Meet our team

Chris Tuckwell

President

Son of Phyllis and Edward Tuckwell, Chris has been the President of Phyllis Tuckwell since 1989. He was Chairman of the Phyllis Tuckwell Council from 1987-1992, and Chairman of the Trustees from 1992-1999, before retiring as a Trustee in 2001. He worked for 40 years in the farming industry, managing a large local estate for 29 of those years, before a career change led to 12 years working as a funeral arranger. Chris has been a Church of England Local Lay Minister for the last 24 years and, along with his wife Philippa, has attended all Phyllis Tuckwell AGMs since 1972.

Alison Huggett

Chair

A Trustee since 2019. 37 years of working within healthcare at clinical through to Board level. Held responsibilities in clinical care and leadership, safeguarding, risk management, clinical governance, and staff & public engagement. After holding positions of Head of Patient Safety & Healthcare Governance, Deputy Director of Quality and Patient Safety, Chief Nurse, retired from being Director of Quality and Nursing for Surrey Heath CCG and previously NE Hants & Farnham CCG in 2019. Awarded a lifetime achievement award for outstanding commitment to the NHS presented by the Chief Nursing Officer.

Richard Hunt

Vice Chair

A Trustee since 2019. After qualifying as a commerical airline pilot, moved into transport, logistics and supply chain management. Successful leadership roles in commercial and Public Sector organisations - CEO of NFC UK & Ireland, Exel (now DHL), Go-Ahead Group (aviation) and others. International President of The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, Chairman of the London Ambulance Service, advisory to UK Defence as Commanding Officer of the Engineer & Logistic Staff Corps RE(V), Chairman of Trustees at Cystic Fibrosis UK. MBA from CASS Business School and Member of the Advisory Board of the Supply Chain Centre at Cranfield University School of Management. Awarded CBE in 2004 for services to logistics & transport.

Dr Andrew Brooks

Trustee

A Trustee since 2022. Andy is a GP in Camberley and a senior visiting fellow in the Chief Executive's Office at The King's Fund. Before joining The King's Fund, Andy worked as a senior policy adviser in the system transformation team at NHS England. He has spent more than 20 years working in healthcare, with 10 years' experience as a chief executive. Andy has acheived 'outstanding' ratings in both commissioner and provider organisations. He has overseen the development of innovative solutions for care, and financial and governance arrangements between healthcare services, local government, public health, social care and the voluntary sector. Andy has postgraduate qualifications in child health, surgery, and general practice. He is a senior fellow of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and was previously a GP trainer. He is currently studying for a masters in international health leadership and training to be an executive coach.

Ken Ratcliff

Trustee

A Trustee since 2017. A chartered accountant with broad finance and business experience. Justice of the Peace having sat for 27 years as a Magistrate and Tier 1 Judge in the Family Court and, until September 2015, was College Accountant at Epsom College, a large private school with charitable status. Also formerly a school governor at St.Hilary's School in Godalming and currently a non-executive director in the oil & gas industry. Was co-founder and former Finance Director of Ensign Geophysics Ltd and Geokinetics Processing UK Ltd, having held senior management positions with Seismic Geocode Ltd, Tenneco Corporation and Merlin Geophysical Ltd. Formerly a keen rugby player and martial arts/self-defence instructor.

Dr Robert Laing

Trustee

A Trustee since March 2020. Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Royal Surrey. Until recently was Chief of Service for the St Luke's Cancer Centre and specialises in the treatment of Breast and Prostate Cancer. He is one of the UK's leading Prostate Brachytherapy specialists. Following completion of his training at The Royal Marsden Hospital, he undertook research into stereotactic radiation techniques, so he was ideally placed to develop the procedure of prostate brachytherapy (a minimally invasive technique of implanting radioactive seeds into the prostate gland to treat cancer). He has been instrumental in driving award-winning research in prostate cancer and prostate brachytherapy. He is also the local principal investigator on several breast cancer trails, exploring novel targeted therapies. He has been published widely and co-supervised academic research at the University of Surrey, leading to the award of two PhDs to date and is held in high regard within the field of oncology in the UK. 

