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 overseen a transformation within the charity in terms of its governance and strategy. Previously she was CEO at a Coventry based 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. Ellie is passionate about social change and the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which literally translates as ‘humanity’. She loves beaches, running, and her family, including the dog. She was proud to be awarded an OBE in June 2021 for services to the NHS.

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 was also a former Chair of the NHS Charities Together Fundraising Mutual Interest Group.

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. 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, undertaking a number of governance and organisational roles, including acting as Director for Grants in 2022. 

Stuart is a passionate advocate of good governance and sharing of best practice to allow charities to do the best they can for their beneficiaries 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.

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.

Gemma joined NHS Charities Together in December 2021 and leads on Finance, HR, IT and Governance. Gemma had been the Director of Finance and Facilities, and Company Secretary, at The Myton Hospices since 2015, where she played a role in commissioning with the local CCG additional in-patient beds in the Myton Hospice in Coventry with a different model of care to that already being provided by the Hospice. Gemma also led on a charity governance review, cost improvement programmes and service redesign projects during her time at the Hospice.

Prior to this role, Gemma had been in various roles within NHS Finance for ten years working mainly at local Acute Trusts in the Midlands, her last role being Head of Management Accounts for George Eliot NHS Trust.

Gemma is passionate about the NHS and ensuring that the funding is spent in the most appropriate manner with the upmost benefit to patients and their loved ones, whilst ensuring that staff are looked after and valued.

Chris joined NHS Charities Together in 2022 having spent the previous ten years working within the NHS working 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.

Chris is passionate about tackling inequality, harnessing the power of people and communities to drive change and the role the voluntary sector can play in health, care and wellbeing.

Outside of work Chris is a Director of award winning charitable leisure trust Active Tameside and a Trustee of the Manny Cussins Foundation.