Trustees

Dal was appointed a YSS Trustee in April 2025.

As CEO, Gary is driving forward the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership which leads on strategic economic development across the numerous themes in the county.  He leads the Executive Team to deliver the WLEP’s ambitions and delivery of the WLEP business plan.

Gary is an innovative leader.  Galvanising business leaders across Worcestershire together with local authority and educational leaders, Gary has consistently achieved success in his role.  Where 10 years of Worcestershire Apprenticeships promotion, BetaDen, a national award winning technology accelerator, designing business support programme to enable local companies to grow through the Worcestershire Growth Hub, these have all made a material impact on the factors that make the local economy successful.

This builds on his previous record as Head of Policy and Education at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, from which he has brought with him a wealth of business insight and networks as well as considerable experience of Government policy and delivery. Educated at the University of Wales, Cardiff, where he obtained his degree in Leisure and Recreation Management, and the University of Gloucestershire, where he studied for his postgraduate diploma in Business Administration, he previously worked for Gloucestershire County Council’s market towns and economic development arm, overseeing regeneration.

Justin was appointed a YSS Trustee in April 2025. Justin is a senior governance professional with extensive experience across the voluntary, public and social housing sectors. He currently serves as Company Secretary at Community Housing, where he provides strategic leadership on governance, risk management, regulatory compliance and board assurance.

He has over 18 years’ experience in social housing, including senior leadership roles responsible for governance frameworks, internal audit, business continuity and regulatory engagement. Prior to this, his career included senior roles in community development, criminal justice, and public sector commissioning.

As a YSS he provides governance and assurance expertise to support the charity’s strategic direction and long‑term sustainability.

A planner by training he has many years’ experience of working in the voluntary sector. Following a career in regeneration and community development he became Executive Director of ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), a membership charity with a mission to support sustainable and thriving communities across rural England. Prior to joining ACRE, he was Chief Executive of Community First in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, a voluntary sector support organisation. Whilst at Community First he helped set up, and later chaired, Regional Action West Midlands, a third sector infrastructure organisation. Richard has also been Deputy Chair of Hastoe Housing Association, a leading developer of affordable rural housing in rural communities.
During his career Richard has established and run government funded programmes whilst also working to influence policy to better meet the needs of end beneficiaries and local communities.
He is passionate about good governance, spending time with his grown-up daughters and fair-weather motorcycling when the time allows.

Sarah was appointed a YSS Trustee in April 2025.

Susanna is a Trustee, following her role as Chair of Trustees from 2007 to 2018, having been a Trustee since 2004. Prior to that, she was a YSS Appropriate Adult Volunteer. Susanna is a member of the West Mercia Police Vetting Appeals Panel and Disciplinary Appeals Panel. She is also a member of Suckley Church PCC, The Worcester Cathedral Council, and a Trustee of Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust, as well as a school Governor. Susanna works part-time at Bromyard Community Hospital as a Physiotherapist, and is a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Herefordshire.

Fiona was appointed a Trustee in September 2016. She trained as a Nurse at the QEH in Birmingham, and worked as a Health Visitor in Birmingham and Worcester before becoming an NHS Manager in 1990. Fiona worked in various organisations, mainly concerned with primary care, and was latterly a Chief Executive of a PCG. After having her fourth child, she left the NHS in 2003, and since then has run a business with her husband helping the medical device and pharma industries get their products through the regulatory processes in the UK and Europe. Fiona has been a Magistrate for 11 years, and sits on the adult and family panels. She was chair of the South Worcestershire Bench from 2018 to 2021. She has chaired the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign since it began in 2007 and, after raising £1.5 million, saw the new unit opened in February 2015. She now chairs the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven Charity which provides ongoing support to all breast cancer patients.

Jared was appointed an Associate Trustee at YSS in December 2021, and full Trustee in May 2022. He started his career as a Financial Adviser, and subsequently worked for the financial ombudsman before moving into head office roles. Jared has most recently been Internal Audit Director, and now Client Services Director at St. James’s Place Wealth Management (“SJP”), with responsibility for the administration back-office function across the Group. Previously, Jared worked in compliance for HSBC supporting their Branch Network, Contact Centres, and First Direct operations. He has also previously served as the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer for SJP, prior to which he had set up their Business Assurance function.