Our Board members

Chair of the Board Katija is a highly experienced third and public sector leader with a rich portfolio of board roles, notably in health, care, financial inclusion and social justice. Previously an Independent Member of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, her particular interests lie in the wider determinants of health and the connectedness of the health and care sectors.

Prior to becoming Chair she was a senior leader at British Red Cross and a trustee of prominent charities, she advocates for the third sector to be an intrinsic part of delivering public sector services. In her non-work life Katija is an unpaid carer. Being a part of the running and cycling community in South Wales is also important to her, particularly through Parkrun, where she is a Co-Event Director and encourages everyone to enjoy time outdoors and in nature.

Aaron is the TEC Cymru Telecare Programme’s National Programme Manager. Before this, Aaron worked for Cardiff Council's telecare service, where he facilitated the provision of adult social alarms to citizens, helping them prolong their independence at home.

Aaron previously chaired the Assistive Technology Learning Improvement Network for Wales and is currently a member of the Quality Improvement Board for the Telecare Services Association.

As a fervent advocate for technology-enabled care, Aaron proudly champions its potential to enhance safety for people who need additional support, so they can keep their autonomy in their living environment.

Abyd is a Reader in Social Work at Cardiff University, where he’s worked for 20 years. Before this, Abyd worked in children’s social care and in mental health, and in social work in intake and assessment and family centres. He coordinated training in childcare and child protection, management development, and was an independent social worker for more than 25 years.

Abyd set up the first family group conferencing projects in south Wales and chaired child protection conferences across local authorities before moving to teach qualifying social work at Cardiff University.

Abyd is a BASW Cymru committee member, a trustee with Tros Gynnal Plant and is on the Race Alliance Wales steering group. Most recently, he sat on the Government Expert Panel looking at the National Care Service and is part of the Anti-racist Wales working group.

Abyd has research interests in family group conferencing and anti-racism, and recently co-edited Social Work in Wales, which was published in June 2023. Abyd is an ‘east African Ismaili’ Muslim, a runner and a fan of photography, football and world music.

Dr Edwin Mutambanengwe is a qualified social worker with experience across the public, private, and third sectors, both in the UK and internationally. He has worked at both frontline and managerial levels, predominantly in child protection. His doctoral research focused on implementation science, exploring how legislation, policies and practices can be effectively translated into meaningful outcomes for children and families.

Edwin is also a qualified Practice Educator and Social Work Coach. He has taught in higher education institutions and continues to supervise student social workers in partnership with universities.

He is passionate about practice development and contributes to the profession through involvement in the BASW Diaspora Special Interest Group. He has also previously participated in the Working Practices Workstreams for Social Work England.

Einir is a qualified social worker. She has worked in different roles across children and adults’ services, including in leadership and management.

Einir is a fluent Welsh speaker.

Helen Mary Jones has 40 years’ experience of work in public service, including as a Member of the Senedd, where she chaired the Children and Young People’s Committee and the Culture Committee. She Chaired Cross-Party Groups on Children and Young People, Looked After Children, and Human Rights. She served as Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services and Shadow Minister for the Economy.

Outside politics she has held significant roles, including chief executive of a national youth work charity and Deputy Director of the Equal Opportunities Commission. She was appointed to the Ministerial Intervention Board sent into Pembrokeshire County Council following a series of safeguarding failings. She has presented on public policy at Harvard, Houston, and Austin Universities. In September 2021 she was elected to the Board of Children in Wales, the umbrella body for children’s organisations. She currently works as a policy and public affairs consultant.

Isobel has worked in the non-profit care and support sector for 14 years. She has over a decade of experience managing Quality Assurance and Improvement in registered care services, to enable better outcomes for people using services. Isobel is also the Safeguarding Lead for a large pan-Wales housing association who provide care and support across South and Mid Wales.

Kieran has almost 15 years’ leadership experience in a range of charities providing care and support in Wales and across the UK. He is currently Chief Executive of Mind Cwm Taf Morgannwg.

Before that he provided policy development support to Welsh Government Ministers, led marketing and commercial activities in the sports sector and supported a wide range of companies with public relations and public affairs.

Mark was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 11 months, which gradually spread throughout his body. By the age of eight, he needed full-time care, which was provided by his family, and at the age of 10, he was confined to an electric wheelchair. After his father passed away in 2008, Mark began receiving full-time care from an outside agency.

Since 2011, Mark has attended New Horizons day centre, the only day centre in Wales for the physically disabled. At New Horizons, Mark has had a prominent role in three successful projects, and he currently sits on a newly-formed client panel, which is responsible for representing the needs and wishes of clients in meetings with the day centre management and the local authority.

In 2023, Mark was part of the ‘Experts by experience’ panel at our Celebrating social work conferences. He’s looking forward to, and hopes to, bring a different perspective to our Board and influence positive change for the benefit of the wider national community.

Neil has been a social worker for 37 years. After training in Northern Ireland, he has worked for most of his career in Wales, in a number of authorities in North Wales as a Social Worker, Team Manager, Service Manager and Head of Service. Most recently, he has been the Director of Social Services in Flintshire for 14 years, until his retirement in the summer of 2024.

Neil has detailed experience of working successfully in learning disability services, safeguarding, older people's services, partnerships and children's services and has a passion for service improvement in social care.

Progress currently works with the Department for Business and Trade and has over 10 years’ experience across Government, health and social care, power and energy as well as financial technology.

He holds a Masters and Doctorate in management, with research interest in business systems, ethical leadership, organisational behaviour and entrepreneurship.

Progress’s interests include watching and playing football as well as spending time with family.

Sarah, who’s ethnic origin is from Pakistan, has lived in Conwy for 20 years. Sarah has a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Science, and a Master’s degree focused in Public Health from the University of Manchester, and she has recently completed a Higher National Diploma in Health Leadership and Management.

Sarah is the Responsible Individual and registered manager of a nursing home in Conwy, and has direct experience providing and managing regulated services, making sure each person lives a life that’s important to them.

Sarah takes a leading role in supporting the well-being of the elderly community in Conwy and is passionate about improving partnerships, commissioning best practice and providing a high standard of person-centred care. Her non-work interests include travel, fitness and construction.

Until December 2022, Sue was an established strategic leader in the third sector with over 30 years’ experience working in health and social care, including 15 years as Country Director for Wales at Alzheimer’s Society. Sue’s roles, at a strategic and operational level, focused on the funding, planning and delivery of high-quality, needs-led services for people affected by dementia. Sue believes in the strength and richness of diversity and the value of understanding and learning from multiple voices and experiences to drive improvement and accessibility.

Sue was honoured to be awarded an MBE in 2017 for services to dementia in Wales. She currently holds Non-Executive Board memberships for Cricket Wales, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and United Welsh Housing Association. Having been a long-distance carer for both parents who lived with dementia, Sue now uses her spare time to volunteer as a Companion Caller for people affected by dementia and enjoys live music and theatre.

Trystan Pritchard has experience across the public and third sectors in Wales. Currently Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships, Engagement and Insight at Heath Education and Improvement Wales, he has previously held senior roles in Health Boards, the Third Sector and Local Government. His areas of expertise include engagement, strategic management, leadership and coaching.

Trystan is also a member of the National Lottery Committee in Wales and chairs Mantell Gwynedd, the county voluntary council. He has also served as Chairman of the Citizen’s Advice Wales Committee.

A fluent Welsh speaker, his interests include mountaineering, Welsh rugby and spending time with his family.