services Manager
Sarah manages Compassion in Dying's free Information Line. She draws on her clinical experience when supporting people to think about and discuss their health concerns, consider their treatment options, make decisions in line with their values, and record their preferences for future treatment and care. Sarah is a registered nurse with a background in Haematology, Oncology, hospice care and helpline nursing.
Sarah is Chief Executive of Compassion in Dying, which empowers people to take control of their end-of-life treatment and care under the current law, and it's sister organisation Dignity in Dying, which campaigns for greater choice at the end of life. She is a trustee of the Abortion Support Network and previously led campaigning at the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Family Planning Association.
Job Titles:
- Director of Public Affairs
Tom leads on the parliamentary and political engagement for Compassion in Dying and Dignity in Dying. He has worked on legislation to protect people's ability to decide the death that is right for them, and is keen to ensure that policy makers are aware of the benefits of planning ahead.
Job Titles:
- Administration and Finance Support Officer
Job Titles:
- Policy and Advocacy Senior Officer
Job Titles:
- Director of Partnerships and Services
Usha leads the development of Compassion in Dying's services, and works to ensure the voices and experiences of the people we support are understood, heard and acted upon. She is responsible for our collaborative and partnership work with other organisations, policy makers and individuals. Her background is in end-of-life domiciliary care and she has a particular interest in ways to put the theory of person-centred care into practice.