Board members

Sian Wicks, Non-Executive Independent Director, Chair of the Board

About Sian Wicks

My current external appointments: 

Following a successful corporate career, I am the Chief Executive of Haven House Children’s Hospice that supports hundreds of families looking after children from birth who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions across North and Northeast London and West Essex. I manage a professional portfolio, an industry expert across health & social care. I uniquely understand the relationship between owners, trustees, and the executive operational board in the context in which complex children’s services operate today.

What I bring to the Board: 

An inspiring, visionary leader who is values-driven with the ability to provide strategic direction to deliver key objectives. An experienced Executive, Chief Nurse, Chair/INED in Health and Social Care for children and adults in both commissioner and provider organisations with over 37 years of experience in the public, private, and voluntary sector. Passionate and empathetic, integrity and compassion underpin my leadership style, creating cultures of psychological safety, empowerment, and co-production.

I have a proven track record of ensuring the highest quality of care delivery, leads geographically dispersed teams, an ambassador for AfC and other high-profile organisations. I focus on key metrics to drive financial sustainability and can evidence income diversification. I am entrepreneurial, innovative and strive for best in class.

Personal:

I am passionate about children’s services, putting children, young people and families front and centre with the aspiration, to drive and improve outcomes for children, improve value for money, grow the business and ensure financial sustainability. I am married with four adult children , a grand-daughter, and a crazy labradoodle. Mountain walking, wild swimming and cooking are my passions. 

 Nathan Nagaiah, Non-Executive Independent Director

About Nathan Nagaiah

Current external appointments:

• Role 1: Director of London Business Improvement District (BID)- Angel.London 
• Role 2: Chair of Finance and National Safeguarding Scrutineer for the National Autistic Society                                                             
• Role 3: Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group Member for Football Association (FA) - Oxfordshire County                    
• Role 4: Corporate Advisor (Race CIAG), Firearms & Taser (Specialist Crime Operations Command SCO19) and Detention and Custody (Met Operations Command MO9) at Scotland Yard, London Metropolitan Police
• Role 5: Performance Standards Judge and Qualitative Reviewer- External Expert for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual)

What I bring to the Board: 

As a leader with proven success in directing transformational change in various portfolios in educational services, I make sure that the voice of children has influenced the decisions made. Covid-19 has exposed the endemic levels of poverty and inequality with all the consequences that bring to children in health, wellbeing, and educational outcomes. Too many suffer from food insecurity, poor housing, tech poverty, and social exclusion, which combine to create a toxic combination of anxiety about the present and the future. I will bring my expertise in improving social mobility to work collaboratively to create the best future for children.

Personal:

Why do I do what I do? Because I want to:

• ensure no-one is left behind and that every child and young person succeed in life  
• be part of a team that support and challenge school leaders and hold them to account
• invest and enhance Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and tackle structural racism
• raise aspirations, achievements, and life chances enormously in post-Covid context

Martin Spencer, Non-Executive Independent Director

About Martin Spencer

My current external appointments:

In addition to my work with Achieving for Children, I am a Non-Executive Director for Ofsted, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, Companies House and the Serious Fraud Office. I am a mentor for the 30% Club where we are aiming to achieve 30% representation of women on the main boards of the 250 largest companies in the UK, and also for Exeter University Business School.

What I bring to the Board:

I bring financial management, accountancy, business management and digital / technology experience and expertise to the Board. My recent background is in running large, international services businesses so I have a really keen focus onto providing excellent services, and maximising the impact that our services can have for our customers, and in the case of Achieving for Children, for the children that we are serving.

Personal:

There is nothing more important to me than ensuring that children have the best possible start in life, including a caring, safe home environment and the best possible education and support.

Charlotte Rohan, Council Appointed Director, Kingston 

More about Charlotte Rohan will be added here soon.

Sam Morrison, Council Appointed Director, Kingston 

More about Sam Morrison will be added here soon.