Emma McLachlan

Trustee

A Trustee since September 2022. Digital transformation, marketing and communication experience across multiple sectors, including Entertainment, Automotive, Retail and Government. Joined the NHS in 2017 to lead a digital transformation programme at Guy's and St Thomas's Foundation Trust in London, now working at NHS England responsible for the NHS App and NHS.UK. Having grown up in Surrey, she spent several decades in London and has returned to roost. Enjoys travel and the big outdoors and is a keen horse rider and vegetable grower.

Lillian Nsomi-Campbell

Trustee

A Trustee since 2022. A chartered professional in architecture, with more than 30 years' experience working across the built environment, particularly NHS healthcare facilities, University estates, and housing sector within the UK and internationally, working in UK, Hong Kong, Zambia, Botswana, and at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Significant experience in the development of estate strategies, capital projects, carrying out large refurbishment works without interrupting core services and managing the delivery of soft & hard facilities services. Worked in the NHS for the past 17 years, spending the majority of that period as Director of Capital Planning, Estates & Facilities. Currently Regional Head of Strategic Capital for London Estates Delivery Unit (LEDU) to establish grant agreements with several devolution partners to deliver sector-wide, NHS estates related projects which will benefit the London system as a whole. Other experience includes Associate Director at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, responsible for the delivery of the new Emergency Department building and Helipad Director of Capital Projects at East London NHS Foundation; Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Director of Estates and Facilities at University of the Creative Arts; Portsmouth Hospital Foundation Trust; London Abulance Services. I love theatre, walking/hiking, paddle boarding and swimming.

Lizzie Wells

Trustee

A Trustee since 2020. A Cambridge graduate, worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers for ten years with two and a half years on secondment in Seattle, USA, working with large technology clients and gaining valuable insight into technological solutions. Joined PT to bring experience in digital, financial and change management. Has experience and understanding of commercial framework of organisations, and the role IT and digital technology play. Having grown up in Farnham, spent many years volunteering at PT and taking part in fundraising events, gaining a deep understanding of the charity and its ethos.

Anne Whelan

Trustee

A Trustee since 2017, Anne has over 40 years' experience as a nurse, working both in the NHS and University and holds a Masters degree in Nursing. Recently retired, she continues to serve the community as a Magistrate both in the criminal court and as a Tier 1 Judge in the Family Court, which she has done for many years. Currently Anne is a Trustee for a Nursing charity and cares for her husband at home, gaining valuable experience in end of life care.

Kirsty Stancombe

Trustee

A Trustee since 2024. A brand, marketing and business development specialist, having worked with start-ups to multi-nationals, corporates and charities, close to home and around the world.

A career, largely rooted in creative marketing services, has successfully driven strategy and execution of impactful income-generating campaigns across many sectors. In recent years, a strong focus on fundraising programmes for NHS charities, hospices, air ambulance charities and higher education institutions.

Currently leads a not-for-profit organisation, formed and funded by local businesses, to deliver town centre enhancements and initiatives, driving commercial prosperity for businesses and a sustainable, thriving destination for all.

Has a strong personal connection to Phyllis Tuckwell.

Matt Toffrey

Trustee

A trustee since 2024. Currently Head of Projects at Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care and The Hearing Care Partnership, spearheading key strategic initiatives, including the introduction of a customer feedback platform and the exploration of AI-driven solutions to enhance business performance. Also focuses on implementing various software solutions designed to increase efficiency and productivity.

Since 2021, has led both the IT department and the Customer Contact Centre, driving operational success across these critical departments, prior to extensive experience as an Area Manager for Leightons Opticians and Specsavers.

