Meet the Trustees

“I work closely with Joanna, our board of trustees and the Ups and Downs South West team to support the setting and execution of our strategy.

I took up the role in late 2022, and I’m excited about the charity continuing to build on the amazing work we already do and finding areas of unmet need where we can build inclusion and opportunity for people with Down syndrome.

I have a background working in project management, change and managing client and stakeholder relationships. I spent nearly a decade as a leader in a digital agency that works extensively in the not-for-profit sector, and I now run my own strategy consultancy business.

In 2019, my daughter Millie was born, and we found out a few days after that she had Down syndrome. Like many families in our community, I found myself on a new path with very little knowledge or guidance on navigating it. Soon after her birth, we left London for Bristol and, more recently, moved to South Somerset. I’ve therefore been fortunate to have benefitted from the amazing support of the team at Ups and Downs South West and seen just how vital their work is for parents, carers and families.

The role of chair felt like a great opportunity to contribute, in a small way, to the work done here. I’m committed to ensuring we’re there for the people who need us, and we offer the services that deliver the most benefit to people with Down syndrome.”

Treasurer

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I am a Community Fundraising Manager, currently working for the NSPCC. Most of my career has been within the charity sector working in Income Generation with both stakeholders and volunteers. I love working together with others who show such care and passion for a cause and finding solutions through exciting and innovative ideas. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing a team’s efforts come to fruition and knowing it is helping somebody have the future they deserve. 

I feel privileged to have been welcomed into the Ups and Downs Team and hope my fundraising and volunteer management experience will prove useful in this exciting stage of strategic development for the organisation. I hope this will allow me to learn more about children and young people who have Down Syndrome and the amazing work that Ups and Downs do to provide inclusion and opportunity.”

“I am a corporate account manager with over ten years of experience ensuring the sustainability and profitability of businesses of all sizes. After University, I worked at Downham Special School in Plympton (now Cann Bridge), where I supported children with additional needs on a 1-2-1 basis. This is my first role as a trustee, and I am honoured to be working with such a dedicated group of people. 

I am passionate about the work of Ups and Downs Southwest and helping to support families with children with Down Syndrome because I believe in fostering inclusive communities. Having witnessed these families’ challenges, I am committed to promoting awareness, advocacy, and resources that empower them.

“In my day job, I’m Operations Director at ASDAN, an education charity and awarding organisation on a mission to engage, elevate and empower young people in greatest need. Our vision is for the talents and achievements of all young people to be held in high esteem. Previously, I held various roles at The Fostering Network, the UK’s largest fostering charity, and before that, I have experience in the public sector. I’ve shaped a career in the public and charity sectors because of my values and a desire to make a positive difference to young people who may have had a difficult start in life and help them grow into confident adults.

Ups and Downs are a charity doing amazing things for young people with Down’s syndrome and their families across the southwest of England. I’m very much looking forward to helping the charity sustain its support and realise opportunities to grow as part of the new strategy. It feels an exciting time to be a part of that journey, and I’m grateful to have been welcomed so positively.

I am a Primary Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) in a local special school in North Somerset. I have worked at my school for over 12 years, and my passion for SEND has grown continuously. I am a qualified primary teacher, and I started my career teaching in their Primary department. I am now on their Middle leader team as their Primary SENCo and key stage one and two leader. I have also been very fortunate to be seconded to the North Somerset Council as an advisory teacher in the past, and I pride myself on having high standards and dedication to my profession.

I have known and worked with the Ups and Downs Southwest charity through my SENCo role and have always held them in very high regard. The charity provides valuable advice, support and opportunities to children and young people with Down Syndrome, their families and the professionals who support them. 

I am passionate about making change, and I feel privileged to be given an opportunity to work with Ups and Downs.  

I hope to use my educational and SEND expertise to support the charity to succeed and grow.  

“I am a dynamic and creative senior manager with extensive board-level experience as staff and governor. I have worked exclusively for adults and young people with learning disabilities and autism in the education and charity sectors across several London boroughs for over twenty years.

I began my career in advocacy, which honed my skills in negotiation and diplomacy with funders and commissioners to guarantee the best outcomes for clients despite significant financial resistance. Since then, I have developed a prolific portfolio of projects which are not only financially profitable but also push the boundaries of what is achievable for clients, which have been replicated by other organisations across the UK and created strong legacies for each workplace.”