Jeremy DeSouza, Council Appointed Director, Richmond

About Jeremy DeSouza

My current external appointments:

I am Director of Adult Social Care and Public Health at Richmond and Wandsworth Councils and a council-appointed Non-Executive Director on the Achieving for Children Board. As Director of Adult Social Care, I am a member of Richmond and Wandsworth’s Place Committees within the South West London Integrated Care System (ICS).

What I bring to the Board:

I bring experience of working in children’s services, adult social care, as well as partnership working with health services. My professional background as a CIPFA-qualified accountant enables me to bring financial management experience to the Board. A previous role at Richmond Council included overseeing the funding arrangements for Achieving for Children for the Council, so I have a good understanding of the Company’s funding arrangements.

Personal:

I am committed to improving outcomes for children, young people and families through my work on the Achieving for Children Board.

Anna Sadler, Council Appointed Director, Richmond

About Anna Sadler

Current external appointments:

Alongside sitting on the Board for AfC I am currently a Trustee for Resonate Arts, a charity offering creative opportunities for people living with dementia.

What I bring to the Board:

Throughout my time at Richmond Council, I have been working to bring children, families and young people central to the consultation and engagement processes the Council runs. Whether this is through design workshops for a new youth centre, or outreach to parent and toddler groups on the latest design for Twickenham Riverside. Outside the office I work with Try Tag Rugby to get children and young people into team sports!

Personal:

It’s often the loudest voices who get heard, and yet these are not always representative. It’s never been more important to ensure that children, young people and families are involved in the decisions which will affect their environment and their futures, and my work allows me to help them be heard.

​Nikki Craig, Council Appointed Director, Windsor & Maidenhead

About Nikki Craig

Current external appointments:

Head of HR, Corporate Projects and IT for RBWM, Employer Representative on Royal County of Berkshire Pension Fund, and school governor within a multi-academy trust. 

What I bring to the Board:

Extensive experience of services that help employees do their jobs to the best of their abilities, either when recruiting, during induction or with personal development, as well as ensuring the tools and technologies to undertake their roles are available.   

As a school governor, my passion for inclusion, differentiation, nurture, improvement and attainment drive my critical friend role. I am the safeguarding and SEND lead.

I’m mum to four children, one of whom has complex special needs, so we’ve had extensive involvement with professionals, special schools and the statement/ECHP process. My youngest is still within the Windsor school system.

Personal:

My roles give me satisfaction as they enable me to indirectly impact on the lives of children, young people and families in a positive way. By being supportive whilst challenging for improvement as a governor and a board member, I believe outcomes are improved.     

Kevin McDaniel, Council Appointed Director, Windsor & Maidenhead

About Kevin McDaniel

Current external appointments:

The current Executive Director for People Services at the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, I am the statutory Director of Children's Services and support the work of AfC staff in the borough through the commissioning arrangements in place between the council and AfC.

In addition to Children’s Services, I am also the statutory Director of Adult Social Services, responsible for Adult Services which are delivered by Optalis, and the Housing, Environmental Health and Licensing services for RBWM. 

Externally, I am the DCS sponsor for the South East Improvement Partnership's SEND group which seeks to drive improvement through collaboration between local authorities

What I bring to the Board:

Thirteen years experience of working in senior children's services management roles across Berkshire, building on a history of school governorship and staff management in the private sector.

Personal:

I am motivated by making a difference in the lives of children, from those who need protection to those who fly even higher with encouragement.

​Lucy Kourpas, Executive Director

About Lucy Kourpas

Current external appointments: 

As an Executive Director on the AfC Board my substantive role is within Achieving for Children. I joined Achieving for Children in March 2015 and worked in the organisation in a number of senior finance roles before being appointed as the Chief Operating and Finance Officer in January 2020. In this role I oversee the organisation’s Business Services Directorate which provides a range of support services that are tailored to the needs of a successful children's services organisation.    

What I bring to the Board: 

My role on the Board is to provide executive assurance on my areas of responsibility. Key areas include financial control, risk management, statutory compliance and reporting. I also work with the Board to set strategy and define priorities as well as to monitor performance and progress against key objectives.