HPCI Directors & Staff

I have lived in Hertfordshire for most of my life and am a mum of three daughters and grandmother to five. One of my granddaughters has complex health and care needs, and I share her care. She attends a Hertfordshire special school and needs significant support in her everyday life.

Through my experience as a grandparent and carer, I have seen first-hand both the difference that good SEND services can make to children and families and the challenges families can face when systems do not fully understand their needs. I believe parent carers are the real experts in their children’s lives, and that their experiences, knowledge and voices must be at the heart of how services are designed and delivered.

I studied law at university and began my career in the voluntary sector, working in early years as both a volunteer and a member of staff. I subsequently moved into the public sector and, until December 2024, was Head of Service for Children’s Health and Care at Hertfordshire County Council, where I led commissioning across children’s health, education and social care. My role included responsibility for SENDIASS and Early Years SEND services, as well as developing SEND holiday care provision.

I am delighted to bring this experience to my role as Chair of HPCI. My ambition is for a SEND system where parent carers and families are listened to, supported and enabled to navigate the complexity of life when caring for a child with additional needs – so that children, young people and their families can thrive.

My name is Sylvia and I live in East Herts. I am mum to our two children, both of whom attend Mainstream school. Before I had my children I worked for 15 years, qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant. I have first-hand knowledge of the challenges and constraints of Government funding, and I am a firm believer in value for money. I am delighted to have the opportunity to work as part of HPCI. By helping to strengthen parent carer involvement across the County, together we can make sure that money is spent effectively and that services provided by the Local Authority and Health best meet the needs of children with SEND and their families.

I am a single parent to three children and live in North Herts. As a parent carer, I have lived experience of supporting children with a range of additional needs, including autism, ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, dyscalculia, tics and physical disabilities.

I was a primary school teacher with Hertfordshire County Council for over 20 years, gaining extensive experience across different schools, communities and catchments. Since leaving teaching, I have continued to use my professional and lived experience as a Parent Representative for HPCI and a School Appeals Panel Member.

I am, and have been, a school governor for nearly 30 years, bringing a strong commitment to effective governance, inclusion and ensuring the needs of children and families are understood and represented.

As a neurodivergent person myself, I bring both personal insight and professional experience to my work. I am passionate about inclusion, co-production and ensuring every child has the opportunity to achieve their potential.

My name is Siobhann – I live in Welwyn and I’m a mum of two. My son is 10 and my daughter 12. They both are autistic with ADHD, with varying degrees of learning difficulties. My daughter also has specific learning difficulties. My son has a complex mix of health needs. They both, after a challenging time in school, attend specialist schools. I myself have specific learning difficulties and have a sibling with additional needs. I am passionate about children getting the support they deserve in all areas of life. I have for 5 years been within the scouting movement and thoroughly enjoy it.

Prior to having children, I worked within adult mental health and care sector. For the last five years I have had the absolute pleasure of being a part of Families in Focus, a Hertfordshire based organisation supporting parents all over the county. This has empowered me as a parent, as an advocate for my children and gave me confidence to join HPCI as a parent representative, something I have thoroughly enjoyed for three years now. Through all of this work I have returned to university and am currently working on my law degree. I have a particular interest in EHCPs and SEN support in schools.

I live in Cuffley, South East Hertfordshire, with my husband and my two children, one of whom has autism. I have worked with my children’s school to advocate for and support SEN children. My profession is senior human resources leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion and wellbeing where I am privileged to have opportunities to make a tangible impact on people’s lives. Additionally, I am a Neurodiversity and Leadership Coach.

My daughter with autism continues to inspire me with her strength and resilience, in spite of the many challenges she faces daily. I want to support our communities to proactively understand the needs of our children and young adults to help them thrive in their environments.

Originally from Nottingham, we moved to Hertfordshire over 25 years ago and now live in St Albans. It was when my youngest neurodiverse son was unable to access education that I discovered that the parent voice was not always listened to. Fortunately, now he has the right support he thrives in his mainstream school. As a qualified nurse for learning disabilities and autism I have worked for over 30 years in health, education and social care, currently as the Chief Executive Officer of Harpenden Mencap, supporting adults with learning disabilities to live in their own homes.

I live in St. Albans with my husband and two children (one in mainstream, and the other in a specialist school). As a parent carer to a child with cerebral palsy and special educational needs, navigating the SEND landscape firsthand gives me a deep understanding of the challenges our diverse families face across Hertfordshire.

Professionally, I am a legal and governance practitioner with my career focused on corporate governance, stakeholder management, and strategic decision-making. Alongside my professional work, I have been involved in local community volunteering as a carer trainer with Carers in Hertfordshire, an administrative and governance volunteer with the Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT), and as a committee secretary / volunteer in fundraising activities for my child’s school PTA.

Serving as an HPCI Parent Representative exposed me to the impact HPCI has on families. I am therefore delighted to join the Board in its drive to ensure that parent voices are treated as a vital strategic asset to achieve true, meaningful co-production that improves local services for all our children.

I live in Hertfordshire with my family and am a parent carer to my daughter, who has autism and ADHD. She inspires me every day with her strength and resilience, despite the challenges she faces.

My background is in marketing and SaaS, with a focus on strategy, communication and growth. Through HPCI, I want to use my experience to help raise awareness, strengthen parent carer voices and support communities, services and professionals to better understand the needs of children and young people with SEND.

I am passionate about helping children and young adults feel understood, included and able to thrive.

I live in Berkhamsted and have two children, one of whom is autistic and has ADHD and a learning disability. Before taking a career break to care for my son, I worked in government for sixteen years, mainly focussing on homelessness policy. More recently, I have worked with a local charity that helps vulnerable adults move on from housing difficulties towards independent living.

I have three neurodiverse children, who between them attend both mainstream and specialist schools. Before joining HPCI, I’ve always been involved in property, most recently in block management where I’ve spent the last 12 years running my own business. When my children were much younger, I was involved with the maternity services equivalent of HPCI, helping to influence and shape maternity policy in Hertfordshire.

I live in Croxley and I’m a mother to two daughters, my oldest is Autistic with a PDA profile and has Speech & Language difficulties. I have experience of working with adults with physical & learning disabilities and neurodiversity, as well as previously working for HCC hospital discharge team in assessing social care needs. I took a career break from the industry to enable my daughter in mainstream school, and strongly believe in equal access and opportunities.

I live in North East Herts and have two children who attend mainstream schools. We are a neurodivergent family and I have physical disabilities as well. I have experienced a range of difficulties in accessing services and places. I am passionate about breaking down those barriers and changing the way society thinks about accessibility.

I took a ten year career break after becoming a mother. My professional background is in Human Resources, most recently as an HR Officer in Local Government but I do also have experience in the private finance sector as well. My interests were Employment Law, policy and project management and I have a Masters degree in Human Resource Management.

I relax through creativity and can usually be found knitting, crocheting, drawing, taking photographs, sewing or writing and I usually have about ten million projects on the go at once!

I live in Harpenden and I am a Mum of two neurodiverse children who attend mainstream school.  Before joining HPCI I was a project manager in clinical research for many years and I have also volunteered as a teaching assistant in a local primary school.