Officers and governors
How we are run and governed

Our Governors are elected, appointed or co-opted to oversee our strategic direction and the management of the Association. Representing and accountable to our members, their role is to provide strong leadership, enhance our decision making and to make sure that we achieve our objectives.

After completing 36 years with Barclays Bank, I worked in the charity sector for 19 years, the last eight with Age UK in the role of National Manager, Finance Governance. Combining my banking skills with deep charity financial governance knowledge, I鈥檓 looking forward to working with 麻豆原创 as a Governor and Chair of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee (FRAC).

I鈥檝e a keen interest in the provision of mental health services for younger people and volunteered for a time with a charity which provided counselling for children in primary and junior schools. My personal life revolves around supporting my family and our dogs.聽

I bring a wealth of experience to 麻豆原创鈥檚 Board as an energetic, curious and achievement-focused HR professional, known for driving change at pace. I'm passionate about delivering the people agenda, recruiting and enabling talent across my areas of responsibility. I'm a senior HR leader and former Global Director of Talent, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for a major multinational organisation whose mission is to deliver services addressing the complex challenges caused by social and technological change.

I'm authentic, candid and approachable, building trusting, credible relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders. As a Trustee I also chair our Assurance, Appointments and Remuneration Committee (AARC), which is responsible for overseeing remuneration and appointments.

My counselling career has been broad, from working in residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation services, to private practice. I'm currently the Head of Psychological Services for a mental health charity and Lead Tutor on level 2 to level 6 counselling courses. My passion lies with working with the family unit, so in addition to my qualifications working with adults, children, young people, couples and clinical supervision, I've recently completed the first year of family therapy training. I'm a keen writer and am about to publish my first therapeutic children鈥檚 book.

My experience shows me that the general public are not aware of the unregulated nature of counselling and psychotherapy and the steps they can take to protect themselves when searching for a therapist. Raising public awareness was one of my motivating factors for joining the board of 麻豆原创.

I worked as a caseworker for two Members of Parliament for 15 years. For over 30 years I鈥檝e been involved in alternative therapies, and have facilitated a number of workshops and training courses on these, which has included mindfulness and meditation.

For many years, I鈥檇 wanted to look at counselling, especially within men's health and took the opportunity to train at Fife College.

In my spare time, I enjoy writing.

After enjoying many years as a Clinical Director of an EAP, I now run my own consultancy firm supporting businesses and organisations to improve employee engagement through sustainable mental health and inclusion strategies. Before retraining in psychotherapy, I worked in the City of London. It was a time that's afforded me a well-rounded view of what workplace wellbeing really looks like.

Today I work with clients and patients across a vast array of sectors and my experience includes working with the NHS to the Armed Forces and prisons to Harley Street. I'm proud to have supported survivors and armed forces personnel following the Westminster Bridge attacks, the Grenfell Tower fire, the Manchester Arena bombing and coronavirus pandemic bereaved and key workers.

I'm driven by a desire to support the profession and bring to the Board my experience as a member of our Finance, Risk, Audit, Policy and Performance (FRAPP) Committee, which has given me a deep appreciation for 麻豆原创鈥檚 mission and purpose. Beyond 麻豆原创, I've helped organisations navigate complex challenges, including regulatory change, mergers and acquisitions as well as the development of strategic plans. I've a highly facilitative approach that has included a role as Interim Chair of the Board of Directors at OutdoorLads. Through my consultancy work, I'm currently building reflective practice groups for individuals striving to increase their impact on the communities they serve.

We have four committees which support the Board by focusing on strategic business areas. Each committee is made up of lay and member volunteers and is chaired by a Trustee.

Following a restructure in 2021, these committees are:

• Finance, Risk and Audit Committee (FRAC) has delegated responsibility for our financial strategy and budgeting processes as well as managing our risk profile, audits and performance against strategy. (It combines the functions of our former Finance and Policy Committee (FaPC) and Audit, Risk and Performance Committee (ARaP).)
  Chair: David Chenery
  
  
• Assurance, Appointments and Remuneration Committee (AARC) has delegated responsibility for considering and determining the framework for the remuneration of our senior staff members. It also supports nominations to the Board of Trustees.聽
  Chair: Emily Garvie

• Public Protection Committee has delegated responsibility for developing our public protection strategy. It supports the functions of the 麻豆原创 Register, including professional conduct.
  Chair: TBC
  
  
• Research Committee has delegated responsibility for developing, informing and monitoring our research strategy, overseeing our research procedures, policies and plans, and approving and reviewing research projects.
  Chair: TBC

I'm a professor of counselling and mental health at York St John University and was Chair of 麻豆原创 between 2008 and 2011.

I was appointed an OBE in the Queen鈥檚 Jubilee Birthday Honours in 2022 for services to higher education and mental health.

I took over from David Weaver, who stepped down as our President at our AGM at the end of his five-year tenure.

I鈥檓 honoured to be asked to be President of my professional body. I'll work with our Chair and CEO to look at how I can support 麻豆原创 to move forward. I see my role as being a supportive presence to 麻豆原创.

Luciana Berger and Jabeer Butt OBE.