Executive Leadership Team

Chris trained as an accountant working in private business and as a civil servant in the public sector before joining Dove House in the mid 1990s. Appointed Director of Finance and Support Services in 2007 and following six years as the Deputy Chief Executive he took over as Chief Executive in 2020. He has a Master’s Degree in Voluntary Sector Management from Cass Business School and also holds the ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting. Chris is passionate about delivering a sustainable and accessible personalised care service working in partnership with other healthcare professionals and providers. He is keen that Dove House continues to break down barriers and misconceptions of hospice care to ensure people who need help and support with complex long-term conditions can access the services available. Away from work Chris strives to be the next ‘Pep Guardiola’ as an FA qualified coach in the local football leagues!

Sarah joined the hospice in 2006 as a Community Fundraiser and worked as Fundraising Manager and Director of Business and Income Development before also taking on the Deputy Chief Executive role in 2020. Sarah completed an MBA at The University of Hull in 2015, has a Level 7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from The Chartered Management Institute and a Degree in Business and Marketing. Sarah leads a passionate team who work closely with supporters to raise around £10million every year which helps sustain the hospice for the local community and ensure the doors stay open for years to come. “I am a fundraiser by both nature and name(!) and love that I get to meet inspiring supporters every day and work for an organisation that is making a real difference to the lives of local people. I am mum to a very active toddler and a very laid-back cat. A somewhat surprising fact about me is that I took part in Sea of Hull, although I stayed well away from the cameras!”

Having obtained a degree in Psychology, a Masters in Work & Organisational Psychology and qualifications in psychometric testing at the University of Hull, Andrew has also obtained a CIPD Level 7 Diploma in Human Resource Management with Manchester Open Learning. “I am a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and I hope this shows my passion for all Human Resources and Learning & Development work in the hospice. My belief is that the employee/employer relationship is two ways and that by creating an engaging workplace and positively challenging roles, we can attract and retain the best talent. This in turn leads to high levels of care for patients, excellent support systems for staff and effective fundraising. Outside my role, I enjoy playing the guitar when I have time and both my children now have their own. The house can sometimes be loud and not always in tune!”

Helen joined Dove House in 2024 after being employed in the acute trust for 33 years. She has extensive experience in various senior nursing posts such as Senior Sister, Matron, Nurse Manager and latterly Nurse Director, a role which included the leadership of the nursing teams and services in the Emergency setting. “I am very patient focused with a strong work ethic and am very passionate about ensuring that patients and their loved ones receive high quality care. My role at Dove House is an exciting opportunity for me as my personal experience of the hospice, coupled with my experience in strategic service implementation and delivery, will hopefully bring a uniqueness to the role. I feel very privileged to be part of such an extremely dedicated team who make a huge difference to people within our local community. I am also a mum to two teenage boys who consume my time outside of work. I am regularly spotted on a Sunday morning on the football pitch – spectating not playing!”

Qualifying from Imperial College School of Medicine at St Mary’s Hospital in 2002, Dr Rachael started at Dove House as a Consultant in Palliative Medicine in 2012 after completing Registrar training in Palliative Medicine. “I am the Clinical Lead for the doctors at the hospice. We have GP trainees that rotate to the hospice for 6 months and also medical students that do short attachments with us. I enjoy being part of a multidisciplinary team that takes a patient centred approach and tries to think outside the box to help people during difficult periods in their lives. I also have a very lively 8-year-old at home who keeps me busy when I'm not working!”