DEAF ACTION - Key Persons
Alison joined the Board in March 2021. She is an engineer by trade and brings with her experience in managing businesses. She also sits on the board of another charity, Women Walking with God. Alison has a personal interest in deafness as she is a hearing aid user, having lost her hearing as a young adult. She recognises there are many different types of deafness and is passionate about reducing isolation in the community. Alison is our lead Trustee for specialist equipment in Deaf Action.
Andrew joined the Board in February 2022. He is an established leader with over 28 years of financial management experience and leadership gained within the NHS, Education and Charity sectors. He has 20 years of experience as a Director, and currently works as Director of Finance and Resources at Capability Scotland. He brings with him experience of leading and developing departments of Finance, HR, IT, Estates, Fundraising, Communications and Health and Safety.
He has a passion for working in the voluntary sector and making a meaningful impact on people's lives. He is committed to Deaf Action's aim of improving the lives of deaf people, and uses his extensive experience to guide the charity's senior management financial decisions.
Gordon has been part of the Deaf Action leadership team since March 2019. He is an experienced deaf professional with over a decade of senior management experience. He also serves as Director of several deaf and disabled related organisations led and run by volunteers, offering his in-depth knowledge on governance. He has a passion for sport and is actively involved with UK Deaf Sport; Scottish ParaFootball and is the current President of the Scottish Deaf Football Association. Previously he worked at the Scottish Government overseeing the BSL National Plan.
Jane joined Deaf Action in August 2019. She is an MCIPD qualified HR professional with a wealth of experience working with several leading retail and media brands, such as Marks and Spencer, Virgin Media and Sky, and latterly as a consultant working with a broad range of organisations. She leads on the development and implementation of People Strategies that will not only encourage a culture where people can develop, be creative and innovative but also have fun and enjoy being at work.
Liz joined Deaf Action as Deputy CEO in 2021, as a result of the merger with [sonus], of which she was CEO. In addition to working alongside Philip on the longer-term strategies and vision of Deaf Action, Liz will also lead the service teams. Her background and wealth of experience in social and residential care, training and interpreting, together with her previous governance roles within the deaf charity sector will stand her in good stead for this.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Company Secretary
Philip has been CEO since September 2017 and leads on strategic planning, ensuring that systems and procedures meet regulatory standards, and creating and implementing the charity's vision. Philip has a proven track record as CEO and decades of experience as a leader in the deaf sector. He has donated his time to several voluntary roles with other deaf-related organisations. As a deaf person himself, his unique perspective of deafness with both personal and professional insight enables him to lead Deaf Action from a position of lived experience.
Philip acts as our Company Secretary and is also Deaf Action's CEO. He is a deaf BSL user with years of experience within deaf charities. You can read more about his role here.
Rosie is the longest standing member of the Board, having joined in November 2014. She brings with her a wealth of experience working in deaf communities. She worked as a registered BSL/English interpreter for 19 years, was the National Deaf Development Officer for the Church of Scotland, and Chaplain to Albany Deaf Church. She also set up The Kisoro Trust in 1998, which provides primary school education to deaf children in Uganda. She was previously Chair of SASLI and is currently a Trustee of The Stewart Lochrie Memorial Fund.
Rosie currently holds the position of chair on the Board at Deaf Action. As Chair she is responsible for leading, chairing and overseeing performance of the Board. This includes running quarterly board meetings and ensuring the Board is both accountable and meeting legal responsibilities, as well as providing support to the CEO.
Sheenagh joined the Board in March 2022, bringing with her a wealth of experience in governance and leadership. She has been a member of multiple boards over many years, including being Chair for twelve years. She brings with her extensive experience in setting strategic direction, monitoring operational performance and evaluating board effectiveness. She has held many senior positions, including Chief Executive at Registers of Scotland, and is Vice Chair at New Lanark Trust. She believes boards are there to actively create positive futures for organisations, and not just to ‘mind the shop'.
Siobhan joined Deaf Action in May 2020, with a focus on bid writing. With over 5 years' experience in the third sector, she now leads the Fundraising team and is responsible for overseeing the generation of income to support the delivery and growth of our services. Siobhan also has oversight over the Marketing team who provide wide ranging support to help Deaf Action engage with new clients, supporters and partners. Siobhan is currently working towards her BSL Level 2 certificate.
Trudi Collier has been a Trustee since August 2018. She is a deaf BSL user with a passion for supporting the deaf community. She brings with her invaluable life experience as a deaf person and has a strong desire to support the organisation for the benefit of the deaf community. Trudi also brings with her experience of being a former Trustee for both the British Deaf Association and Sign Health. Trudi is our lead Trustee for supporting the development of the Edinburgh Deaf Festival.