Began career with a project management traineeship at the BBC. Later qualified as a Dispensing Optician in 2006, working with several optical businesses before joining Leightons. Also a member of the Association of Project Managers.

Has a strong personal connection to Phyllis Tuckwell.

Sarah Church

Chief Executive

Before joining Phyllis Tuckwell in March 2020, Sarah worked in DEfRA since 2002, having previously worked in the Cabinet Office, No 10 Policy Unit and Welsh Office. In 2016, when Director of DEfRA, she was appointed Companion to the Most Honourable Officer of the Bath (CB). During her last 2 years at DEfRA, she was working within DEfRA's Commercial Directorate supporting the Common Agricultural Policy Delivery Programme, and as Head of DEfRA's Estate. She has lived in and around the area for much of her life.

Dr Cate Seton-Jones

Medical Director

Dr Cate Seton-Jones FRCP Dip Pall Med. Medical Director. Joined Phyllis Tuckwell in 2009. Qualified in 1997 from Guy's and St Thomas' London. Achieved her certificate of specialist training in Palliative Medicine in 2007 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 2012. During her specialist training, she worked at several hospices in the South East including Woking Hospice, Princess Alice, Trinity Hospice and St Catherine's Crawley as a junior doctor. As Consultant in Palliative Medicine she has held posts at the Royal Surrey County Hospital and Woking Hospice. Her role at Phyllis Tuckwell includes lead consultant for the In-Patient Unit, member of the Senior Management Team and performs the role of Responsible Officer for Phyllis Tuckwell. Externally, Cate works with the Royal College of Physicians by sitting on the Board that sets the Palliative Medicine speciality exam for doctors in training hoping to become consultants in palliative medicine. She is also a member of a guideline development group with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Catherine van't Riet

Director of Patient Services

Catherine is an experienced leader of healthcare services and is a registered physiotherapist. She worked in a variety of healthcare organisations and settings in Australia and in the UK and has taught at undergraduate and post graduate level. She has post graduate qualifications in management and physiotherapy, and has a Masters in Rehabilitation Sciences. Catherine is passionate about high quality care for adults and children who are approaching the end of their lives and feels privileged to be able to influence this in her own community. Catherine is particularly interested in service improvement with and for patients, and in working within teams and with partners to ensure that the whole system enables the people we work with. She works with Phyllis Tuckwell employees and volunteers to support people who access our services to "Live Well" and to extend the reach of Phyllis Tuckwell to facilitate a rehabilitative palliative care ethos within our communities in West Surrey and North East Hampshire.

Mark Beale

Director of Finance & Business Development

Mark studied Economics and German at Sussex University and went on to train as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in the City of London. The first part of his career was in the commercial sector, mainly with tour operators where he held roles in the UK and overseas. Upon completion of an MBA at Cranfield, Mark spent 4 years in the Far East (Hong Kong and Jakarta) planning and setting up subscription TV businesses across Asia for News Corporation. Returning to Europe, Mark held several Finance and Commercial Director positions once again in travel. Mark was based in Mallorca for 5 years with Thomson Holidays and then returned to the UK with Thomas Cook. More recently, Mark moved across to the third sector and spent four years in finance at the London School of Economics, whilst studying for an MSc in Voluntary Sector Finance and Management. Mark joined Phyllis Tuckwell in 2016. Mark is a keen skier, scuba diver and cyclist.

Tony Carpenter

Director of Marketing & Communications

Joined Phyllis Tuckwell in 2013. Began his career in leading London advertising agencies including Ted Bates and Boase Massimi Pollitt (BMP), working across clients including Electricity Council, Courage and Lancome. Became Business Manager of the qualitative research unit in BMP before leaving in 1988 to become MD of Richardson Carpenter Advertising - a B2B communications agency in Basingstoke, working with Yellow Pages, Security Pacific, Autodesk and TNT. MD of Douglas Grove, a communications consultancy in Farnham since 2008, before joining Phyllis Tuckwell.

