Fiona Ellis (Vice Chair)

Fiona was, until March 2009, Director of the Northern Rock Foundation. NRF invested over £175m in its eleven years exclusively in the North East of England and Cumbria. The Foundation's recent tribulations are common knowledge; what is less well known is the support the VCS gave the staff and the Foundation itself in recognition of its thoughtful and respectful relationship with the sector.

Fiona's other current and previous posts have included: community arts worker, theatre director; funding officer; rural arts centre director; BBC Appeals Advisory Committee (Vice Chair); Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Assistant Director); Vice Chair, Futurebuilders; Comic relief's UK Grants Committee; Governor: Whalton First School; Whalton Village Hall Committee; IPPR North Public Services Commission and membership of several theatre boards. Fiona is currently on NCVO's Funding Commission.

Fiona offers NAVCA a deep understanding of a wide range of VCS organisations from a number of vantage points. She is aware of the challenges to the sector and an admirer of the ways in which it meets them. Fiona has been a critical friend to support bodies and is happy to share experiences and learning from the best and the worst of times as a director of a respected funding body.