Meet our Board of Trustees

Sandra has worked in the VCSE sector as a CEO, staff member, volunteer and as a board member for over 30 years. This includes many years as Chief Exec of a NAVCA member and a voluntary trustee for a range of organisations - all focused on improving lives and communities. 

She brings knowledge and expertise in strategic and organisational development, innovation, business transformation and cross sector collaboration and partnership. Her experience also extends to enterprise development and social investment. As an EDI consultant and equalities advocate, she is passionate about increasing diversity within Boards and teams. 

A Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and supporter of emerging artists, Sandra enjoys live theatre, music and dance whenever possible. 

   Kerrie has worked in the voluntary sector since 1995, for infrastructure organisations in both urban and rural communities in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. Her most recent roles were CEO of South Derbyshire CVS and Deputy CEO (Strategic Partnerships) at Community Action Derby. Now combining freelance work and study, Kerrie believes the variety, diversity and resilience of NAVCA members are our strengths as a movement, enabling us to respond to our local sector and communities, and evolve to meet their needs. She has been a NAVCA trustee since 2019 and is also a trustee of Willington Community Conservation Group, a small voluntary organisation in Derbyshire working to improve local green spaces.

 @smcraker

Stephen is Chief Executive of NAVCA member Communities 1st, the infrastructure organisation for  Hertfordshire. In his spare time, he is involved with a number of voluntary and community-based enterprises. This includes volunteering as chair of Volunteering Herts CIC, trustee of Community Transport Association (CTA), trustee of Voluntary Sector Studies Network (VSSN), temporary trustee of RSPCA and as an enterprise advisor for a national non-profit. 

 @Alison_Semmence

Alison has worked in VCSE infrastructure since 1997, firstly as the Director of Volunteer Centre Chelmsford, then for ten years as Chief Executive of SAVS (Southend Association of Voluntary Services), and since 2018 as Chief Executive of York CVS.

Alison believes a strong infrastructure is vital to a healthy and vibrant VCSE sector. She is passionate about supporting grass roots community action and in local people having a say in how services are developed and delivered such as through co-production.

@AngelaWhiteOBE

Angela is Chief Executive of Sefton CVS, which is recognised nationally for the development of support services to frontline third sector organisations. Angela has extensive VCSE leadership experience Angela is the Third Sector Champion on the Liverpool LEP Board. She was awarded the OBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2017 for services to community action. She joined NAVCA's Trustee Board in December 2019.

Julie Farrow has been the Chief Executive at Hunts Forum since April 2008, and leads Support Cambridgeshire, an infrastructure partnership that provides strategic support and development to Cambridgeshire VCSE groups. She has a specific interest in health and social care issues and is the only VCSE representative on Cambridgeshire’s Health and Wellbeing Board.

Clive joins the board of NAVCA as a co-opted trustee, Clive brings a wealth of experience in the health and social care, working and leading in both Health NHS and local Government for over 40 years. Clive is currently the head of Equality and Inclusion for NHS London and Head of Equality and Inclusion - Evidence and Policy at NHS England and NHS Improvement, as well as leading nationally on diverse recruitment. Clive has a passion for volunteering, in his community, working in community organisations/local schools and churches. He is keen to offer his experience, time and energy, at a national level, to NAVCA.

@Hannahreidatcas

Hannah is Deputy Chief Executive of Community Action Suffolk, with a keen interest in all things VCSE infrastructure and supporting rural, urban and coastal organisations. Her background is in private and VCSE sectors, having run and managed organisations within both. Her skills lie in leadership, marketing and communications, training and development, and business planning, which she passionately believes are the golden rules for success in any organisation.

Elevating voices of local infrastructure organisations and the importance of partnerships and collaboration have been key within the VCSE sector in the last couple of years and Hannah is keen to offer her time and commitment to continuing this at a national level on the NAVCA board.

  Lisa has been Chief Executive of VAST, the local infrastructure organisation for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, since 2019,  having previously been the Finance Director of the organisation. Lisa is a Chartered Certified Accountant and prior to moving into the charity sector in 2011 had previously worked at a top 10 accountancy firm in Stoke specialising in charity audits and working with many of Stoke’s larger charities.

Lisa is passionate about supporting local communities and advocating on behalf of the local VCSE sector to ensure that they can collaboratively build a better city for residents.

@jsumn76 

 Jess started her career in the voluntary sector as a volunteer 26 years ago, moving to paid positions and later to CEO roles. She has led small and large teams of staff and volunteers. She now leads Community Works, a membership organisation with 600 members across Brighton, Hove, Adur and Worthing. She has gained a deep appreciation of the value and impact that membership and infrastructure organisations bring in strengthening community and the wider voluntary sector, and of the role of Trustees in supporting this. 

She is Chair of a partnership of infrastructure organisations across West Sussex, links with partners across Sussex and has been part of creating a VCSE leadership alliance to support Sussex Health ad Care Partnership. She believes passionately in the values and possibilities voluntary and community organisations offer, via their strong connections with their communities, to influence and create positive impact in those communities.