Board members

Dr Jackie Craissati is a Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with over 25 years of experience in NHS mental health services. She has been a Non-Executive Director at Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) since 2016 and became Chair in 2020.

In this role, Jackie also chairs the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT) and works closely with the local Integrated Care System, where she leads the Health & Care Partnership Board. In addition to her NHS leadership roles, Jackie was appointed Chair of Crohn’s & Colitis UK in May 2022, continuing her commitment to improving health and wellbeing across communities.

Chris Gonde was appointed to the Board in January 2024 and brings clinical expertise to the Board. He is the Non-Executive lead for research and represents the Board as Non Executive lead for Health Inequalities with the Kent and Medway Health Care Partnership.

Chris is currently a Principal Liver Transplant Scientist at the Liver Unit of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where he is also a Workforce Race Equality Standard Expert. He has previously been an Associate Non-Executive Director for South East Coast Ambulance Service, and was previously an elected Councillor for Southwark and a Non-Executive Director for the London Mutual Credit Union.

Stephen Cornes was appointed to the Board in January 2024 and brings technical, operational and innovation expertise to the Board. He will be the Non-Executive Lead for Quality improvement and Maternity.

Stephen was the Interim Blood Supply Main Board Director for NHSBT until June 2022, having previously run his own consultancy business. Prior to this he was a Regional Operations Director for Alliance Healthcare and held a range of roles across P&G including as Supply Network Operations Director, Global Customer Service and Logistics Director and as Integrated Business Planning and Supply Network Design Director, and was the global logistics Director for P&G's business with Tesco.

Lynn joined the Board in September 2017. Lynn qualified as a Solicitor in 1990 and worked in private practice in Kent for 9 years before moving to in house legal roles. Lynn has worked for Balfour Beatty since 2002 and is currently Associate General Counsel for the Infrastructure business.

Lynn has experience in various director roles on a variety of projects developed by Balfour Beatty.  Lynn has an LLB (Hons) in Law from Kings College London.

Suzanne is an experienced non-executive director with extensive senior leadership experience.  A qualified accountant and tax consultant with over thirty years’ experience in business, primarily Financial Services, she now has a portfolio career.

Currently, she is Vice-Chair of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee at Cross Keys Homes, the largest provider of social housing in Peterborough, and Chairperson of The Fifth Trust, a Kent-based charity that supports adults with learning disabilities.  A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she lectures part-time at Canterbury Christ Church University where she enjoys leading and inspiring the next generation.  She works with Advance HE as a consultant specialising in both leadership and in governance and she is an advisor on Cambridge University’s ESRC DTP Training and Development Group. 

With a proven track record of effective leadership, developing solutions that provide organisation-wide value, supporting growth and sustainability, she leads by example.  An advocate for social justice, she champions equality for all.  
 

David was appointed to the Board on 1 January 2021, as one of our Non-Executive Directors and Chair of our Audit Committee. 

David is an accomplished Chief Finance Officer having worked in Financial Services, predominately for the UK businesses of large Global Financial Institutions and he brings a wealth of experience and extensive senior leadership qualities to the role. 

David is a qualified accountant and Corporate Treasurer specialising in enhancing financial performance, strategy, and governance, together with empowering and coaching teams.  

Julia Wendon was appointed to the Board in December 2023 and brings her clinical expertise to the Board. She Chairs the Quality and Safety Committee and holds Non-Executive lead responsibility for Maternity

Julia is the Clinical Director for Critical Care at the NHSE London Regional Office, and is currently the Medical Director of the London Clinic. Prior to this she was the Executive Director of Clinical Strategy which was a joint post that worked across King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. The Executive Medical Director for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where she was previously the Clinical Director of Critical Care and their Director of Research and Development.

Julius Christmas was appointed to the Board in April 2024 and brings expertise in transformation, innovation and technology to the Board. He Chairs the People and Organisational Development Committee and is the Non-Executive lead for Digital (transformation)

Julius has had a career in technology and change, working across multiple commercial sectors, including financial services, travel and healthcare. Most recently, Julius was Group

Chief Information Officer at Saga PLC where he was a member of the Executive Leadership team and led the technology, cyber and change functions. Additionally he has been a “30% club” mentor, an Industry Board Member and curriculum adviser at the University of Kent and has worked with local companies in Kent to improve student employability in the technology space.