THERA EAST - Key Persons
Alex has worked for Thera East since 2006, when he first joined us as a Support Worker. He works closely with people we support, their families and circles of support to ensure we develop support that reflects peoples' choices and goals. Alex is the first point of contact for new support and is responsible for meeting new people and designing a support package that suits their needs.
Alison has been working as PA to the Managing Director of Thera East for over 12 years. Previous to this she worked in administration and then HR. Alison is very happy in her work and particularly enjoys organising Thera East's annual celebration event!
Bea has been working for Thera East for 15 years. Bea has been supporting adults with a learning disability for 23 years and loves her job. Not only is she committed to the people we support but also their families and the team she manages.
Brenda joined Thera East as the Managing Director in May 2018 having had 6 years of working in a Senior Management Role for another Learning Disabilities Support provider. Previously she spent 11 years working as a Human Resources and Business Consultant. Brenda ardently believes that people we support should have choice and control over their lives and where they live. She is committed to providing person centered support and to delivering Thera's vision.
Bridie started off as a support worker around 10 years ago. More recently Bridie has managed people's support and led on a project called Skills Around the Person. For the last 3 years Bridie has worked alongside Graham as an Executive Assistant, which she really enjoys.
Job Titles:
- Non - Executive Director
- Deputy CIO at Big Society Capital
Christine Chang is Deputy CIO at Big Society Capital and is a member of its Executive Committee and Investment Committee.
Chris's career spans marketing, advertising and communications acting as client service director on UK and Europe wide campaigns. While running his own marketing consultancy, he joined the board of Thera East Anglia in 2014 and became Chair two years later.
Job Titles:
- Gig Buddies West Lothian Project Coordinator
"I'm Debbie, the Gig Buddies West Lothian Project Coordinator, I joined Gig Buddies in November 2019. I have been following the Stay Up Late campaign for many years and I was delighted when Gig Buddies came to Scotland, and even more so when they came to West Lothian. Working with Gig Buddies is a dream job for me, I have a lot of fun planning and attending our regular social events and most importantly I love seeing the difference our work makes, connecting people and reducing isolation for people with a learning disability."
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator - Greater Glasgow
Donna is pleased to be joining Equal Futures at such an exciting time and being involved in the development of the new Equal Futures team. She has experience in a variety of care settings, including working with young people in a residential care and more recently as a team manager for adults with a learning disability, mental health, and Autism. In her free time, she loves going on holidays abroad and staycations in the UK.
Dries has built his career in the software industry, most recently helping organisations to implement their Digital Transformation strategy in the verticals of Health & Social Care, Not For Profit and Hospitality. Having moved to the UK from Belgium, Dries enjoys sport, playing football, tennis and having run a couple of marathons. Most of his spare time is taken up by his 3 young children. With a direct family member affected, the Trust's vision to support people with a learning disability in becoming leaders in society is something very close to his heart.
Graham has been a Service Quality Director for 10 years. He works alongside the Managing Director to run the company with the Thera East board. Graham and his Executive Assistant, Bridie, visit people supported by Thera East to make sure they are happy with their support and share helpful information with them.
Before joining Thera East in August 2019 Jane had over 18 years experience working with adults and young people with a learning disability and autism. Jane absolutely loves her role at Thera East and strives to make a difference to the lives of the people we support, whilst at the same supporting her team to keep people safe and ensure that get the very best support to achieve their aspirations and dreams.
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator - Edinburgh and Lothians
Jane is thrilled to be involved with Equal Futures and supports the unique model of support that Equal Futures offer to individuals and their families when it comes to planning for the future.
She has had a varied career starting off in Hospitality Management which she loved as she happiest making others happy. After having children, she entered the field of social care specifically working with adults with autism and learning disability, an equally rewarding career.
Throw in several years of running her own business, she has now settled In what she believes is her dream Job. Having children with ASD gives her a drive to make a real difference with Equal Futures.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Board
Jayne's career in the Voluntary sector began over 30 years ago. She trained in Community Development at the University of Glasgow and holds further qualifications in Counselling & Psychotherapy, Contemporary Scottish Law, and Leadership. She is a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and has a keen interest in developing people's potential in the workplace and in the wider community. Jayne previously worked for the NSPCC and held accountability for efficiency workstreams on their transformational change program before becoming a Public Appointee. As Head of the National Confidential Forum she heard formal testimony from people who experienced institutional care during childhood, published findings reports and made policy and practice recommendations to Scottish Government. Jayne has two grown up sons and enjoys being outdoors on long scenic walks or open water swimming in all seasons.
Job Titles:
- Non - Executive Director
- Director of Quality
- Is Director of Quality
Jenny is Director of Quality and Involvement and Director of Strategy at Thera. She is dedicated to facilitating and enabling the leadership of Thera by people with a learning disability.
