Our Team

Natasha joined the team as CEO of the Sailors’ Children’s Society in 2023. She is a qualified teacher with over 23 years of experience in the education sector, and a further 10 years in the charity sector. She is passionate about ensuring children get the best possible start in life regardless of the circumstances they find themselves growing up in.

Natasha describes her role as CEO of Sailors’ Children’s Society as ‘a privilege’. She is completely invested in working with the funders, team, and trustees to do everything they can to support the families referred to us. Her goal, along with the rest of the team, is to empower families, enabling them to be self-sufficient as a result of the support provided.

When she isn’t working, Natasha loves to travel. In fact, she has even lived overseas in Thailand, China and Canada. She is a keen diver with a PADI certificate and has dived all over the world, in Indonesia, the Mediterranean, Egypt and British Columbia. Natasha has a dog called Charlie who is often seen at the society’s offices!

With over 20 years in marketing, brand management, and business growth, Rio is a true powerhouse when it comes to making an impact. Before joining us, she founded and led a successful marketing agency, and throughout her career has worked with big names like Microsoft and Reckitt, whilst also raising significant funds for various causes.

Passionate about mentoring and community involvement, she volunteers with Young Enterprise UK and is a trustee for British APCO, guiding their marketing strategies.

She’s excited to bring her experience and enthusiasm to help make a real difference for the children and families we support.

Elly has recently joined us as Events Manager; her role will be to expand fundraising opportunities through delivering several events for the charity. She has over 25 years’ experience across a range of event delivery types. She is looking forward to working on an exciting calendar of events that will help raise funds to provide additional support for the families and making a difference.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her three sons as well as socialising with friends, running and holidays. She loves building relationships and working with a variety of different people. She has a fun and infectious personality and thrives in a busy environment.

Lee has recently joined the Charity as Partnerships Manager, his role is to build, strengthen and foster relationships with corporate partners, driving impactful collaborations that support our mission. With a passion for developing meaningful connections, Lee brings experience in fostering strategic partnerships that bring value to our corporate partners and our beneficiaries.

In his spare time, Lee is involved in range of different community projects including being a Trustee of Pride in Hull and being a Governor for a local secondary school. He thrives on building relationships and collaborating with a diverse range of people.

Hannah joined the team in 2025 as Head of Welfare and Empowering Families. A qualified Social Worker and Independent Domestic Violence Advisor, she brings experience in safeguarding children and supporting victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse, as well as having a real understanding of the challenges our families face. Hannah is passionate about improving support for families and looking for new ways we can empower children and their parents to thrive. Outside of work, she is usually found having fun, chasing after her toddler, baking sweet treats, and binge-watching a good series on Netflix!

Wendy has been with the Society for over 30 years and has a wide knowledge and experience with organising fundraising events. As well as generating income from these events and from appeals and donations, she also applies to various Trusts and continues to research other organisations that meet our criteria. She also deals with the administration of the fundraising department.

Liz joined the Sailors’ Children’s Society team in June 2016 from a background as a bereavement counsellor. As a Grants Officer, she is responsible for supporting families who apply for financial assistance. Alongside the financial process, she provides practical and emotional support, liaising with caseworkers from organisations such as SSAFA, the Merchant Navy Welfare Board, and the Royal British Legion.

Liz thrives in her role providing care and support for families She gets satisfaction from building relationships with the struggling families she supports, seeing them flourish and grow as they benefit from the support of the charity. Seeing a family move on successfully with their lives is the most rewarding part of her job.

In her spare time, Liz is a keen baker. She loves making sweet treats for friends and family, with her speciality being Mars Bar Squares. She is also a fan of shopping, with a particular interest in new handbags and boots.

Michelle joined the team in September 2013, coming from a background as a Family and Children Practitioner with the NSPCC. Her role within the Sailors’ Children’s Society is to provide emotional and practical support to families. In practice, no two days look the same, with Michelle offering services including parenting support, enabling families to make changes at home, and signposting parents to services in the community.

As our DSL (designated safeguarding lead) Michelle has responsibility for ensuring that all staff and Trustees access training pertinent to their roles, ensures that we keep up to date with child protection legislative changes and provides back up to staff when they have concerns about the safety of a child or young person.

