The Trust Board

 

The YAS Board of Directors meets quarterly in addition to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September. The public may attend these meetings.

Board meetings are held in public and board papers will be published here.

The Board of Directors.

Board Meeting Dates 2024-25

25 April 2024
30 May 2024
25 July 2024
26 September 2024 (AGM)
28 November 2024
30 January 2025
27 March 2025

Board Meeting Dates 2023-24

27 April 2023
27 July 2023
28 September 2023 (AGM)
26 October 2023
1 February 2024

Board members

Martin Havenhand
Chair

Martin Havenhand joined the Trust Board as Chair on 1 April 2023 and is a very experienced Chair and Non-Executive Director having served on many public, private and voluntary sector boards.

Key facts

  • Martin has recently completed three terms of office as Chair of The Rotherham NHS FT providing acute and community services. 
  • He also brings to the Trust a wealth of experience and knowledge of the Yorkshire and Humber region, having been Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward the then Government's economic development agency which was private sector led and publicly funded. He has also been a non-executive director for 10 years on Yorkshire Water board, a regulated private company providing a vital public service.
  • He has been a local authority chief executive and has been operating at board level for over 30 years.
  • Martin is values driven, a champion for equality, diversity and inclusion and a lifelong learner.
  • He is an experienced collaborator and has a significant track record in establishing effective partnerships to produce improved outcomes.

Peter Reading
Chief Executive

Peter Reading joined YAS as Interim Chief Executive in June 2023 and was appointed permanent Chief Executive in January 2024. Peter is a very experienced NHS leader, having worked in (or with, as a management consultant) the NHS for nearly 40 years, including 25 years as a Trust Chief Executive.

Key facts

  • Peter joined Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS FT (NLaG) in 2017 after it was put in Double Special Measures and led the Trust out of Special Measures in May 2023.
  • As CEO of UCL Hospitals from 1998 to 2000, Peter oversaw the design of and negotiated the PFI deal for the new University College Hospital.
  • As CEO of University Hospitals of Leicester for seven years, Peter merged three trusts into the then second largest trust in England, leading it to achieve the highest rating of 3 Stars for five years running.
  • As CEO of Lewisham & Guy’s Mental Health in the 1990s, Peter was a pioneer of service user empowerment and community mental health services.
  • Peter was an associate director with PwC’s healthcare practice for three years, focusing mostly on supporting trusts in Special Measures.
  • Peter has also been Interim CEO at Doncaster & Bassetlaw and at Peterborough & Stamford.
  • Peter joined the NHS as a National Management Trainee, after graduating from Cambridge, studying as a postgraduate research scholar at Moscow State University for a year during the height of the Cold War, and completing a PhD in Russian Economic History at Birmingham.
  • A polio survivor, Peter cannot walk without crutches and a calliper. He was Co-Chair of the Disabled NHS Directors Network from 2021 to 2024.

Kathryn Vause
Executive Director of Finance

Kathryn joined YAS in 2017 as Deputy Director of Finance and was appointed to the post of Executive Director of Finance in August 2021.

Key facts

  • Kathryn is an experienced NHS finance professional, beginning her career in NHS finance 30 years ago when she gained a place on the NHS graduate finance training scheme.
  • She has worked in senior roles across many healthcare sectors.
  • Kathryn is a Member of Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy.

Nick Smith
Chief Operating Officer

Nick joined the YAS Executive Team in November 2018.

Key facts

  • Nick was previously Deputy Director of the non-emergency Patient Transport Service at the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust. 
  • He has also worked at Cumbria Ambulance Service and outside of the NHS in a global IT consultancy company before joining the Welsh Ambulance Service in 2012.
  • He started his career in Yorkshire as an ambulance cadet in 1987 for West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service and went on to work as a paramedic at Castleford and Wakefield ambulance stations.

Dave Green
Executive Director of Quality and Chief Paramedic

Dave joined the executive team in November 2023 having gained a wide range of experience in the ambulance service. 

