Our Trustees

After spending the last fifty years as a leader across the public, university and not-for-profit health sectors, David brings a wealth of experience to the role, along with an understanding of the importance of our work.

For 11 years, David was Chief Executive of the Central Sheffield University acute hospitals. He has held many Trustee positions, including, for six years, being a Trustee for the Royal College of Surgeons, England, where he led a review of their national structure and services.

He is currently the chair of DHU: a Social Enterprise organisation providing 111 and Urgent and Emergency Care services across parts of England.

Cate has over 20 years experience delivering humanitarian and development programs in Africa, including leading the UK’s response to the 2011 Horn of Africa food security crisis and cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Mozambique. She has driven reforms in humanitarian response towards community-led cash-based responses and focused on protecting primary healthcare services during the COVID-19 crisis.

Cate was honoured with an OBE in 2021 for her exceptional service to humanitarian work in Africa.

Paul brings over 20 years of experience in human resources, with a strong focus on creating people strategies that drive business success. His leadership in managing trade union relationships and leading negotiations, both in the UK and internationally, has been instrumental in fostering productive partnerships.

Currently, as HR Director at Barclays Pension Funds Trustees Ltd., Paul plays a key role in shaping workforce strategies that support the effective management of one of the UK’s largest pension schemes. His work has often involved navigating complex mergers and acquisitions, ensuring smooth transitions for employees and organizations alike.

In addition to his corporate work Paul serves as a trustee at UK-Med where his combined expertise in governance and workforce management helps the charity to maintain robust oversight and operational effectiveness.

After more than 20 years of experience in academic and charity sector funding, Dr. Suzanne Maria Candy brings a wealth of expertise to her role as Trustee Member. Currently the Director of Biomedical Grants & Policy at The Academy of Medical Sciences, she has a strong background in senior management and is skilled in navigating complex funding landscapes and driving policy initiatives to support biomedical research. 

Dr. Candy has held a range of senior roles, collaborating with both academic institutions and charitable organizations. Her work has also involved supporting healthcare in crisis settings, which aligns with her passion for advancing equitable patient care. She brings her experience in strategic funding and policy development to support UK-MED’s mission and further its impact in global health. 

Laura is an experienced finance and investment professional with over 20 years of expertise in strategic financial management and governance. As Investment Director at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Laura oversees a range of commercial investment funds focused on supporting housing, commercial property, and business growth. She has led key financial initiatives, including programs to support development projects and drive regional sustainability efforts.

Laura’s leadership extends to chairing the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund Regional Advisory Board and contributing to community projects like Broughton House, a care home for veterans. With her strong governance background and commercial acumen, Laura is a valuable contributor to the UK-Med Board of Trustees, supporting strategic oversight and financial management.

Marian Mathias is a highly experienced General Practitioner with over 40 years working in healthcare, both in the UK and in resource-limited settings internationally. She has led healthcare projects in challenging environments, including establishing youth-friendly services in rural Uganda.

Marian has also served as a trustee for REACH Bwindi, a charity supporting healthcare in Uganda, where she has been involved in fundraising, grant approvals, and governance. She is Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Adolescent Health Group, advising national bodies on healthcare issues affecting young people, and has provided strategic guidance on mental health and service integration.

Professor Larissa Fast is a scholar working at the intersection of the worlds of academia, policy, and practice. Larissa has worked for both government and non-government agencies as a project manager, consultant, and analyst, and provided training to individuals and organizations in peacebuilding and conflict analysis.

Prior to her current position at University of Manchester, she was a Senior Research Fellow at ODI’s Humanitarian Policy Group, a Fulbright-Schuman Research Scholar (2016-2017), and an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow (2014-2016) at USAID’s Global Development Lab. 

Imogen graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1983 and trained in both obstetrics/gynaecology and public health in the West of Scotland.  She has worked in a wide range of public health and women’s health roles in Primary Care Trusts, NHS Boards and organisations, regional and national government and the charity sector across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. Between 2014 and 2019, Imogen served as Deputy Medical Director for Public Health England, during which time she was seconded to Marie Stopes UK as a medical director leading its clinical turnaround process.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Imogen returned to work for Public Health England, as a Senior Medical Advisor and Co-Chair of the guidance cell for the national pandemic response team. 

Paula Sansom has nearly 30 years of experience in humanitarian health, leading emergency response operations across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. A nurse by background, Paula has managed large-scale responses, including Merlin’s Haiti earthquake operation and the multi-country Ebola response in Sierra Leone. She also led the establishment of the Kerry Town Ebola Treatment Centre for Save the Children.

Her expertise spans emergency healthcare, health system strengthening, and outbreak management, and she has advised on global health policy, including with UK-Med and Save the Children. Paula’s governance experience includes serving on the ACAPS strategic and operational boards and advising on safeguarding, risk management, and accountability. She has also contributed to evaluations of global health projects, including for UNITAID and WHO.

Paula has extensive fundraising experience and has worked with donors such as the UN, DEC, and private foundations. In recognition of her humanitarian work, she was awarded an MBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List for services to emergency healthcare abroad.

Flora McCabe is a highly experienced solicitor with nearly 17 years of expertise in defending healthcare professionals in civil, regulatory, and coronial matters. She currently serves as a senior legal advisor at Lockton, specialising in risk management, governance, and indemnity policies for healthcare providers. Flora has significant experience advising on serious incident management, regulatory compliance, and overseeing mergers and acquisitions within the healthcare sector.

In addition to her legal practice, Flora has served as a governor at a secondary school in Norfolk, where she contributes to fundraising initiatives, policy oversight, and ensuring the welfare of students. Her humanitarian experience includes volunteering at a refugee camp in mainland Greece, where she helped to improve operational systems and manage the distribution of essential supplies.

Flora’s broad experience in governance, risk management, and healthcare regulation makes her a valuable asset to the UK-Med Board of Trustees, where she supports the charity’s strategic oversight, risk management, and fundraising efforts. Flora’s legal and governance expertise, coupled with her practical experience in humanitarian settings, enables her to contribute effectively to UK-Med’s mission to provide life-saving healthcare in crisis zones.

Claudia Truppa is an infectious diseases physician and a trained medical epidemiologist with over 15 years of experience in global health. Her career spans both frontline field deployments and strategic roles in headquarters, working with organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières, UNICEF, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. She has served in diverse contexts, including Sub-Saharan Africa (Mozambique, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo), Central America (El Salvador, Honduras), Southeast Asia (Myanmar), and the Middle East (Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon).

Claudia’s work has focused on implementing health programs addressing critical care needs for vulnerable populations, including primary healthcare, prehospital emergency care, hospital services, physical rehabilitation, and mental health support. Currently, she is a Research Fellow at CRIMEDIM Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health. Her academic focus includes health policy and systems research, with an emphasis on crisis-affected populations and fragile health systems.