Our people

Peter became the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions in January 2018.

Previously, Peter worked as Director General for Finance at DWP, Director General for Housing and Planning at the Department for Communities and Local Government and as Director of the Enterprise and Growth Unit at HM Treasury.

Sonia joined the Civil Service in 1981. She worked in the centre of Government for a number of years, with periods of secondment to the Department for Education and to the private sector, and was Principal Private Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary from 1989-92.

In 2001, she moved to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, becoming Director-General, Environment, Rural and Marine in 2015.

Since leaving the Civil Service in 2020, Sonia has combined voluntary sector roles with occasional consultancy: longer-term plans having been somewhat delayed by COVID!

Catherine has been Chief Financial Officer at HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) since June 2024.

Prior to her current role, Catherine was Finance and Business Director for Transformation / Change at HMRC. Her wider experience includes leading a £3bn delivery programme across England whilst at DWP, a number of years working at the European Commission in Brussels, and a range of policy and analytical roles earlier in her UK Civil Service career.

Catherine is a chartered management accountant, holds a PhD, and is also a qualified executive coach. Catherine is passionate about getting strategic transformation right: she believes in the strength of multi-disciplinary teams, where enabling functions are at the heart of decision-making.

Matt is currently head of communications at the Valuation Office Agency.

He has worked in the Civil Service for over 20 years in various communications roles including two stints at the Home Office in the media relations team and internal communications, head of strategic communications at the Treasury and deputy head of external affairs at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Prior to government, Matt worked in the private sector as a public relations consultant.

Amrita serves as Deputy Director for Civil Service Communication and Cabinet Office Internal Communication and Engagement at the Cabinet Office, having joined the Civil Service in 2018.

Her career spans organisations from the National Union of Students to National Citizen Service Trust, where she has built teams from scratch and delivered a range of major national and international events.

A passionate advocate for equality, she develops national training on privilege and inclusive practices whilst regularly speaking on inclusion and empathy in leadership. She co-founded Social Supper Club London, a zero-waste dinner club supporting the Felix Project, sits on board for Creative Youth a charity with social mobility at it’s heart, and mentors for Apprentice Nation.

Lorraine Jackson is Director, Joint Work and Health Directorate (JWHD). The JWHD works to improve the health and employment outcomes for disabled people and those with health conditions. Lorraine is also the DHSC Race Champion and has been a member of DHSC’s Executive Committee since June 2021.

Outside of work, Lorraine has substantial trustee experience including as a former Chair of The Silver Line.

In 2019, Lorraine was made a Commander of the British Empire (awarded a CBE) for services to health policy.

Angela became HMRCs Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary in August 2020. She is an Operations professional with 30 years’ experience of service delivery, transformation and change in both the public and private sector.

Angela joined the Civil Service in 2009 to deliver reforms in Child Support. Following four years as a Director at the Department for Work and Pensions, leading service delivery and transformation, she moved to HMRC in 2017 and became the Director General for Customer Services.

Before joining the Civil Service, Angela worked in a number of operational, sales and marketing roles at Aviva plc and its legacy companies.

With a digital career spanning over 25 years, Michael has unparalleled digital knowledge and experience across both the public and private sectors. Most recently he has held a number of senior marketing positions within the Technology Sector (IBM). Prior to that he was managing partner of a modern media consulting practice.

Michael joined the Civil Service in 2002, where he spent 10 years at the Central Office of Information (COI) leading Digital Advertising, Media and Strategy. He was also involved in a number of Industry Trade Bodies, chairing ISBA’s Digital & Data Action Group.

Anne currently serves as the Strategic Finance Director at the Department for Education.

A chartered management accountant, her career spans senior roles in higher education policy, corporate finance, and business finance in DfE, UK Government Investments (HMT) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Before joining the Civil Service, Anne worked in the charity sector and the European Parliament. She is passionate about learning and development and co-chairs the Government Finance Talent Forum, and about wellbeing and currently sponsors the Department for Education’s Parent and Guardian Network.

Alban Stowe is the Senior Head of UK Government Affairs at The King’s Trust, responsible for multi-million pound national skills and educational partnerships with UK government.

Before this, Alban led the (then) Prince’s Trust-City Bridge Trust partnership, a ten year project helping London’s most disadvantaged young people. Alban has worked for the BBC in political research and also as a fundraising consultant for clients such as the Royal Albert Hall and Westminster think tanks.

Alban studied English and Philosophy at the University of Bristol and worked in US politics in Massachusetts, Washington DC and California. He is on the Advisory Board of The Prudence Trust and in 2023 was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to young people.

With a background in strategy development, user-centred design and analysis, Luke has worked with, and alongside, civil servants since 2016.

He is currently responsible for delivery at a strategy and digital transformation consultancy, where he manages and supports teams to identify long-term solutions to deliver impactful change and transform public services.

Luke has previously worked within the charity sector with a particular focus on corporate fundraising, delivering award-winning strategic partnerships with some of the UK’s largest companies.

Chief Executive

Jonathan joined the Charity as CEO in September 2024.

Prior to this he was the founder CEO of the CareTech Foundation, the leading corporate foundation in the social care sector. Jonathan was also Group Sustainability Director of leading specialist care and education provider CareTech. Previous roles include Managing Director of Mosaic, the then HRH The Prince of Wales’s mentoring charitable initiative, and managing his own consultancy. His career started in the Civil Service, where he worked across a range of policy, delivery, strategic and front-line roles in a number of Government departments.

Jonathan is Chair of Trustees of the Patchwork Foundation, Chair of Trustees of Carers Worldwide, and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of St. Anne’s College, Oxford University.

Jonathan was recognised with an MBE for charitable services in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2021. He was commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 2026.

Interim Director of Finance and Resources

Anna qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG London. Until she and her family moved to Suffolk in 2001, she worked mostly as a management consultant across a range of sectors including professional services, commerce and the arts, including museums and galleries.

Her first Suffolk role was Finance Director for Ipswich Town Football Club, going on to be the FD and then CEO at Suffolk Mind. Until 2022, she worked for the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, running the charity that supports the work of the Church of England in the county.

She now takes on interim assignments alongside voluntary roles. She is currently a trustee and Chair of the Operations Committee at the Suffolk Community Foundation and a member of the Risk, Audit and Review Committee of St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Anna has a particular interest in mental health, inspired by the people she worked with and met through her time at Suffolk Mind and has recently completed nine years as a trustee of Mind.

Director of Help, Advice and Services

Caroline is the Charity’s Director of Help, Advice and Services, leading the strategic development and delivery of grants, money guidance, wellbeing and digital support. She oversees the Charity’s approach to impact, evaluation and safeguarding, ensuring services remain inclusive and accessible, evidence led and aligned with long term goals.

With over 15 years’ experience working in Benevolent Funds, Caroline previously held senior roles at the RAF Benevolent Fund, where she led research, evaluation and wellbeing services. Earlier in her career, she worked across several charities in frontline grants and casework roles supporting people with complex needs.

Caroline joined the Charity in June 2025, and became Director in March 2026.

Director of Fundraising and Communications

Matt has worked with Historic Royal Palaces (as a civil servant), managed national helplines, worked in events delivery internationally and in the UK and has over 20 years fundraising leadership experience with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, Canal & River Trust (formerly British Waterways) and Save the Children UK.

Matt joined the Charity in September 2020 as Assistant Director of Fundraising.