Michelle loves seeing families thrive and become independent as a result of the support she provides. One of the most rewarding aspects of her role is seeing families achieve the goals they have set, and seeing parents get back into education or the workplace. In both her current role and her earlier career with the NSPCC Michelle is driven by a desire to see children kept safe and being empowered to reach their full potential.

When she’s not at work, Michelle is kept busy spending time with her grown-up children or keeping fit. She was inspired to undertake a Bachelor of Arts in Education as an adult learner and is a keen advocate of people fulfilling their dreams. She does occasionally switch off with a Netflix binge!

Louise joined the team at the Sailors’ Children’s Society in 2015 from a background of working with children with special needs. Supporting children has always been a focus, both in her earlier career within education and the NHS and now as a Family Support Officer for the charity. Louise’s role is to offer emotional and practical support to struggling families in whatever way they need. This may include providing a healthy home, building skills, improving outcomes – or simply being there to listen.
Louise loves seeing the impact of support on the families she works with. In fact, when a family says they no longer need support is the most rewarding moment of her role as it means they have reached a place where they can move on independently. It also means a lot to know that families feel safe and able to communicate openly with her.
In her home life, Louise is just as busy with her own two children and has personal experience of having a child with autism. She is a big fan of films and musicals and loves Queen, Disney, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Shelby has recently joined the Society and helps with administration duties in the welfare department. Shelby has previously worked as a Medical Secretary at Sutton Manor Surgery, where she did this role for 10 years.

Mark brings a wealth of expertise to the Board with an impressive 38-year career in corporate, retail, and business international banking. His work has taken him across the globe, including the UK, Ireland, India, Russia, Brazil, China, and over 20 other countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Mark has built, developed, and acquired dynamic financial services companies, innovative customer propositions, and distribution capabilities in both developed and emerging markets.

Mark’s connection to the Sailors’ Children’s Society is deeply personal. His grandfather tragically died at sea, leaving behind a young family of five children with no financial support. The Sailors’ Children’s Society stepped in to provide vital assistance, ensuring the family could move forward during an incredibly difficult time.

Nic Dodd is the Vice Chairman of the Sailors’ Children’s Society Board of Trustees. With a distinguished career in the Royal Navy spanning nearly three decades, Nic brings a wealth of experience and leadership to his role.Nic joined the Royal Navy as a Logistics Officer in 1990 after graduating from the University of Warwick and Warwick Business School with a joint honours degree in Chemistry and Business Studies. A proud submariner, he has served in operational roles in the Surface Fleet and with 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, as well as a broad range of staff appointments.

Promoted to Captain in 2017, Nic’s final roles in the Navy included Commanding Officer of Ministry of Defence Abbey Wood and Head of Military Human Resources at Defence Equipment & Support. His expertise extended to Defence procurement, talent management, and overseeing significant logistical operations.

Now retired, Nic continues to serve his community as a Justice of the Peace and through his work with charities supporting seafarers. He is deeply committed to the Sailors’ Children’s Society, reflecting his lifelong connection to the maritime world and his desire to give back. As Vice Chairman, Nic is honoured to contribute his extensive experience to supporting children and families of seafarers in need.

Chris has been a dedicated Trustee of the Sailors’ Children’s Society since 1987 and served as Chairman from 2018 to 2024. He continues to contribute his wealth of experience to the Society’s mission.

Chris began his maritime career in 1967 as a cadet with the Blue Funnel Line and later moved to Bank Line, achieving his Master’s Foreign Going Certificate in 1976. After leaving the sea, he joined the family business in Hull, supplying wire rope and marine services. Under Chris’s leadership, the business diversified into lifting equipment for the marine, offshore, and renewable industries before his retirement in 2021.

Chris became a Trustee to support the seafaring community he knows so well. During his tenure, including as Chairman, he has been actively involved in fundraising and guiding the Society’s evolution to meet the changing needs of seafarers’ families and children.

Philip Cowing brings a wealth of maritime experience and leadership to the Board of Trustees. He served as Harbour Master for the Humber, one of the UK’s busiest and most complex estuaries, where he played a key role in managing commercial operations, safety, and marine services. His extensive career in the maritime sector has given him deep insight into the challenges faced by those who work at sea and the families who support them.

