Step One Charity is led by a team of experienced and dedicated professionals, who are passionate about empowering people with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity to reach their full potential.
Our Senior Leadership Team is responsible for the day-to-day running of the charity, while our Trustees provide strategic oversight and governance.
CEO
Ben is the visionary leader and CEO of Step One. Under his direction and guidance, the charity continues to make strides in improving mental health and wellbeing services for all.
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Ben brings 20 years of leadership experience from the British Army, where he led a team of 500 people across 6 sites in the UK and 12 countries globally. He has a deep understanding of strategic planning and the importance of wellbeing in the post-pandemic era.
After leaving the Army in 2020, Ben gained commercial experience at J.P. Morgan and charity experience as a trustee of a local mental health charity. This balance of experience gives him a unique blend of visionary leadership and a people-focused approach to mental health advocacy.
Director of Finance and Infrastructure
Angela leads as the Director of Finance and Infrastructure, guiding the charity’s financial functions with smart planning, strong leadership and careful oversight.
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Angela trained as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte, spending 13 years working in their external audit practice, leading on the audit of listed companies and international groups. She went on to hold senior financial roles with international retailers, Neals Yard Remedies and Mulberry plc, before more recently spending five years as the Director of Finance and Corporate Services for Bristol Zoological Society. Here she helped to lead the charity through the financial challenges arising from COVID, development of its future strategy, and supporting the operational running of two zoo sites through a considerable period of change.
Having grown up in Devon, she has now relocated back to Exeter and is looking forward to using her charity experience and strategic and operational focus to support Step One on its future strategy.
Head of Operations
Ed oversees the operational aspects of Step One Charity, ensuring the smooth delivery of our services.
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Ed has worked in health and social care for over 10 years in a variety of services. At Step One Charity, he has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work across a number of commissioned services, mostly recently with the Devon Mental Health Alliance, developing and implementing the Recovery Practitioner service across Devon.
Chair of Trustees
Sue became Chair in 2018, bringing leadership, governance and management experience from her role in the NHS, along with higher education and charitable sectors.
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Sue has over 20 years’ experience of working at Board level for public sector organisations, including roles as Chief Executive at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UK Transplant (now NHS Blood and Transplant), and Executive Director of Operations, Nursing and HR at Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. Sue was also non-executive Chairman of the Board of Governors of Bournemouth University for six years, and is Pro Chancellor of Bournemouth University.
Sue originally qualified as a general nurse and midwife, and then gained post graduate qualifications in human resource management. She spent 40 years working in the health service until her retirement in 2010. She was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to organ donation and transplantation. Sue is also Vice-Chairman of Hospiscare.
Vice Chair of Trustees
Robert has been our trustee since May 2017. He is currently a director of a business advisory and management consultancy firm. Robert has over 25 years’ management consulting experience focusing on business transformation and organisational change.
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Robert was previously Chair of Governors for a large and complex special needs school (1999-2011) during which time he orchestrated and led the funding and development of a new state-of-the-art school, which opened in September 2010.
Robert has over 25 years’ management consulting experience focusing on business transformation and organisational change, consulting widely across blue chip global and public sector organisations. More recently, he has worked extensively in the health and life sciences sectors both in the UK and internationally. Robert moved with his family to the South West to support his son who has special needs, with his work, interests and friendships being in the area.
Trustee and Chair of Finance & Audit Committee
Dave was appointed as a Trustee for Step One in 2021. He joined the Devon Air Ambulance Trust as the Director of Finance and Infrastructure in 2014 and is currently an integral part of the governance structure as part of the executive leadership team for the charity.
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Dave qualified as an accountant with HW Fisher in London before working as an Audit Manager at BDO Sydney.
Following a return to England and a period of working for Capita as a Manager of the Investment Trust and Venture Capital Trusts team in Exeter, he moved into the charity sector as Director of Finance & Infrastructure at Devon Air Ambulance in 2014. He currently overseas the facilities and finance departments and is an integral part of the governance structure as part of the executive leadership team for the charity and a Director for its trading company. He is also a Director of the Institute of Legacy Management.
Trustee and Chair of Quality, Assurance & Improvement Committee
Kay was appointed as a Trustee for Step One Charity in 2022. In 2002, Kay founded Friends and Families Charity, and over the past 20 years, she has been involved in campaigning, developing and shaping both national and local strategy and provision for families with disabled children and young people.
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Much of Kay’s working life has been spent in social care, training and employment. She has been involved with projects and enterprises that work towards reducing social isolation, improving health and wellbeing, helping to prevent ill-health and striving for a society that’s accessible and allows equal opportunities to everyone.
Her interest in grassroots organisations, charities and community groups lead her to becoming a school governor to two special schools, regional committee chair for SCOPE, Director of Improving Lives Plymouth, Trustee for Plymouth Octopus Project, (POP), regional committee member for Children in Need, and Trustee for The Livewell Foundation. Through this work, she has gained extensive experience and insight of working within the charity sector, and has a wealth of knowledge and skills in charity governance, fundraising, networking and partnership working.
Trustee
Paul was appointed as a Trustee of Step One in July 2019. He is currently working (part-time) as Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Devon Partnership NHS Trust. Paul has worked in the NHS for the past 40 years.
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Paul has gained experience in a variety of mental health services across the country including London, Oxford and Nottinghamshire. For the past 20 years, he has lived and worked in Devon. Paul’s clinical interest has been in developing services for vulnerable older adolescents, such as children in and leaving Care, supporting their transition into adulthood. As well as the clinical skills and knowledge developed over his career, Paul has significant managerial experience as Clinical Director in one NHS Trust before being appointed Medical Director in another.
Trustee
Mark currently works in communications for UK Research and Innovation, the national funding agency investing in science and research in the UK. Mark is passionate about promoting healthcare and advocating for everyone to speak freely about their mental health.
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In his previous role, Mark was Head of Communications for an NHS community services provider. Mark is passionate about promoting healthcare, advocating for everyone to speak freely about their mental health in a stigma-free society.
Trustee
Rob was appointed as Trustee in September 2018. He is the current CEO of the Nuclear Institute and has previously worked as the Chief Executive at the Royal Lifesaving Society, the children’s charity, CHICKS (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids), and Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union.
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Rob has extensive experience of working within the charity and private sectors and also brings a wealth of expertise within commercial businesses and fundraising. He started his career as a professional cricketer and played for five years before a shoulder injury forced his early retirement.
During his career, he played for Worcestershire & Leicestershire and made his first-class debut against Pakistan in 1992. Following his cricketing career, Rob returned to education, studying for a BA (Hons) in Marketing & Accounting. He holds Diplomas in Marketing, Market Research and a PGCHE. He is also a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