Jaci Curtis-Donnelly

Director of People

With over 20 years' experience in HR gained in the public, private and third sector across the UK, Jaci initially joined Phyllis Tuckwell in 2002 as a HR consultant. At this time she was supporting a diverse range of clients by providing practical employment law advice and support in the management of employment issues and undertaking specific HR projects, such as change management programmes. Jaci joined the in-house team in 2010. In October 2015 Jaci completed an MSc in Organisational Psychology.

Jenny Peat

Director of Income Generation

Graham Mayers

Director of IT & Facilities

Graham started his long technology career repairing and building computers in an IT workshop back when mobile phones were in their infancy, and the long-forgotten squawk of the modem handshake signalled the dawn of the connected world we live in today. Enjoying a varied career in the private, education, charity and housing sectors before joining Phyllis Tuckwell in 2025. He is best known for being a cool, calm and collected presence in the face of adversity. An accomplished technology leader with a particular passion for digital transformation, continuous improvement, enhancing cybersecurity programmes, and fostering diverse, high-performing teams through his inclusive leadership style. Graham is passionate about using technology to support organisational goals, improve service delivery, and create meaningful social impact.

Dr Cate Seton-Jones

Medical Director

Dr Cate Seton-Jones FRCP Dip Pall Med. Medical Director. Joined Phyllis Tuckwell in 2009. Qualified in 1997 from Guy's and St Thomas' London. Achieved her certificate of specialist training in Palliative Medicine in 2007 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 2012. During her specialist training, she worked at several hospices in the South East including Woking Hospice, Princess Alice, Trinity Hospice and St Catherine's Crawley as a junior doctor. As Consultant in Palliative Medicine she has held posts at the Royal Surrey County Hospital and Woking Hospice. Her role at Phyllis Tuckwell includes lead consultant for the In-Patient Unit, member of the Senior Management Team and performs the role of Responsible Officer for Phyllis Tuckwell. Externally, Cate works with the Royal College of Physicians by sitting on the Board that sets the Palliative Medicine speciality exam for doctors in training hoping to become consultants in palliative medicine. She is also a member of a guideline development group with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Catherine van't Riet

Director of Patient Services

Catherine is an experienced leader of healthcare services and is a registered physiotherapist. She worked in a variety of healthcare organisations and settings in Australia and in the UK and has taught at undergraduate and post graduate level. She has post graduate qualifications in management and physiotherapy, and has a Masters in Rehabilitation Sciences. Catherine is passionate about high quality care for adults and children who are approaching the end of their lives and feels privileged to be able to influence this in her own community. Catherine is particularly interested in service improvement with and for patients, and in working within teams and with partners to ensure that the whole system enables the people we work with. She works with Phyllis Tuckwell employees and volunteers to support people who access our services to "Live Well" and to extend the reach of Phyllis Tuckwell to facilitate a rehabilitative palliative care ethos within our communities in West Surrey and North East Hampshire.

Dr Jo Vriens

Consultant in Palliative Medicine

Jo's main clinical work is at the Beacon Centre supporting patients in the Guildford and Waverley area. She is also the lead for research and outcome measures at Phyllis Tuckwell.

Dr Helen Burgess

Consultant in Palliative Medicine

Helen joined Phyllis Tuckwell in October 2013. She is responsible for the medical care of patients admitted to the In-Patient Unit, provides education to medical and non-medical colleagues, and acts as clinical supervisor and educational supervisor for trainee doctors. When asked why she loves working at Phyllis Tuckwell, Helen said "I love working here because every day is different!"

