Meet the board

Thera Trust has an equal executive team made up of four directors each with equal responsibility for decision making. Three of the roles are held by appropriately qualified and experienced leaders with the fourth role being held by someone who brings their experience of having a learning disability, along with their previous work experience, to the role.

Michelle McDermott

Co-Chairperson

Michelle McDermott is Co-Chairperson of the Thera Trust board, alongside Sally Warren. 

Sally Warren

Co-Chairperson

Sally Warren is Co-Chairperson of the Thera Trust board, alongside Michelle McDermott.

Christine Chang

Non-Executive Director

Christine Chang is Deputy CIO at Big Society Capital and is a member of its Executive Committee and Investment Committee.

Matthew Smith

Director of Equal Leadership and Innovation

Matthew is the Group Executive Director for Equal Leadership and Innovation, and has been working for Thera for 18 years. Matthew brings both his personal and professional experience of a learning disability to the role.

Nicola Coote

Non-Executive Director

Nicola is founder and Deputy CEO of PHSC plc which specialises in safety, management systems and security. She has a background in occupational safety and risk, environmental management, and is a Registered Expert Witness.

Ceri Lennon

Group Executive Director - People and Culture

In her new role as Group Executive Director - People and Culture at Thera, Ceri is looking forward to working across the companies which make up Thera to support our leaders and staff to build on the great foundations already in place, to continue to empower staff and people supported.

Lorna Weston

Group Executive Director - Operations

In her new role as Group Executive Director - Operations, Lorna believes in empowering and investing in people to be highly skilled, competent and happy in the work they do

Katie Winn

Group Executive Director - Development and Innovation

In her new role as Group Executive Director – Development and Innovation, in which she will be working closely with Matthew Smith, Group Director – Equal Leadership and Innovation, Katie is excited to continue developing innovative support solutions for people with a learning disability, ensuring people have choice and control over their own lives.

Kate Platts

Group Executive Director - Strategic Finance and Partnerships

In her new role as Group Executive Director – Strategic Finance and Partnerships, Kate is looking forward to working with colleagues to ensure that Thera Trust Group continues to provide excellent care, support and opportunities to people with a learning disability in a financially sustainable way.

John Blundell

Non-Executive Director

John has worked in the U.K. Financial Services Industry for 35 years and is formally the Managing Director of the U.K. General Insurance business within the Ecclesiastical Group.

Christopher Rheinberg

Non-Executive Director

Chris’s career spans marketing, advertising and communications acting as client service director on UK and Europe wide campaigns. While running his own marketing consultancy, he joined the board of Thera East Anglia in 2014 and became Chair two years later.

Priya Oomahdat

Non-Executive Director

Priya is a national Deputy Director in the NHS with a career focused on improving population health through commissioning, transformation & improvement and service redesign, working at a national level in operations, strategy and policy.