Meet our Executive and Non Executive Directors

Ana Naziazena Carvalho de Souza Etchells, Senior Specialist Physiotherapist has been appointed to the newly created role of Associate Non-Executive Director. Ana brings invaluable expertise to support the Trust’s goals in equality, diversity, and inclusion, as well as in reducing health inequalities across our communities. Ana trained as a physiotherapist in Brazil and has gained experience in both the public and private sectors. Ana combines her new responsibilities with her clinical role, continuing her dedication to patient care.

Martin brings a wealth of experience to his role as Interim Non-Executive Director, having previously served as Chief Executive of South Tyneside Homes and Four Housing Group, and as Finance Director at both North Tyneside and North Tees General Hospitals.

He is currently a Non-Executive Director at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, and in recent years roles also include being a Board Member at Advance Northumberland, Vice-Chair of Audit at Sunderland City Council, and with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.

Martins focus is on strengthening governance, supporting improvement and helping ensure the Trust is well placed to deliver safe, high-quality services for patients and communities.

Adam is a mental health clinician with around 20 years’ experience spanning the NHS, private sector, and charitable organisations. He is Chief Executive of a national mental health charity and NHS provider based in the North East, leading services locally and nationally through a range of NHS partnerships.

Adam also serves as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of Quality and Governance at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, and holds several national leadership roles, including member of the NHS Confederation Mental Health Board and board member of the Association of Mental Health Providers.

Adam is passionate about improving quality and governance, supporting staff to deliver great care, and strengthening partnerships that help make a real difference for patients and communities.

Kathryn has been a Trust governor for eight years, including a period as lead governor, working to ensure patients' and carers' concerns are considered when the Trust is developing strategies and work plans.  Kathryn has spent her career in healthcare, qualifying as a pharmacist in 1983.  She has many years' experience working as a community pharmacist, in NHS management and currently as a primary care pharmacist working within GP practices.

Kathryn is also clinical director for a company providing pharmacy support to GP practices.  She also played a key role in setting up the Listening Friends scheme, a telephone help-line for pharmacists under stress and was one of the national co-ordinators for 20 years.

Lisa began her career as part of the finance department of the then Newcastle Heath Authority at the age of 17. She has gone on to develop a broad knowledge and experience of NHS services working in mental health and learning disabilities across several organisations - all in the North East.  Lisa has held posts including deputy director of Finance and executive director at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust  (CNTWFT) with a wide portfolio that included commissioning, quality assurance, governance, risk and technology.  Lisa also spent seven years as an inspector for the Care Quality Commission.

Appointed 1 June 2018.  Steve began his career in the public sector where he spent ten years working in economic regeneration, bringing inward investment to the North East.  He then took his skills into the private sector working for utility providers, where he developed a specialty in HR, ultimately working at Director level and subsequently working as a HR Director in the aviation sector.

Steve now runs his own HR consultancy, working for clients close to home and as far afield as Kazakhstan.  Steve is also a Non-Executive Director of Port of Tyne and operates his own UK wide mediation practice with a number of UK and European clients in a variety of sectors covering chemicals and processing, transport and logistics. media services, financial services and higher education.  Through a Birmingham-based charity, Steve undertakes mediation for children with special educational needs.

David brings a wealth of experience to his role as non-executive director. He has held roles in retail management and within the media industry. He later became managing director of David Hall Partnership where he led a period of substantial growth. Later taking a key role with A4E, he developed experience and expertise on an international platform before moving his focus to volunteering, serving as a Trustee for various charities and becoming an active member of Rotary Durham.

David chairs the Trust Board Audit Committee, leads on security and business continuity planning, and serves as a workforce wellbeing guardian.