NAVCA Board of Trustees
We have a fantastic, committed and enthusiastic Board of Trustees, chaired by Judy Robinson.
The Board meets four times a year, each time at a different member's location, and hosts our Annual General Meeting in the autumn.
Trustees also attend events, speaking engagements, meetings and roundtables on behalf of NAVCA and our members.
Chair: Judy Robinson
Judy has worked in the VCSE sector as a staff member, as a volunteer and as a board member. She is interested in how voices improve services and democracy, as well as in policy development on local government, equality and local economies. Judy is also Chair of HealthWatch Sheffield and promotes the role of VCSE in creating wellbeing. As a committed northerner, Judy knows Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire well, having been a Director of GMCVO and the CEO of Involve Yorkshire and Humber.
Treasurer: Brian Coghlan
Following a career in commercial and corporate banking, including the intensive management of distressed businesses, Brian is now an Investment Manager at Key Fund. Brian shares his skills, qualifications and experience to guide and support people across the VCSE sector, who use their drive, vision and compassion to help others. He enjoys working with teams that actually makes a difference in the communities they support. Brian was appointed to NAVCA's Board of Trustees as Treasurer in 2018 for a term of three years.
Vice Chair: Julie Farrow
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.
Vice-chair: Richard Jackson
Richard is Chief Officer of Voluntary Action Leeds, an organisation which helps ensure that Leeds has a thriving third sector through delivering a range of targeted support services to local voluntary and community groups. As part of his job, Richard has a leadership role within the third sector, primarily as a facilitator helping bring conversations and relationships together within neighbourhoods, the city of Leeds, Leeds City Region and England’s Core Cities.
Stephen Craker
Stephen is Chief Executive of 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, as an enterprise advisor for a national non-profit, and as editor for a newsletter that champions improved services for older people. He is also Chair of Governors for a primary school in his community.
Kerrie Fletcher
Kerrie is CEO of South Derbyshire CVS. She has worked in the voluntary sector since 1995, for infrastructure organisations in urban, rural and market town communities in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. Kerrie believes our variety and diversity is our greatest strength, enabling us to respond to our local sector and communities, and evolve to meet their needs. She has a particular interest in the Dementia Friendly Communities social action movement and is an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends Champion and Chair of Dementia Friendly South Derbyshire.
Melanie Mills
As Social Sector Engagement Director for Big Society Capital, Melanie leads a range of programmes to support social enterprises engage with social investment. Previously CEO at Social Enterprise West Midlands, Melanie led the organisation to sustainability, through development of trading and growth. She draws on her 20 years in retail, working as a consultant with community organisations and charities to raise funds and develop sustainable income.
As well as working on Change for Good, Melanie is Social Enterprise Champion for Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP, and Chair of Governors at a rural primary school.
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.
Angela White OBE
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.
Mike Wild
Mike is Chief Executive of Macc, the local development organisation for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in the city of Manchester. Mike has worked full time in the VCSE sector since 1996, having started with voluntary work at school. With a background in advocacy, he also promotes the value of civic leadership and an inclusive economy. Mike sits on a range of local partnership structures. He is also a founder member of the Greater Manchester VCSE Leadership Group.