Key facts

  • Dave began his ambulance career with West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (WYMAS) as a Patient Transport Service (PTS) driver in 1998 and went on to qualify as a paramedic in 2000. With a passion for clinical leadership, Dave has led teams as a clinical supervisor and clinical development manager before going on to deliver formal training courses as a clinical tutor.
  • Dave introduced Quality Improvement (QI) to YAS as the head of QI between 2016 and 2018, then went on to join the PTS leadership team as the head of PTS service and standards. Dave has been a specialist advisor for the CQC and continues to teach as an honorary visiting lecturer at University of Bradford. In July 2021, Dave joined YAS's senior leadership team as associate director of quality and safety.
  • Dave’s early career was in the armed forces, serving in the parachute regiment before carrying out operational leadership roles in the Middle East. Dave’s background in the military has driven him to set up the Trust’s Armed Forces Network, with the aim of offering support and comradeship for staff and volunteers of the armed forces community within YAS.
  • He is passionate about developing people and empowering them to make improvements in their own areas of work.

Marc Thomas
Deputy Chief Executive

Marc joined the executive team in April 2024.

Key facts

  • Marc has worked as a policy maker, analyst and senior leader across Government and the NHS.
  • He was formerly the national lead at NHS England for ambulance and 111 services.
  • He has undertaken varied roles in health, including on professional regulation, head of analysis for the Midlands and East NHS regions and Director of Hospital Hubs for the Covid Vaccination Programme.

Mandy Wilcock
Director of People and Organisational Development

Mandy joined YAS in 2019 and became part of the Executive Team in June 2021.

Key facts

  • Mandy has over 30 years’ experience working in HR and OD across the NHS at national, regional and organisational levels in acute, primary, community, ambulance and commissioning sectors.
  • Her most recent role was the Trust’s Associate Director of Corporate Affairs.
  • Mandy is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Tim Gilpin
Non-Executive Director

Tim Gilpin joined the Trust Board in January 2017, is the Senior Independent Director and is an experienced HR professional.

Key facts

  • Tim has worked at executive level in the public sector throughout his career.
  • He is an experienced HR professional who specialises in workforce development, coaching, mentoring and mediation.
  • He has extensive NHS experience including roles of Director of Workforce and Education at NHS North of England and Non-Executive Director at Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust.
  • Tim manages a mixed portfolio of work through his own consultancy including search and selection, workforce planning and strategic roles at a regional level.

Anne Cooper
Deputy Chair, Non-Executive Director

Anne Cooper joined the Trust Board in December 2018 and is an accomplished senior nurse leader.

Key facts

  • Anne is an accomplished senior nurse leader with a career spanning 35 years in the NHS. Over the last ten years Anne has worked at national level in large NHS organisations, including two years at NHS England.
  • She is a Fellow of the Queen’s Nursing Institute and in 2014 was voted by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) and Nursing Times as one of the top 12 social pioneers in health and included on the HSJ’s top 50 list of inspirational women in the NHS.
  • Anne is Clinical Director at Ethical Healthcare Consulting and runs a leadership programme for women in health and social care IT, called 'Minerva Now'.

Andrew Chang
Non-Executive Director

Andrew joined the Trust in October 2020 and chairs the Audit Committee.

Key facts

  • Andrew has a senior level experience in governance, risk and internal audit, and has undertaken a range of non-executive appointments across both the public and private sectors.
  • He is also a Non-Executive Director at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, where he is Chairman of its Audit Committee.
  • His previous posts include Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at Bradford College, Chairman of Training for Bradford Ltd that trades as City Training Services, Trustee for Bradford Grammar School, Treasurer for Yorkshire WaterAid and Chief Internal Auditor at Yorkshire Water.
  • Alongside his Board roles, Andrew is also a Governor at Leeds City College and Vice Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Luminate Education Group.

Amanda Moat
Non-Executive Director

 Amanda was appointed to the Trust Board in June 2021.