Heather Everitt

Inpatient Services Manager

Maria Abellan

Patient, Carer & Family Team Manager and Safeguarding Lead

Mary Kelly

Clinical Education Manager

Mary joined Phyllis Tuckwell as clinical education manager in 2021. She's a registered nurse and dietitian with an MSc in Teaching & Learning, and has worked in both clinical and managerial positions within the health service (both acute and community) and was a clinical education manager within the community. She's worked within Higher Education, most recently as Head of Apprenticeship Programmes for Registered Nurses and Nursing Associates. Her passion for education and its impact is evident throughout her career. Drawing on her experience of healthcare, practice and academia she's developed a vision for clinical education within Phyllis Tuckwell. She is committed to extending the reach of Phyllis Tuckwell through education and training, whilst working collaboratively with partners throughout the system. Education and training ensure staff feel confident and competent when caring for people and families requiring palliative and end of life care. Training and development opportunities are accessible to develop knowledge and skills, thus enabling the provision of high quality, person-centred, evidence-based care leading to continuous improvement in the patient, family and carers' experience of palliatve and end of life care, in all settings (e.g. primary care, community, care homes).

Julia Edwards

Clinical Administration Manager

Theresa Eckley

Deputy Director for Nursing & Quality

Mary Kelly

Clinical Education Manager

Mary joined Phyllis Tuckwell as clinical education manager in 2021. She's a registered nurse and dietitian with an MSc in Teaching & Learning, and has worked in both clinical and managerial positions within the health service (both acute and community) and was a clinical education manager within the community. She's worked within Higher Education, most recently as Head of Apprenticeship Programmes for Registered Nurses and Nursing Associates. Her passion for education and its impact is evident throughout her career. Drawing on her experience of healthcare, practice and academia she's developed a vision for clinical education within Phyllis Tuckwell. She is committed to extending the reach of Phyllis Tuckwell through education and training, whilst working collaboratively with partners throughout the system. Education and training ensure staff feel confident and competent when caring for people and families requiring palliative and end of life care. Training and development opportunities are accessible to develop knowledge and skills, thus enabling the provision of high quality, person-centred, evidence-based care leading to continuous improvement in the patient, family and carers' experience of palliatve and end of life care, in all settings (e.g. primary care, community, care homes).

Lisa Philipps

Non-Clinical Training Manager

Learning and development manager working with people across the organisation to identify learning and development needs. Lisa works with our leaders in the organisation organising leadership and learning & development opportunities for our teams. Our leadership programmes are recognised by the Institute of Leadership and Management, and we also utilise our apprenticeship levy fund for individuals to develop in their roles and gain externally recognised qualifications. Lisa has worked in people development, sales and service for many years, is a member of the CIPD and is currently taking her level 5 coaching qualification. Passionate about helping people understand more about themselves and how they work with others. She loves the challenge of working with people and helping them improve their leadership and management capabilities, achieve their objectives and improve the customer/patient experience for their organisations.

Nicola Harding

Clinical Educator

Nicola initially completed a BSc (Hons) at the University of Surrey and qualified as a registered general nurse over 35 years ago, and worked within several different specialisms in staff nurse and ward sister roles. She moved into palliative care over 20 years ago in an inpatient setting in a hospice in various clinical and then senior nurse roles, before moving into a practice development role in 2004. During this time Nicola completed her MSc in 1999 and a Diploma in Palliative Nursing in 2003, before completing a post graduate certificate in learning and teaching for professional practice in 2010, together with registration with the NMC as a teacher. After working as a practice educator for a national palliative care charity, Nicola then moved to Higher Education in 2013 as a teaching fellow in integrated care as part of the team delivering education in long term conditions, leading several undergraduate and post graduate modules. Nicola joined Phyllis Tuckwell in March 2019 as clinical educator, which involves designing and delivering education and training programmes in palliative and end of life care, with a focus on education for our locality health and social care providers.

