Lola Barrett
Lola is currently Chief Executive of Grenfell Housing
Association, based in London.
She is both creative and innovative, with proven excellence in
staff management, leadership and mentoring. Lola possesses a
considerable understanding of cross-cultural knowledge.
Having acted as Chair of Merton Citizens Advice Bureau, Founder
Board member of Pollards Hill HA, Council member of (London South)
Learning and Skills Council and currently Chair of Merton VSC and
Merton Unity Network, Lola brings considerable knowledge and
experience to NAVCA's Trustee Board.
Lola received a Merton Excellence award in November 2004 for her
"Outstanding Contribution to the Community", as well as being
recognised in January 2005 for her "Outstanding Achievement within
the Borough" (London Borough of Merton).
Sharon Clancy
Sharon has held two posts within the sector over the last ten
years, firstly as District Partnership Officer (DPO), and secondly,
as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Mansfield CVS. In both of these
roles Sharon demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the third
sector. In her role as DPO, Sharon deployed a range of skills,
primarily in the area of health and social care. Perhaps more
importantly, the role also required high-level influencing skills,
an area in which she excels.
During her time as CEO at MCVS the organisation experienced
unparalleled growth in delivering to communities within its area of
benefit. At the same time, Sharon also took up the challenge of
regional and national involvement as a board member of
organisations such as Engage and NAVCA. She has proved to be
committed and effective both locally and on the wider stage.
Ray Collett MBE
Having served as a trustee of NAVCA for the past two years, Ray
now feels in a position to accept the challenge of serving as Vice
Chair. Ray has extensive knowledge and experience of voluntary and
community sector (VCS) governance, having six years experience as
chair of a successful CVS in Bolton Experience has shown him that
every local infrastructure organisation (LIO) needs a combination
of good management and good governance in order to be effective.
Ray feels that governance is a vital, yet sometimes forgotten,
essential part of the jigsaw that makes good LIOs even better.
He has closely followed the work of the Governance Hub, and has
contributed comments regarding their various codes on good
governance. Ray is passionate about issues around sustainable
funding and partnership working and believes that NAVCA does, and
will continue to, make a significant contribution nationally and
regionally to ensure that the voice of members is heard. He feels
that he has a contribution to make in this area. Ray believes that
chairs and trustees of LIOs are under-represented at
NAVCA, both on the board, and among the honorary officers. He is
anxious that a good balance between management and governance
experience is maintained
Bernard Collier
An enthusiastic leader, Bernard has experience of developing,
refocusing and managing organisations to excel, having a passion to
challenge and improve delivery of voluntary and community
organisations. A great supporter of voluntary and community action
because of its uniquely humanising perspective.
Previously he worked for the Paddington Integration Project, (a
small charity teaching independent living skills to adults who have
learning difficulties), in a variety of roles but principally as
the Director.
Bernard brings a strategic voluntary sector view to the
Westminster City Partnership and the Westminster Children and Young
People's Strategic Partnership, as well as being the Older People's
Champion on the former.
Having served on the Board of London VSC for three years, he is
now involved in steering the development of Sub-Regional and
Regional structures to support CVS in London.
Bernard currently represents NAVCA on the Unity Trust Bank's 3rd
Sector Advisory Group and the National Compact's Community Groups
Sub Group. Presently he is researching Capital Asset Transfer for
NAVCA
As a Trustee of NAVCA Bernard will use his geographical location
as an opportunity to continue to act as a strong advocate for CVS
and supporter of local voluntary and community action.
Heather Farley
Heather Farley became the first Chief Executive of West Norfolk
Voluntary and Community Action (WNVCA) in 2002. She plays a major
role in her Local Strategic Partnership Board where she is Vice
Chair and is also Chair of the Management Group. She chairs the
Diverse Community Forum which considers the cohesion of West
Norfolk and this area of work is a focus for WNVCA. With her
trustees she has ensured that WNVCA has a focus on the core needs
of the sector.
She believes in the principles of a member organisation, the
responsibilities that go with that and ensuring that you stick to
your mission. Her previous work includes mental health nursing,
mental health and supported housing organisations including MIND
and Stonham Housing Association. She is on the board of COVER, the
regional general infrastructure organisation, a school governor,
and has chaired CVS East, a struggling regional grouping of Chief
Executives from the East of England. Personally she lives just
outside King's Lynn in Norfolk with her husband and two children
and has been in Norfolk since 1995. She comes from Essex and has
also lived in East London.
