Meet the Team

Carol Boys

Chief Executive

Carol is a passionate and dedicated charity leader. She has experienced the Down’s Syndrome Association from every perspective, having joined as a parent member, been part of a local support group, then joined the Board of Trustees before becoming the Chief Executive and dynamically leading the organisation from strength to strength for over 20 years.

Gillian Bird

Services Director

Gillian’s background is in psychology with 35 years of experience working with people who have Down’s syndrome, their families and practitioners. She has experience in research and practice in supporting people who have Down’s syndrome.

Julian Hallett

Services Development Manager

Julian has 25 years’ experience in the learning disability sector. As Services Development Manager his role is varied but his particular interest lies in the delivery of training for a range of professionals working in health, education and social care. Julian is a member of the education group of the UK Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme, having been a member of the Antenatal Screening Wales committee since 2000.

Alison Thwaite

WorkFit Manager

Alison has been with the DSA since April 2015. She manages the WorkFit programme throughout the UK. Her professional background is HR Management and Commercial Development and she has worked with people who have Down’s syndrome in a voluntary capacity for over 13 years, following the birth of her niece, Olivia who has Down’s syndrome and is her inspiration.

Donna Lynch

Northern Ireland Manager

Donna has worked for the DSA for over twenty years and is committed to supporting the Down's syndrome community in Northern Ireland through new parent support, conferences, training, youth clubs, holidays and social events.

Sheelagh Clayton

Fundraising Manager

Sheelagh has worked as a fundraiser since 2007 after spending 12 years working in the media. She worked in the hospice and education sectors before joining the DSA in 2018.

Kate Potter

Communications Manager

Kate has been with the DSA for almost five years and has worked in marketing and communications within the not-for-profit sector for twenty years.

Jo Hardie

Facilities Manager

Jo joined the DSA in late 2019 as Facilities Manager for The Langdon Down Centre and Normansfield Theatre. She is very passionate about the amazing building that is home to the DSA and keeping its rich history alive for all who visit or perform here.

Board of Trustees

The Down’s Syndrome Association is governed by a board of trustees. The trustees give their time voluntarily and oversee the strategic direction and legal obligations of the charity.

All the trustees are either people who have Down’s syndrome or they have a strong personal connection with someone who has Down’s syndrome. The board is diverse and draws people with a wide breadth of experience- including medicine and health care, business, legal, finance, fundraising and the lived experience of having a family member who has Down’s syndrome.

The trustees are:-

Dr Gerry Coghlan – Chair
Sarah Leggat – Vice Chair
Darren Warkcup – Treasurer
Anya Souza – Trustee
Georgie Hill – Trustee
Robert Stirling – Trustee
Trevor Pearcy – Trustee
Prof Tony Holland – Trustee