Phil joined the Thera North Board in May 2018 as a non Executive Director, keen to help support those with a learning disability. Phil, a chartered engineer, spent his whole career working in the public sector on environmental improvements and retired as a Deputy Director in the Environment Agency at the end of 2019. He became the chair of Thera North in September 2020.
Craig is passionate about empowering people to have an ordinary life and for them to be in control of how and where they live and the support that they receive. Craig started his career as a support worker in 2002, working his way up to Director of Development after roles in operations and person centred planning. In 2015 he moved to a major health and welfare charity as Head of Operations and was responsible for a range of services across the Northwest and Midlands. Craig joined Thera North in 2017 and is looking forward to working with the local teams to continue providing excellent support.
Catherine has a learning disability/autism and she has worked in self-advocacy for thirteen years. Catherine has worked and creating training in following subjects, employment, self-advocacy, social and the medical model of disability, parenting, The Equality Act 2010, easy read. As part of previous work, Catherine has worked for an equal rights charity organisation promoting and listening to the voices of people with learning disabilities or autism. She has travelled the world giving presentations or training and worked on many projects about the same subject. Her biggest achievement to date was winning the Mencap Activist of the year award in 2018 where I did a speech in the Houses of Parliament around health for people with learning disabilities in front of the health minister Caroline Dinenage MP.
Simon Conway studied classical archaeology at university before starting his career with the National Audit Office. He has worked in local government and in the NHS, where he has worked in both acute and community health trusts, latterly as Finance Director. Simon has also been a voluntary director for a number of housing organisations before working for Thera Trust.
Frances has lived experience of having a learning disability and co-worked as a project co-ordinator for CHANGE, a leading campaigning rights organisation, for 14 years. She researched and wrote 2 Easy Read books on how to be a good parent. She has also developed resources and training for employers, police and other front line services. Frances is an experienced Train the Trainer facilitator and has worked with Thera North to make their training more inclusive for the people they support.
Joanne joined the Thera North Board in November 2023 as a Non-Executive Director.
Joanne hopes to bring to the role governance and service delivery knowledge from working with charitable organisations (currently the Stroke Association) and lived experience as a carer for her adult son who has moderate learning disabilities and autism.