Richard Gutch
Richard Gutch has worked in the voluntary and community sector
for over 20 years, having previously worked in local government in
Camden, South Yorkshire and Brent for the first 15 years of his
career. He has been assistant director at NCVO, chief executive of
Arthritis Care, director of England and Strategic Programmes at the
Community Fund and chief executive of Futurebuilders England.
He has published a number of reports on the impact of
contracting on the sector and has championed the importance of
local voluntary action throughout his career. He hopes to bring a
national policy perspective to his role as a NAVCA Board
member.
Sajid Hashmi
Sajid has been working as a Chief Executive in the third sector
for over 10 years, currently as the chief executive of VAST
(Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent) which is one of the larger local
infrastructure organisations (LIOs) with a turnover of more than
£5m. He has been a member of NAVCA's board since 2002 and honorary
treasurer for the last year.
Sajid started life in the private sector as a finance manager
and undertook several stints of voluntary work in Bosnia, Mali,
Nigeria and Kenya. He has worked as a field Operations Manager for
Bosnia Aid Committee, Chief Executive of KYP and as Chief Officer
of Voluntary Action Calderdale (VA-C).
He developed KYP from a small community into a robust social
enterprise and one of the largest organisations of its kind in the
UK. At VA-C Sajid was instrumental in developing a derelict
building into a resource centre providing a sustainable freehold
base for VA-C and subsidised office space for VCS.
Sajid has served on several boards and committees both locally
and nationally. He is very passionate about the sector and feels
that he has a lot to offer.
Mike Martin
Mike has 23 years experience working for CVS, five of them in a
London Borough and 18 in his current post as Director of Reading
Voluntary Action. He served as a trustee of the Community Council
for Berkshire for eight years. He was a founding trustee of RAISE,
the regional infrastructure organisation for the South East and
served as its Chair in the period prior to the engagement of the
first staff. He has been a trustee of NAVCA for four years and has
taken a lead in the development of the strategic role of the Board.
Mike is now in his second year as chair.
Mike believes that NAVCA is much stronger than it was five years
ago. Its strength lies in listening well to members and partners
whilst striving for the highest quality services in support of the
sector. As Chair he aims to build on this. His other priorities for
the future are a clear and robust stand on the independence of the
sector, demonstration beyond doubt of the value of our work and
supporting the local sector to become more effective in tackling
inequality and discrimination. He aims to use his thorough
understanding of our network to lead a strong and above all
strategic board of trustees.
Steve Phaure
Steve Phaure has been Chief Executive of CVA since 1997, having
worked previously at LVSC and Merton Race Equality Council. He is a
former Chair of the South London CVS Partnership and of the
Wandsworth Association of Voluntary and Community
Organisations.
Steve has presided over CVA becoming one of the larger London
CVS, with over 40 staff and £2million turnover (CVA also
distributes over £1.5million in grants each year). Steve is now
planning CVA's centenary year programme, to include the opening of
a flagship resource centre, a borough-wide charity fair and the
launching of a new CVA exhibition.
As well as celebrating CVA's history, Steve is planning for the
future, having started a service-development review that will
culminate in the presentation of CVA's 2007-12 Strategic Plan,
setting out the organisation's vision of how it can remain fit for
purpose over the next crucial phase of voluntary action. Steve is
keen to share his views and experiences with colleagues nationally
through membership of the NAVCA Board.
Sally Pickering
Sally has been the Chief Executive of GAVCA, which works at both
district level in Gloucester and Cheltenham, and also across
Gloucestershire, since 2004. She has over 20 years' experience in
the sector, ranging from community development work in rural West
Africa, to homelessness, mental health and domestic violence work
in Gloucestershire.
Sally brings to the NAVCA Board her ability to learn quickly,
understand complex issues, grasp the 'bigger picture' and think
strategically: She has been told that she is very logical, a clear
thinker and brings 'clarity' to sometimes difficult and confusing
debates. She has considerable experience of front line work in the
third sector and, consequently, first hand experience of the issues
faced by the sector. Decades of political activism and four years
as a town councillor have given Sharon a good understanding of the
wider national political agenda.
It is Sharon's strong belief that NAVCA needs to remain a firmly
membership-led organisation and develop in whatever way is required
to continue to meet the needs of its members. She is committed to
do all that she can within the trustee role to represent the views
of other NAVCA members.
Caroline Schwaller
Caroline is very proud to have been at the heart of NAVCA's
emergence as a highly respected national partner with a more
diverse range of functions. She believes that we must now balance
strategic influence with supporting and motivating our members to
ensure that third sector organisations throughout the country have
equal access to high quality local infrastructure services.
