People

I’m Into Work’s CEO. I’ve worked in the field of employability for nearly thirty years and joined Into Work on its launch in 1993. I’m a strong advocate for the supported employment service delivery model, and served on the board of the Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) for many years, as a Director representing Edinburgh and the Lothians. I am currently a member of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Joined Up for Jobs Partnership Forum management committee.

I’ve been the Client Services Manager at Into Work for almost 14 years with a further 9 years of similar experience before that with the Action Group. I have responsibility for all operational matters across the organisation as well as direct involvement in project development and funding. My role involves oversight of all our services from Project Search (focussing on young disabled people) to our adult pan-disability employability work with local authorities in Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. I’m involved with Autism Strategies both locally and nationally and chair the Midlothian Autism Employment Group. I am also a Trustee of IWORK4ME, a small Scottish charity dedicated to supporting people with Autism into self-employment.

I joined the Into Work central services team as a Finance and Development Officer in 2001, after completing 22 years’ service in the Armed Forces. As part of a management team restructure in 2004 my role was expanded to cover multiple elements of the business, from IT and HR to Data Control and Health & Safety, with the role of Company Secretary being added in 2006.

I have been a member of the Scottish Charity Finance Group for a number of years, and served on the executive committee during 2014-16.

I have been a Service Team Leaders with Into Work since 2014, having started in 2005 as a Specialist Employment Adviser. Since starting I have supported people with all disabilities and health conditions, focusing for a few years on the support of those with Acquired Brain Injury. I now manage teams of advisers in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian as well as our welfare rights service. Into Work is my first voluntary sector employer. Prior to this I worked in the private sector as a Recruitment Consultant in Edinburgh for 8 years and I have also worked in a client-facing public sector role with East Lothian Council.

I’m one of Into Work’s Service Team Leaders. I’ve have worked in the supported employment arena for over 26 years, mostly in the voluntary sector but have also worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant within the private sector for a 4-year period specialising in severe injury cases. I joined Into Work in the year 2000. I was instrumental in setting up our dedicated service for clients on the autistic spectrum. I have extensive experience of taking a holistic approach to supporting people with a wide variety of disabilities and health conditions. I also manage our Project Search sites within the NHS and the City of Edinburgh Council. I currently manage a team of Employment Advisers in our Edinburgh office.