Meet the Board

David is the Chair of the Unity Works' Board of Trustees. David has spent much of his career in the design and delivery of public programmes to support marginalised groups. While working with Remploy Employment Services as a consultant, David developed a real passion for employment programmes for those with a disability. He firmly believes that employment can transform people’s lives for the better and is excited about how Unity Works can support more and more people with learning disabilities finding meaningful training and employment. David’s day job is a Growth Director in Capita’s Public Sector business where he is focused on the Defence sector. In between Unity Works and Capita, David can usually be found on the golf course or having fun with his daughter. He hasn’t been able to persuade her to help him combine the two!

Jenny's day job is an executive director for Thera Trust where she shares her Learning Disability Leadership role with Matthew Smith, who brings his lived experience of learning disability to the role alongside his work in advocacy. Jenny was born and brought up in Angus, Scotland and qualified as a nurse (RNLD) in Dundee the mid 1980s. Since then, she has worked in both health and social care. Throughout her career, Jenny has focussed on working with people to develope their opportunities and move on from institutional care.

Neil has worked in senior leadership positions across the Financial Service and Environmental Conservation sectors for a number of years, with a career spanning Operations, Commercial Management, Service Improvement and Transformation. In addition, Neil has spent a number of years working with businesses and charities to develop more sustainable business models and to support less advantaged young people into training and employment. With family members with learning disabilities, he is passionate about helping Unity Works to support even more people to achieve their goals.

Tavish works as a chef at Cinnamon Club, a fine dining restaurant in Westminster. He joined them after completing his Level 1 and Level 2 Chef Diploma qualification with Westminster Kingsway college and Unity Works. Having graduated from the Unity Works apprentice programme, he has first-hand experience of the needs of new apprentices and was very active playing a mentor role during the lockdown. He is passionate about food and cooking and loves sports. He also loves playing golf and table tennis during his spare time.

When Alison isn’t busy with the general project management and logistics tasks that being a working parent involves, she works as a business consultant. She supports private and third sector clients in the employability, skills and criminal justice sectors with strategy, organisational design, business development, bid management and contract mobilisation.

Before starting her own business with a former colleague, she worked in recruitment and public services. Latterly working for an organisation that experienced considerable growth, she was fortunate enough to wear many hats gaining insight and experience that she brings to her own business, and to her role as Non-Executive Director at Unity Works.