Our Trustees

Vivienne has more than 20 years’ experience in senior leadership roles across the charity and public sectors, working with charities and local authorities to improve services, lead organisational change and build positive, inclusive cultures.

Throughout her career, she has focused on improving outcomes for disabled children, young people and families. More recently, she has led digital transformation programmes, using technology and innovation to help organisations reach more people and deliver greater impact.

Vivienne is also the parent of two disabled adults, giving her first-hand experience of navigating education, health and social care systems. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her role as vice chair of Sense.

Simon is bursar and fellow of St Peter’s College, Oxford. He has held senior finance and leadership roles across the charity, education and commercial sectors, including as director of finance and commercial at Myton Hospices and Foundation Secretary of the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation.

A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Simon brings extensive expertise in finance, governance and organisational leadership. Earlier in his career, he worked across a range of commercial organisations and in the construction sector, managing building projects and financial operations.

Simon is passionate about creating opportunities for people to reach their full potential. He brings strong financial stewardship and governance experience to the Sense Board and serves as honorary treasurer and chair of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Allen is the professor of education at Queen’s University Belfast and a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. His research focuses on education, disability and inclusion, and he has published extensively in these fields throughout a distinguished academic career.

Alongside his academic work, Allen has held a range of leadership and governance roles across the education sector, including serving on national research assessment and advisory bodies. He is also a mentor for academics displaced by conflict and persecution.

Allen is disabled and has personal experience of living with the long-term effects of stroke and progressive sight loss. He brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the Sense Board and is passionate about improving opportunities for disabled people.

Ben is a senior researcher at a leading think tank, specialising in disability, education, early years and cultural policy. He previously worked for a member of parliament and served as a town councillor between 2015 and 2019.

As a young disabled person, Ben is passionate about removing barriers and ensuring disabled people are represented in decision-making. He brings policy expertise, lived experience and a strong commitment to inclusion to the Sense Board.

Ben is a member of the Nominations Committee.

Christine is a deputy head at Marlborough College, where she leads work to support the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all members of the school community. A registered social worker, she has held senior safeguarding roles across education, sport, the military community and the charity sector.

Her career has included leadership positions in schools, football and community organisations, with a consistent focus on creating environments where people of all ages and abilities can participate and thrive.

Alongside her professional role, Christine serves as a council member of the Football Association and senior non-executive director of the Oxfordshire Football Association. She brings extensive safeguarding, governance and inclusion expertise to the Sense Board.

Danielle is chief executive of Black Minds Matter UK and has nearly 20 years’ experience in the social sector. Her career has focused on systems change, advocacy and leadership across health and social care, with a particular commitment to tackling inequalities in mental health services.

Under her leadership, Black Minds Matter UK has become a nationally recognised organisation delivering culturally competent mental health support, education and advocacy. Prior to her current role, Danielle founded and led a social enterprise for more than 13 years, successfully building and scaling its impact.

Danielle brings strong expertise in organisational leadership, governance and equity-focused service development to the Sense Board.

Jeremy is chief executive of an international money transfer and remittances business serving UK and pan-African markets. He has more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, including senior leadership roles spanning commercial growth, innovation, governance and organisational transformation.

His commitment to disability inclusion began more than 20 years ago when he led a major accessibility and inclusion programme at Barclays. Jeremy is also a trustee of REMAP, a charity that helps disabled people achieve greater independence through bespoke assistive solutions.

A former local councillor and chartered accountant with an MBA from London Business School, Jeremy brings extensive financial, commercial and governance expertise to the Sense Board.

Katharine is chief executive of Young Women’s Trust and has spent her career driving social change through campaigning, policy development and charity leadership.

Prior to joining Young Women’s Trust, she led Agenda and Become, where she championed the rights of women, girls, children in care and care leavers. Her work has helped shape national policy and improve outcomes for some of the most marginalised groups in society.

Katharine brings extensive experience of organisational leadership, public policy and social justice to the Sense Board.

Leigh is a service head at St Mungo’s, leading housing and support services across Bristol, Oxfordshire and Reading. They have more than ten years’ experience in homelessness, supported housing and service transformation, with expertise in safeguarding, organisational change and inclusive leadership.

Drawing on both professional and lived experience, Leigh is passionate about creating services and organisations where people feel safe, respected and able to participate fully. As a neurodivergent leader, they are a strong advocate for equity, inclusion and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in decision-making.

Leigh brings a deep understanding of how systems can either create barriers or create opportunities, and is committed to helping build a more inclusive society for disabled people.

Martyn is a disability rights advocate, entrepreneur and founder CEO of Purple Goat, a marketing agency supporting brands with representation and business growth around the needs of disabled people.

Over the past two decades, he has worked across disability inclusion, media, entrepreneurship and public policy. He co-founded Disability Horizons and Accomable, an accessible accommodation platform acquired by Airbnb in 2017, and has advised businesses, charities and public sector organisations on accessibility and social impact.

As a wheelchair user, Martyn brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the Sense Board, alongside a strong commitment to improving opportunities for disabled people.

Phil has more than 30 years’ executive and non-executive experience in fundraising and charity leadership, helping organisations in the UK and internationally grow income and strengthen supporter relationships. His career has included senior roles with organisations including Oxfam, ActionAid, RNIB, East Cheshire Hospice, the National Library for the Blind, North West Cancer Research and NSPCC, where he led the charity’s philanthropy team across the North of England.

Throughout his career, Phil has been driven by a commitment to helping people overcome barriers and reach their potential. He brings extensive experience of income generation, strategic development and stakeholder engagement to the Sense Board.

Phil is a member of the Sense Engagement Committee.  He also sits on the Fundraising Advisory Committee for Sense International and volunteers as an adviser with the Young Women’s Trust.

Tania is a strategic finance leader and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, with more than 35 years’ experience across the corporate and charitable sectors. Most recently, she served as director of finance and business services at the RSPCA, where she was responsible for financial strategy, governance and a range of professional services in support of strategic delivery.

She has extensive experience supporting boards and committees through periods of growth and change, with particular expertise in financial stewardship, risk management and governance.

Tania’s commitment to the disability sector spans more than 20 years, including trustee and treasurer roles with organisations such as Carers Trust, SeeAbility, Little Princess Trust and SignHealth. She brings significant financial and governance expertise to the Sense Board.