Jenny's day job is an executive director for Thera Trust where she shares her Quality and Involvement role with Matthew Smith, who brings his lived experience of learning disability to the role alongside his work in advocacy. Jenny was born and brought up in Angus, Scotland and qualified as a nurse (RNLD) in Dundee the mid 1980s. Since then, she has worked in both health and social care. Throughout her career, Jenny has focussed on working with people to developed their opportunities and move on from institutional care
Job Titles:
- Senior Independent Director
Jill has a background in delivering care and support services and now provides consultancy around social care policy, quality and practice.
John has worked in the U.K. Financial Services Industry for 35 years and is currently the Managing Director of the U.K. General Insurance business within the Ecclesiastical Group.
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinatior - Ayrshire
Kelly has experience of working with many different groups within the community, specifically with young people and people with a learning disability. Her passions are mental health, LGBTQ issues and improving equality within society. She has a cocker spaniel called Maizy and a horse called Ryley and looking after her two fur babies takes up a lot of her personal time. She also enjoys walking, swimming and gardening.
I have 10 years' experience, supporting and managing people in a variety of settings within the health and social care sector. I am passionate about empowering the people we support to live the lives they choose. I believe this can only be achieved by putting that person at the heart of everything we do and working together.
Job Titles:
- Director of Quality and Involvement
Matthew Smith shares the Director of Quality and Involvement role with Jenny. Matthew brings both his personal and professional experience to the director role in Thera, ensuring that the quality of support Thera provides is monitored and that people are fully involved in the planning and delivery of their support.
Michelle McDermott is Co-Chair of the Thera Trust board, alongside Sally Warren.
A physics graduate, Mike spent most of his first career with Northern Foods including 16 years on the main board as HR Director.
Job Titles:
- Gig Buddies Glasgow Project Coordinator
- Project Coordinator for Gig Buddies Glasgow
"I'm Molly, the Project Coordinator for Gig Buddies Glasgow. I loved the idea of Gig Buddies when I first heard about it a few years ago, and was thrilled to join the team when we launched in Glasgow last year. I've had loads of fun at all the Gig Buddies Socials, both in real life and online, but my favourite event so far was the Launch Gig we held back in January at the Glad Cafe. I got to meet lots of talented performers and see loads of members and volunteers enjoying the night."
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chartered Accountant
Neil has recently retired having spent over 30 years working in audit and accounting for one of the largest global professional services firms and was a partner for the last 20 years.
He has travelled extensively and worked in Australia for 2 years and Poland for 3 years. Neil is a qualified Chartered Accountant and as well as having skills in financial management and control, he has experience in project management, risk management and governance.
Neil has a number of other charitable and voluntary roles, including being a school governor, which are based on providing equality of opportunity and care and support for people with a learning disability. He also acts as a mentor to university students and business start-up entrepreneurs.
Job Titles:
- Non - Executive Director
- Founder and Deputy CEO of PHSC Plc
Nicola is founder and Deputy CEO of PHSC plc which specialises in safety, management systems and security. She has a background in occupational safety and risk, environmental management, and is a Registered Expert Witness.
I have 20 years' experience of working with people who have a learning disability, both in residential care and a supported living environment. I am looking forward to working with the people we support and their families, as well as the staff at Thera East. I will provide knowledge and direction to the staff teams, that will enhance the lives of people supported.
Sally is an experienced public relations consultant who has worked in the financial sector, in food production and in the hospitality industry in the UK and overseas. As an occasional trainer, she has encourages people to build their confidence by working on their personal presentation skills and learning about the media. Her interests include walking by water, the garden, developing recipes and arranging church flowers.
Sally Warren is Co-Chair of the Thera Trust board, alongside Michelle McDermott.
Job Titles:
- Gig Buddies Project Manager and Edinburgh Project Coordinator
"I've been running Gig Buddies with Thera since it launched back in 2016, and it's such great fun! My highlight so far has to be our ‘Fringing 9-5' event where we attended the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 9am until 5am the next morning! I have a love for all kinds of music, and you can sometimes catch me signing songs and playing guitar on a Gig Buddies Facebook livestream."
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Personal Assistant
Shona Fleming is Personal Assistant to our Managing Director, Shona specialises in the organisations administration and with the "don't panic" mantra in mind she finds there is no challenge too big or strong for her to conquer. Shona has a passion for cooking and showing off her recipes on Instagram and when she's not working or in the kitchen she can usually be found at the side of a football field cheering on her 2 boys who she is sure will be future stars one day or she will be walking her Golden Retriever, Harper in the Ayrshire
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Director of Strategy and Company Secretary
- Interim Chair
Simon Conway studied Classical Archaeology at Cambridge University before starting his career with the National Audit Office.