Nicki Bartley

Education Co-ordinator

Nicki joined Phyllis Tuckwell in September 2022 as an education co-ordinator. She is responsible for co-ordinating the training calendar, managing bookings for internal and external participants, booking training rooms and organising meetings within Learning & Development. Nicki monitors training tracker compliance and feeds back to departments. She also ensures data is collected and that the education spreadsheets are up-to-date. Nicki worked as a primary school teacher having completed her Batchelor of Arts degree in Teaching in 2008, and she has spent ten years working in local schools. Nicki is a school governor for a local infant school. Leaving teaching 2018, Nicki joined the Civil Service and worked for HMCTS as a team leader, managing a team of fourteen and co-ordinating the diaries for two resident judges.

Sue Martin

Clinical Trainer

Sue has had a long career in nursing, specialising in orthopaedics and trauma initially, and palliative care laterally. She gained a Masters in Palliative Care from Kings College London in 2014. Sue has always had an interest in training and practice development, and has worked as a clinical skills facilitator in an acute trust and a vocational training lead within further education. In 2014, Sue designed and implemented a five-year project supporting North Hampshire care homes with end of life care training and quality improvement. Since then she has worked clinically within hospice settings, joining the Phyllis Tuckwell Education team in 2022.

Claire Tune

Training and Volunteer Counselling Supervisor

Claire qualified as an integrative counsellor in 2009. She has worked in the palliative care sector for some time, initially as a volunteer within a day unit, and post qualification she secured employed with Phyllis Tuckwell in November 2010. Whilst working with patients and their adult family members, it become clear there was a gap in the service for children and family counselling. Claire completed a Diploma in working with Children and Adolescents and set up the Children and Family service here at Phyllis Tuckwell. Alonside supporting patients and their families, the role included development and presenting of education materials and supporting training workshops with professionals in acute trusts and several state and independent schools within North East Hampshire and South West Surrey. The workshops were designed to develop skills and understanding of working with children and young families around understanding and managing death and dying. Claire was lead counsellor from 2017-2021, this enabled her to further develop and shape the counselling service. Claire completed a Diploma in Clinical Counselling Supervision in 2018, enabling her to provide supervision to volunteer counsellors and support and develop student counsellors on placement. In 2021, Claire integrated her role as clinical supervisor and trainer and joined the Education team. Claire works as a trainer and educator alongside her role as clinical supervisor.

Laura Fernandez

Senior CNS / Clinical Trainer

Laura qualified as a nurse in 2009 from Buckinghamshire New University and gained oncology experience at Imperial College NHST. She completed her BSc in Cancer Care at The Royal Marsden in 2012 and then joined the Specialist Palliative Care Team as a clinical nurse specialist at Imperial NHST in 2012. Laura joined Phyllis Tuckwell in 2015 as a clinical nurse specialist in the community and clinical educator. She has been an independent prescriber since 2018, and is currently completing her MSc in Advance Clinical Practice at Surrey University. Laura's interests are strengthening links between primary and specialist palliative care services, palliative care education and nurse development.

Naomi Isenman

Practice Development Sister

Naomi qualified as a registered nurse in 2000. During her career she has working within multiple clinical settings, each of which has given her the opportunity to continually learn, consolidate and develop skills and knowledge to enable her to teach, coach and support others. These roles included oncology care at both St Luke's Cancer Centre (Guildford) and The Royal Marsden. During which time, Naomi completed her BSc (Hons) Cancer Care at the University of Surrey. She has a passion for clinical excellence which is person-centred, evidence-based and delivered with compassion and empathy by confident and competent staff; this passion has led her to practice development and education. Currently she works one day a week at Phyllis Tuckwell, and the other part of the working week within an acute trust as a practice development sister. Naomi first joined the nursing bank at Phyllis Tuckwell in 2018, and soon after was approached by the Education team to support Phyllis Tuckwell who were undertaking their Care Certificate training at Frimley Park Hospital. This role has since developed, and we now deliver the Care Certificate within Phyllis Tuckwell, and it has been tailored to meet the Skills for Care requirements, the ever-changing needs of our patients, wider community in accordance with Phyllis Tuckwell's vision. Naomi also supports the development of unregistered staff to gain competence in various skills and support their development through education.