Our people

Ellie Orton has been Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together since July 2018. She was instrumental in leading the charity’s award-winning Covid Urgent Appeal during 2020 and has since led a complete transformation within the charity. Previously she was CEO at a charity working with vulnerable and sexually exploited women, and interim CEO at the Jon Egging Trust - supporting young people with barriers in their lives to reach their full potential. She was proud to be awarded an OBE in June 2021 for services to the NHS.

Chris joined NHS Charities Together in September 2024 to take forward our internal operations and to ensure we are performing effectively as an organisation. He is responsible for helping the charity to evolve to enable us to achieve our goals whilst also being sustainable. Chris was previously the Chief Finance and Impact Officer for the not-for-profit Social Finance, and has worked at a senior level across a number of not for profits and charities.

Stuart first joined what is now NHS Charities Together as a member in 2003 when he was Chief Executive of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. He has worked for the organisation in various capacities, including three years as Chairman, and has been Director of Business Services since July 2020. Stuart is a passionate advocate of good governance and sharing of best practice and continues to provide advice and support to charities. He is also a Member of the Charity Tribunal which hears appeals against decisions of the Charity Commission.

Louise joined NHS Charities Together in January 2021 from Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust where she had been Director of Fundraising since 2009. She started her career at the National Institute of Conductive Education, then ChildLine, followed by leading the British Heart Foundation’s Central England events team, before moving to Mencap. Louise is also a former Chair of the NHS Charities Together Fundraising Mutual Interest Group.

Chris joined NHS Charities Together in 2022 having spent the previous ten years working within the NHS, in both national policy roles at NHS England, and more recently leading a strategic transformation team in an integrated health system in Greater Manchester. Prior to joining the NHS, Chris was CEO of a charity in West Yorkshire supporting disabled children, young people and their families.

Sarah has a strong track record in not-for-profit and public sector leadership, with over twenty years’ experience of delivering successful marketing and communications strategies for the likes of the NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support and Lambeth Council. She was Director of Engagement at national research charity Fight for Sight before joining NHS Charities Together in January 2021. Sarah leads the external communications strategy, shaping the NHS Charities Together brand and engagement with charity members, supporters and other key stakeholders.

Peter is an experienced CEO and Chair. For the past 12 years he has bridged the commercial media, education, public and charity sectors, and spent a significant part of his career with the BBC. In the charity and public sector, Peter has been a Trustee of The British Heart Foundation, a Board Member at The National Archives and an Independent Board Advisor on the commercial board of the British Council.

Tim is currently Charities and Partnerships Manager for Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. He has worked in the voluntary sector for over 30 years for organisations involved in young people, the arts, social inclusion, health, and medicine. He is also a Member of the Institute of Fundraising, and was Chair of the Association of NHS Charities Fundraising Mutual Interest Group for five years.

Sarah is Chief Executive of a group of national charities promoting inclusion and achievement for deaf children. An experienced leader in the charity sector, Sarah has also been a senior manager for a national charity leading in volunteering policy and practice as well as being a regional lead for raising aspirations for young people with disabilities. In addition, Sarah is also Chair at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, and blends both roles, giving her a unique perspective on the charity sector and the NHS.

Sarah is the Deputy Chief Executive and CFO at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. She has over 28 years’ experience in NHS finance and has worked in acute hospitals, Mental Health Trusts and the commissioning sector. Sarah graduated in Law and worked in the legal profession before joining the NHS through the graduate management training scheme and qualifying as an accountant. He is an experienced board member with strengths in leadership in strategy, professionally qualified as a Chartered Fellow from both the Chartered Institute of Management and Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.

Chris is the CEO of the national animal charity Blue Cross Charity. Prior to this Chris joined the Royal Free Charity in 2010 as its first Chief Executive where he oversaw the strategic change of the organisation from a grant making body to direct service provider. Previously he was the Director of Business Development at the Fire Fighters Charity where he grew the charity from £3m turnover to over £9m. The work he and his team undertook resulted in them being voted the “UK’s Fundraising Team of the Year” in 2008/09 by the Third Sector, as well as being nominated as the best charity brand development. Chris was also voted one of the top two fundraisers in the UK in 2005/06 by the Charity Times.

James is the Chief Strategy Officer for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. He has board responsibilities alongside his Executive Portfolio which covers Strategy, Partnerships, Estates and Facilities.

Jane has been Director of NHS Lothian Charity since 2011, having previously served as the Director of Fundraising at King’s College Hospital. Jane provides vision and leadership to NHS Lothian Charity, and is responsible for setting strategic direction and leading cross-functional teams to deliver the Charity’s long-term strategy and operational plans.

Nicola, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. pursues a portfolio non-executive career working for businesses across health and social care. She also has a long-standing interest in her local community and the voluntary sector. Currently, Nicola is NED for the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (and chairs their Charitable Fund), Brighter Futures for Children in Reading which runs Children’s Services for the Borough and Turning Point which delivers mental health, learning disability and substance use interventions across England. She is also Vice Chair of Child Bereavement UK.

Chris has worked in the NHS for over 45 years, and has had a varied executive career working to address health inequalities in some of England’s most complex and challenging healthcare systems. This includes being Executive Medical Director at The Christie NHSFT, Executive Medical Director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and National Clinical Director for Cancer. In recent years, Chris has focused on supporting good organisational governance and holds a Diploma in Corporate Governance and a Certificate in Health Service Governance.

Jayne has spent the last few years as a Chair and Non-Executive Director. Her most recent position until the end of her term was as Chair of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW). Prior to this she was a non-executive director at UHBW, at the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, and a trustee at St John Ambulance where she was recognised for her contribution to healthcare and became a member of the Order of St John (MStJ).

Khalil has a passion for improving the well-being of others and tackling inequalities. He has spent his career at the intersections of finance, social impact and innovation across the private, public and voluntary sectors and brings significant board and corporate governance experience alongside a sense of curiosity, inclusivity and compassion. Khalil is currently a Non-Executive director at Salix Homes based in Salford, Chair of Audit at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Chair of Audit at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Board Member at University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and Vice Chair of the Seacole Group.

Jo is an experienced communications professional and charity CEO, and serves as a non-executive director of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. She began her career as a health correspondent in national newspapers, moved into government as a Special Advisor to Alan Johnson when he was health secretary before going into senior management of membership bodies. Until 2022, Jo held the position of chief executive officer at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and now runs the charity Mosaic – Supporting Bereaved Children.

Amarjit (Jeet) is a partner in the Financial Services Practice at EY leading its Extended Assurance offerings to firms in the UK and across the globe. In addition, Jeet is the Digital Assets Blockchain Assurance Leader for EMEIA. In the past Jeet has held governance roles in EY as Chair of the EMEIA Partner [Governance] Forum as well as sitting on the Global Governance Council of EY. He is an active member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW).

Antony is Director of Communications and Engagement at NHS Blood and Transplant and has served over 20 years in the NHS, including at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and London Ambulance Service. Antony also served as a Director of Communications at NHS England, leading on a range of major initiatives, including the NHS’s 70th and 75th anniversaries in 2018 and 2023 respectively.