Senior Management Team

Chief Executive: Ann Chalmers MBE (pictured)

Ann has worked with the charity since 1996 and became its Chief Executive in 2003. She holds a BACP Accredited Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and a University Accredited Diploma in Bereavement Counselling, and has been involved in multi-disciplinary training of professionals in the area of loss and bereavement for over twenty years. She is also a qualified Chartered Accountant.

From 1995-2006 Ann was part of the Bereavement Care Team at Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust where her work involved counselling for both individuals and couples. She has also provided counselling for staff within the NHS and for children and young people within the voluntary sector. Ann has contributed to a number of professional publications and books, and has lectured nationally and internationally for the charity. She represents Child Bereavement UK on a number of steering groups, bringing the families’ perspective to projects and initiatives of national significance.

Chief Financial Officer: Kieran Cronin

Kieran joined the charity in April 2012. Prior to that he held a number of senior finance roles at Trafalgar House, Kvaerner, Skanska and Avent. He has over 30 years’ experience in strategic development, financial planning and control and system development. He has applied these skills to help create a platform to enable the charity to grow with confidence. He is a bereaved child and a bereaved parent and believes that there is much to do to ensure our society is better able to support families when a parent or child dies.

Director of Fundraising: John Grain

John has worked in the voluntary sector for over thirty years and has held senior positions with Oxfam, Practical Action and as Director for Fundraising (Western Europe) for Habitat for Humanity International. Most recently he was the Executive Director at the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation. He has also worked for many years as a consultant with many of the UK’s best loved charities and is a passionate advocate of responsible and ethical fundraising. He has written widely for the sector, presented at conferences in the UK and overseas and is a former trustee of drugs and alcohol charity We Are With You.

Director of Services and Partnerships: Maninder Hayre

Maninder brings over 27 years’ experience in providing support services to young people in education settings, and in working in partnership with local, statutory, third sector and government-led bodies and organisations. Maninder has extensive experience in advice and guidance, safeguarding, mental health awareness, and equality, diversity and inclusion. Her last role was Head of Delivery at Adviza Partnership working with young people and vulnerable adults.

As Director of Services and Partnerships, Maninder provides leadership and strategic direction for our Bereavement Support and Education functions and is responsible for strategic partnerships both within and outside the bereavement sector.

Director of Communications: Jane Keightley

Jane has a background in marketing, having worked at Diageo for 16 years building global brands including Bombay Sapphire, Piat wines, Croft, Smirnoff, J&B Whisky and Guinness. In 2004, Jane was seconded by the Diageo Foundation to Youth Business International, part of the International Business Leaders’ Forum, and to The Prince’s Charities, where she developed a brand identity for its group of 16 charities and Duchy Originals for HRH The Prince of Wales.

Jane set up as a Branding & Communications Specialist in 2005, advising charities, corporate foundations and businesses including working with: Care International, Thrive, The Foyer Federation, The Alnwick Castle & Garden, Street Kids International, Alport UK, Diageo Foundation and Against Breast Cancer. She also spent six years on the Independent Complaints Panel for The Portman Group, the alcohol industry’s regulatory body. 

Executive Manager: Sue Randall

Sue joined the charity in 2005 from a background of sales and marketing in pharmaceuticals. Sue works closely with the Chief Executive, manages all the office locations around the country and has taken the lead on a number of the charity’s major fundraising events. Sue also acts as Secretary to the Board of Trustees.

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Author: Harriet Hieatt-Smith

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