Michelle McDermott
Co-Chairperson
Michelle McDermott is Co-Chairperson of the Thera Trust board, alongside Sally Warren.
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.
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
Elizabeth Lichten
Non-Executive Director
Elizabeth is founder of Pink Mingo marketing.
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.