Our trustees
Our trustees are responsible for the governance of Waythrough.
Carolyn Regan, CBE - Chair
A highly experienced leader in both the healthcare sector and justice system, Carolyn served as Chief Executive of West London NHS Trust until December 2023. Her varied UK and international experience includes roles as Chair of Just for Kids Law, board member of the Press Recognition Panel, independent Board member of City University, London, and national lead for the health components of the London 2012 Olympic bid.
As well as chairing Waythrough’s Board of Trustees, Carolyn also serves as a member of the North-West London Integrated Care Board, Chair of the Mental Health, Learning Disabilities & Autism Programme Board, and co-chair of the Proactive Population Health Management & Reducing Inequalities Board for the North-West London Integrated Care System. She also chairs the Volunteering and Voluntary Sector Programme and is a Director of Imperial College Health Partners.
Carolyn has been listed in the Financial Times ‘OUTstanding’ list of the top 20 LGBT public sector leaders and has been recognised among the top 50 NHS Chief Executives.
Caroline Gitsham - Vice Chair
Caroline has over 30 years public sector experience, including 15 years working at executive level and advising the UK Government and other statutory and non-stator bodies. Caroline became a Trustee of Humankind in 2018 and took up the role of Chair in April 2022. She is now Vice Chair at Waythrough.
Caroline’s experience includes managing a range of complex services and a number of new, innovative and award-winning services have also been developed under her leadership. As an independent consultant, Caroline now focuses on encouraging, challenging and inspiring people and organisations to enhance their contribution to customers, people who use services, communities and society.
Caroline’s other voluntary roles include being an active member and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing, as well as a member of the North East Chamber of Commerce. She was the Founder Chair of Women In Social Housing North East (WISH) and remains actively involved on the North East Board and the national WISH CIC. Caroline has been involved in the South Tees and Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Groups since 2017 and is currently Chair of the Primary Care Committee. She is also a Governor for an alternative learning provider and an Ambassador for Signal, which is part of the global Poverty StopLight Movement that aims to eliminate poverty
Alex Boyt- Trustee
Alex used intravenous drugs for 15 years and has extensive experience receiving treatment in rehabs, in the community and in prison. As an expert by experience, he was employed in Camden between 2009 and 2017 to deliver lived experience and peer support initiatives.
Before working on these projects, Alex spent 20 years building international IT networks for financial institutions and writing plays and articles about the drug treatment system.
Alex has 10 years experience with us as a Trustee, and is delighted to be a Waythrough trustee as we embark on the next phase of our development.
Danielle Oum - Trustee
Appointed as a Trustee at the end of May 2023, Danielle has a strong background in strategic development, stakeholder engagement and transformational change spanning the public, private and voluntary sectors. In addition to her role as Chair for Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, Danielle is also the Chair of Audit at Healthwatch England.
A highly experienced leader, Danielle has previously held the positions of Chair at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, Chair at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Healthwatch Birmingham and Solihull, Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and Walsall Housing Group.
Danielle is committed to tackling inequalities and is excited by the potential of Integrated Care Systems – working with organisations like Waythrough – to improve services and promote healthy lives for the populations they serve.
Ian Ayling - Trustee
Ian has had a business career working in several marketing, strategy and change roles some of the UK’s most-loved brands.
Driven by an interest in customer-led change Ian has also developed data science solutions for the likes of Tesco in the UK and Groupe Casino internationally.
From personal experience of mental ill health, Ian now focuses on working with organisations that aim to address society’s most important and urgent issues. Alongside his role with Waythrough, Ian is also Director of Communications and Marketing with the Soil Association and working with a start-up organisation that’s trying to tackle diversity and inclusion in talent management processes.
Dr Kapil Bakshi - Trustee
Kapil trained as a Psychiatrist in London and the East of England. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and sits on their Executive Committee (Eastern Division).
Kapil attained a Masters in Healthcare Leadership from the University of Birmingham and was awarded the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Award for Senior Healthcare Leadership by NHS Leadership Academy.
A practising clinician, Kapil currently works as a Consultant Psychiatrist and Deputy Medical Director at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, where his responsibilities include medical leadership, clinical strategy and revalidation of doctors.
With over 17 years experience of working with people with mental illness and substance use, Kapil sees the huge potential for Waythrough to offer support that better meets the needs of people facing multiple challenges.
Maureen Hopcroft - Trustee
Maureen is a technology and change expert with non-executive experience in the housing and charity sectors who honed her technology career at a global healthcare provider and a management consultancy.
