Our trustees

The trustee board is led by our Chair, Matthew Swindells.

Matthew Swindells, Chair

Matthew Swindells is the Chair of the Board for the 4 acute hospitals that make up the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative. He also runs his own consultancy, MJS Healthcare Consulting, through which he provides strategic advice on digital transformation and global healthcare to a small number of innovative companies.

He has spent his entire career in healthcare, most recently as Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer for the NHS in England. In this role, he led the NHS's operational management, emergency response and major transformation programmes. He was also responsible for the development of the NHS’s digital strategy and launch of the NHS app.

Matthew is President of the Health Care Supply Association and holds a Visiting Professorship at Imperial College Institute of Global Health Innovation.

Matthew is Chair of our nominations and remuneration committee.

Sarah Wilson, Interim Deputy Chair

Sarah Wilson was Chair of The Barnes Fund, a local grant making trust that provides funding to local charities including Citizens Advice Richmond and sheltered housing. She currently sits on the Advisory Board of Oxfam’s Enterprise Development Programme. She has held non-executive positions in higher and further education and early years, and was a senior executive at the Financial Services Authority and at Voluntary Service Overseas.

Sarah is Chair of our audit and risk committee and a member of our performance and network committee.

Deborah Harris

Deborah Harris is a chartered accountant, auditing financial services before moving into investment banking and venture capital. She has extensive executive and Non-Executive Director experience in financial services, public sector including NHS, and non-profits. Since January 2022, she has served as an independent member, Chair and Trustee of various committees and organisations. Deborah is an ICAEW elected member of Council, a membership body for the accountancy profession where she is the first black person in 152 years to be successfully elected as President of the London ICAEW chartered accountants.

Deborah is Chair of our people and finance committee and a member of our audit and risk committee.

Bevis Watts

Bevis Watts is the Chief Executive of Triodos Bank UK Ltd. Bevis has spent his whole career working in sustainability in the public, private and voluntary sectors. He was previously Head of Business Support at WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and CEO of Avon Wildlife Trust.

Bevis is a member of our audit and risk committee and our strategy and digital committee.

Finola McDonnell

Finola McDonnell joined the Financial Times in 2018 as chief communications and marketing officer. A member of the FT Group executive board, Finola oversees global communications, brand management, commercial marketing and partnerships and events. 

Previously, she worked for US news outlet CNBC, holding the position of Vice President of international communications and marketing. Finola is a member of the technology committee.

Finola is a member of our nominations and remuneration committee and our strategy and digital committee.

Frank Hont

Frank is currently chair of trustees at Citizens Advice Liverpool. He has been a senior manager in both the private and public sectors and from 2002 to 2012 was Regional Secretary for UNISON, the public sector trade union. In this role, he was responsible for external communications, organisation and negotiations for the 200,000 members in 116 branches across the north west of England.

Frank was a member of the government Commission on Integration and Cohesion, created in response to the disturbances across the northern towns. The Commission reported to the Secretary of State in 2007 and he received an MBE in 2008 for services to community cohesion.

Frank was a member of the Liverpool Fairness Commission 2011-12 and served as a City Councillor in Liverpool from 2014-2018. In that role, his Cabinet portfolio included responsibility for the policy on asylum seekers and delivery of the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme.

He has been involved in the city-wide anti poverty task group for 15 years, working with a wide variety of partners.

Frank is a member of our people and finance committee and our performance and network committee.

Janine La Rosa

Janine La Rosa is the Chief People officer at a large London hospital. Prior to this Janine held a key role in London’s Covid response, working to help close the equity gap in vaccine screening. She previously worked in the UK and overseas, delivering high-value infrastructure and transformation programmes.

Janine is a member of our nominations and remuneration committee and our people and finance committee.

Lewis Brencher

Lewis is Vice Chair of Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff and Executive Director of Communications and Engagement at Transport for Wales. Passionate about social inclusion and improving the lives of people and communities, Lewis has been a Trustee of CARCT for 9 years. Lewis looks forward to building relationships with the Citizens Advice Cymru network and advocating for its work. Lewis is Chair of the Cymru advisory committee which is key in helping shape the work of Citizens Advice Cymru and supporting the work of the local offices.

Lewis is Chair of our Cymru advisory group and a member of our audit and risk committee and our strategy and digital committee.

Mark Allen

Mark Allen retired from Cancer Research UK in 2021, having spent 5 years as Executive Director for HR. Mark has been a trustee and Chair of several final salary pension schemes and Deputy Chair of governors for a large FE college. He is currently a trustee of AQA, the examinations organisation.

Mark is a member of our nominations and remuneration committee and our people and finance committee.

Dr Roxane Heaton

Roxane Heaton is the Chief Information Officer of Macmillan Cancer Support. She has also held a range of public and private sector roles including Director of Digital and Innovation for Morrisons Supermarket. Teamwork, community, collaboration, equity and inclusion are core to Roxane's values. She has won several Technology and Digital National awards and was named in the Queen’s Platinum Birthday Honours List to receive a British Empire Medal for Services to Digital Technology during Covid-19. She has a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), specifically focused on how digital skills and inclusion can enhance social mobility, sustainability and UK prosperity. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Engineers and a Chartered Engineer. She holds a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering, a Masters in Science across Defence Modelling and Simulation, and an MBA.

Roxane is Chair of our strategy and digital committee and a member of our performance and network committee.

Steve Hughes

As Assistant Director of Strategy & Performance at Oldham Council, Steve Hughes leads the council's policy, performance and data functions, and oversees the data and digital transformation programme. With 12 years of experience in Chief Officer and Chair roles within the Citizens Advice network, as well as senior non-executive positions in housing and education establishments, Steve brings a wealth of expertise in transformation, customer-focused services and change. His 12-year tenure as a cabinet member in local government reflects his dedication to public service, and he's an avid advocate for HIV awareness. Steve's committed to leveraging this experience to positively contribute to the Citizens Advice network.

Steve is Chair of our performance and network committee and Interim Chair of our equity advisory group.