Philip’s connection to the Sailors’ Children’s Society is both professional and deeply personal. His grandfather, Joseph, was supported as a child by The Royal Merchant Seamen’s Orphanage after the death of his father, Matthew, a Chief Engineer who died of typhoid while at sea in the Black Sea. Though not technically an orphan, Joseph was taken in by the charity, educated, and supported until he was able to begin his working life. That legacy of support shaped Philip’s family and instilled a lifelong appreciation for charities that stand beside seafaring families in their hardest moments.

A long-time supporter of Sailors’ Children’s Society, Philip regularly attended fundraising events during his time as Harbour Master. As a trustee, he is proud to give back to a cause that mirrors his own family’s journey and supports others in navigating theirs.

Cathy Kioko-Gilligan is a Trustee of the Sailors’ Children’s Society and a practicing criminal barrister with over a decade of experience.

Cathy brings a wealth of legal expertise gained over 10 years as a practicing criminal barrister. Her involvement with the Equality and Diversity group and the Scholarship Committee for the North Eastern Barristers Circuit equips her with valuable insights and a strong commitment to inclusivity, which she brings to her role with the charity.

As a past recipient of support from the Sailors’ Children’s Society, Cathy has a deep personal connection to the charity. Her passion for its mission drives her commitment to ensuring its continued success in supporting seafaring families.

Aleks Tomczyk is an accomplished commercial business leader and C-suite executive with a broad background across financial services, legal services, oil and gas, and utilities. He has successfully built and grown several technology-led businesses from early stage to exit and has delivered major transformation programmes in both large corporations and smaller enterprises.

Currently, Aleks works in an advisory capacity and as a non-executive director, with a focus on purpose-led organisations. At the time of joining Sailors’ Children’s Society, he also held board positions at Estatesearch Group, Fintech Scotland, and LawscotTech. A former Army Reservist of 22 years, Aleks brings a strong sense of service and leadership to his work. He lives in Scotland with his family and energetic springer spaniel, and enjoys travel, the outdoors and sport.

Aleks first became involved with the charity in 2023 when he was invited by the Board to facilitate a strategic planning day at a pivotal point in the Society’s direction. The experience gave him deep insight into the charity’s mission, impact and values, and sparked a lasting connection. After continuing to support the organisation remotely, Aleks formally joined as a Trustee. He hopes to bring a fresh perspective, commercial insight, and strategic leadership to help the charity grow and sustain its support for seafaring families long into the future.

Ali is an experienced HR professional and founder of The HR Guru Ltd, bringing over 27 years of expertise to her role as Trustee.

Her background spans senior roles in large corporations such as Smith & Nephew and Centrica, as well as supporting global tech start-ups and SMEs. Ali specialises in digital HR transformation, enabling businesses to prioritise wellbeing, development, and engagement.

Having grown up in a forces family and now a mum of three, Ali has a strong personal connection to the charity’s mission. Her passion for supporting families in crisis and helping organisations grow makes her a valued member of the Sailors’ Children’s Society board.

Stephanie is a qualified teacher and experienced pastoral leader who worked in a large secondary school for over a decade. During her teaching career, she developed a strong commitment to supporting young people and ensuring they thrive both academically and personally. Now working within the Local Authority, Stephanie focuses on promoting the education of vulnerable cohorts, helping to remove barriers and create opportunities for those who need it most.
Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys cooking, keeping active through exercise, travelling to new places, and spending quality time with her family.

Joanne has built a distinguished career in the maritime industry and brings extensive seagoing and shoreside experience to her role as a Trustee of the Sailors’ Children’s Society.

She began her maritime career in 2002 as a cadet in the Merchant Navy, sailing on a wide range of vessels including cruise, cargo, container, and offshore ships. During her time at sea, Joanne progressed to achieve her Chief Engineer’s licence, gaining invaluable technical and operational expertise across multiple sectors of the industry.

After moving ashore, Joanne took on the role of Technical Superintendent for a UK-based cargo shipping company. She now works as a Superintendent, spending significant periods in Hull and the North East overseeing dry docks, and the remainder of the year supporting vessels in ports across the UK and Northern Europe.

Having worked closely with crews both at sea and shoreside, Joanne has a deep appreciation of the sacrifices made daily by seafarers and their families to keep the maritime industry moving safely. This first-hand understanding underpins her commitment to supporting the Sailors’ Children’s Society and the families it serves.