As an independent consultant, Maureen has delivered outcomes across the housing sector from G15 landlords to more specialist providers.
As well as her role at Waythrough, Maureen sits on the National Housing Federation’s Board member group for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, is a member of BME National and Olmec’s Black on Board community and is a Board member of saha, a subsidiary of The Salvation Army and a trustee of Women’s Solace Aid.
Susan Moore - Trustee
Susan is a Chartered Accountant who qualified and worked with KPMG before moving to take on roles with major public companies in the UK and internationally. She has also worked in local government, the public sector and the regulated social housing sector, including key finance positions in two of the largest housing associations.
Susan is currently Director of Financial Accounting and Control at Orbit Group and previously worked at Sanctuary Group, a major social housing and care provider.
Susan has particular expertise in risk and assurance, management and statutory accounting, transactional accounting, tax and pensions. She has also been closely involved with two major transformational system implementations (Sap and D365), as well as group integration and reorganisation projects.
Selina Douglas - Trustee
Selina is Chief Executive Officer of Leeds Community Healthcare (LCH). Before joining LCH in April 2024, Selina was Executive Director of Partnerships for Northeast London Foundation Trust (NEFLT), overseeing development of the transformation, strategic and partnership agenda for the Trust.
She has a long track record in adult social care, and has held a number of senior commissioning and operational roles over the last twenty years, including as Managing Director of the Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest Integrated Care Partnership.
Selina brings her passion for developing high-quality, sustainable services for and with excluded and vulnerable people and to Waythrough.
Paul Najsarek - Trustee
Paul is Chief Executive lead for Thrive LDN, London’s initiative to promote mental health and well-being. He has deep experience of setting regional and national policy through roles as head of policy at the Audit Commission, and as part of the team that drafted ‘Every Child Matters’ which has transformed children’s services nationally.
A former Chief Executive of Ealing Council, Paul led the Future Ealing transformation programme, and has held senior roles as acting Chief Executive and Chief Executive of Harrow and Bolton Councils respectively.
An experienced partnership expert, Paul’s work includes leading SOLACE on health and social care, regeneration for the West London Alliance, and adult services for London Councils.
Sarah Shepherd - Trustee
Sarah runs a consultancy business working on change processes and leadership development with a range of organisations in health and social services. Her approach encompasses working with people who use services, doctors, nurses, managers and leaders, particularly in West Yorkshire and the North East.
As an experienced expert in governance in the further education and health and social care sectors, Sarah was acting Chair of SMHS prior to its merger with Humankind.
Sarah has a long interest and deep commitment to creating services with the people using them, and believes Waythrough has the opportunity to better support individuals and their to communities to achieve their aspirations.
Bhakti Seth - Trustee
Bhakti currently works as Head of Operational Risk in the banking industry and has over 20 years experience in risk management and compliance. Her background also includes a PhD in molecular genetics and an executive MBA.
Bhakti has contributed to many charitable organisations, local support groups, and family business ventures, and has coached and mentored students and colleagues through internships, graduate school and throughout their careers. Bhakti is extremely passionate about supporting local communities and using her time and expertise to help address health and social inequalities.
As a Trustee committed to our success, Bhakti uses her business experience and technical expertise to help Waythrough become more efficient, effective and innovative.
Ian Macqueen - Trustee
Ian is an experienced businessman who has spent his career in the retail industry with a number of well-known UK companies.
After retiring as Group Managing Director of Fiskars Brands UK, Ian founded an online retail company based in the West Country.
As well as being on the Waythrough Board, Ian is also a trustee of the St John Ambulance County Priory Group, a fundraiser for Children with Cancer UK, and Chairman of the Exmouth Chamber of Trade.
Ian is keenly aware of the impact drug and alcohol use can have on individuals, their families and friends, and the wider community, which is why he so proud to advise and support Waythrough.
James Walder - Trustee
A qualified accountant, James is currently CEO of Northstar, a registered provider of social housing based in Stockton. His role covers multiple areas of the organisation’s work including procurement, risk, data and digital.
James’s previous experience includes roles at PWC, Home Group, and Kier North Tyneside, a joint venture with North Tyneside Council that provides design, construction, repair and maintenance services for council homes, schools and public buildings across the borough of North Tyneside.
Throughout his career, James has focused on working with organisations that possess a strong sense of social purpose, and , alongside his Trustee role with us, has supported several charitable organisations in the North East.