As Vice Chair for a second term, Caroline will continue working
with staff and trustees to ensure this happens. She offers
enthusiasm and a good understanding of the way NAVCA operates,
gained from many years as a member, and as a trustee for six years.
She is committed to active involvement in driving up and sustaining
NAVCA's strategic direction, external relations, profile, delivery
and governance. Caroline possesses combined governance, management
and leadership experience gained from 20 years in the third
sector.
Caroline is Chief Executive of Keighley Voluntary Services,
working closely with other LIOs to deliver partnership-based
services throughout the district, including management of the BASIS
programme and LINk. Her other roles include LIO Consortium Chair,
third sector representative on the new LSP Board, a key role in
developing the compact and relationships with the tPCT, and
representing NAVCA on BURA awards panel.
Caroline Shaw
Caroline is Chief Executive of Voluntary Action West Kent and
has been a trustee of NAVCA for the past three years
She began her career in HR in Canada with the Hudson Bay Trading
Company, having studied for a postgraduate diploma at the
University of Calgary. After a brief spell in California, she
returned to England and worked for a major property and financial
services company, and subsequently for a leading firm of city
lawyers as Director of Human Resources.
In 1997 she was awarded a master's degree in training and
development from the Centre for Labour Market Studies, University
of Leicester, where her research considered the impact of private
sector management practices on voluntary sector organisations. She
is currently a Governor of West Kent College.
Before joining VAWK, she spent 12 years undertaking freelance
management consultancy assignments in the voluntary sector for a
variety of clients, including several LIOs. Her expertise centres
on leadership, management of change and organisational
development.
She is passionate about the voluntary sector and believes she
can continue to offer the NAVCA trustee board a wealth of strategic
and operational experience to help shape both the current and
future policy debate.
Nick Warren
As a member of the Trustee Board since 2005, Nick has supported
NAVCA's work to raise the profile of local infrastructure with
central and local government at the same time as helping to build
capacity and raise standards within member organisations. Both of
these are critical issues, as Nick believes that flying the flag
for LIOs must be of critical importance to all of us at this time
of competing demands for resources and the attention of
policy-makers.
Although NAVCA has a strong and effective management team
supported by able staff, Nick believes the experience of those
working in the local front line does much to add value and focus to
its work and welcomes the opportunity of continuing for a second
term.
In his other life, Nick is the Chief Executive of Voluntary
Action Sheffield. He is a permanent member of his local LSP Board
and an active member of a number of sub-regional and regional third
sector partnerships and task groups. Nick is a great believer in
the value of collaborative working and thinks that we must learn to
work together more effectively if we are to remain relevant.
Duncan Wood
Duncan has worked for Involve - Voluntary Action in Mid Devon,
since 2001, as the organisation was expanding into a comprehensive
local infrastructure organisation, developing the full range of CVS
functions.
Duncan plays an active role in the County Consortium and the
Devon Association of CVS (DACVS). He is a board member of the South
West Foundation, a director of an MCTi implementation body and
Chair of the Mid Devon LSP.
Duncan began his career in the Civil Service gaining a good
understanding of the benefits and pitfalls of organisational
structures, policies, procedures and protocols. He has worked in
the third sector since 1990, in health; information; youth and
education-based charities. He has also worked with a wide variety
of third sector organisations in an advisory and supportive
capacity as a Rural Development Commission grants assessor.
Duncan believes strongly in the value and independence of the
third sector and the value comprehensive infrastructure support
(CVS functionality) plays within it. He seeks to ensure that as
NAVCA expands, the significance of the core membership's CVS
functions continues to be prominent.
He welcomes the opportunity to bring both his strategic and LIO
operational experience to the NAVCA board.
Sarah Wood OBE
Throughout her adult life Sarah has maintained an involvement in
the voluntary sector. That interest has ranged from being a
volunteer member of the Children's Justice System in Scotland, a
trustee of Turning Point, to a director of Social Care Education
Trust. The experience she gained has influenced her in her work and
life.
Sarah worked for ten years in social care moving on to become
Deputy Chief Executive of Glasgow City Council. She then worked for
Birmingham City Council as Director of Finance/Deputy Chief
Executive for seven years. For the last two and half years she has
been Director of Policy for the Local Government Association.
Working with ministers and senior civil servants has given her an
invaluable insight into the workings of Whitehall.
She welcomes the opportunity to use her experience, skills and
knowledge to promote NAVCA. This is an exciting time for the third
sector and NAVCA has an opportunity to lead the debate for the
benefit of its members and the communities they
serve.