Key facts

  • Amanda is an experienced senior manager in risk, compliance and quality, with particular expertise in the financial services and legal sectors.
  • She has advised on strategic matters including resourcing, diversification, product innovation, mergers and acquisitions, and change management.
  • She currently holds a number of non-executive directorships, including The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust where she is the associate NED Safeguarding Lead, Bolton@Home and Arcon Housing Group.
  • Amanda is a Director at Candam Ltd, a Taekwondo school, and a volunteer at Highfield School in Wakefield, a secondary school for pupils with complex needs, and at the Change Management Institute.

Saghir Alam, OBE
Non-Executive Director

 Saghir joined the Trust Board in February 2025.

Key facts

  • Saghir has a legal and business background. He is a Rotherham Borough Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Safe and Clean Communities. 
  • He has extensive experience in public sector leadership and governance locally and nationally and was awarded an OBE for public service in 2006. 
  • Saghir served three terms as a Disability Rights Commissioner and was an Equality and Human Rights Commission committee member. 
  • He was member of the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit Expert Panel on Independent Living, Equality 2025 advising ministers/senior government officials on public policy in Whitehall, and the Lord Chancellor’s Consultative Committee. 
  • He is a former Non–Executive Director of Rotherham NHS Hospital Trust, lay advisor to the National Police Improvement Agency and expert member of the Youth Citizen Commission.  
  • He was appointed by the Foreign Secretary as Independent Governor at Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

Associate Non-Executive Directors

Tabitha Arulampalam

Tabitha joined the Trust Board in February 2025.

Key facts

  • Tabitha currently runs her own independent management consultancy business and is an organisational psychologist who has successfully supported organisations in their transformation journeys.
  • She has worked in local government, the NHS and the third sector for more than 30 years with a successful track record of collaborative work.
  • She has been a Non-Executive Director for many years, most recently for the Johnnie Johnson Housing Association and Wakefield District Community Foundation.
  • She is a former commissioner of community and mental health services in Yorkshire, working with partner organisations to deliver improvements.
  • Tabitha is also a member of the local parochial church council and the Leeds Synod.

Katherine (Katie) Lees

Katie joined the Trust Board in February 2025.

Key facts

  • Katie is a General Practitioner (GP) and has helped to develop and deliver seven new NHS services across North West England and West Yorkshire since completing her training in 2016.
  • In 2020, Katie moved to Huddersfield and became clinical lead at a vaccination centre, managing a 220-strong team and overseeing the administration of 120,000 COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Katie is now self-employed, working with an out-of-hours service in West Yorkshire. Her roles include clinical care, 111 triage and being part of the COVID Medicine Delivery Unit, providing antiviral treatments to vulnerable patients.
  • She joined her organisation’s clinical audit team in 2021, evaluating risks and providing constructive feedback to clinical staff.
  • Katie brings valuable lived experience of neurodisability and neurodivergence, which informs her advocacy for inclusivity in healthcare and workplace settings. In 2023, she obtained formal qualifications in the assessment, diagnosis and management of autism and ADHD.

Rebecca Randell

Rebecca joined the Trust Board in February 2025.

Key facts

  • With over 20 years' experience in digital health, Rebecca is passionate about using technology to support the NHS in delivering better healthcare and achieving meaningful improvements for patients and staff.
  • Rebecca gained leadership and management experience in a range of roles and enjoys mentoring, coaching and facilitating collaboration to help others develop and succeed.
  • She is Professor of Digital Innovations in Healthcare and Director of the Centre for Digital Innovations in Health and Social Care at the University of Bradford, where she is committed to increasing the diversity of the NHS digital workforce and involving service users in technology design.
  • She has varied experience of committee work at regional, national, and international levels, including for the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the European Federation of Medical Informatics.

Board attendees

Jeevan Gill, Director of Partnerships and Operations, Humber and North Yorkshire

Rachel Gillott, Director of Partnerships and Operations, West Yorkshire

Adam Layland, Director of Partnerships and Operations, South Yorkshire

David O'Brien, Director of Corporate Services and Company Secretary

Carol Weir, Director of Strategy, Planning and Performance

Sam Robinson, Chief Digital Information Officer

Helen Edwards, Associate Director of Communications and Community Engagement