Our Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of Changing Faces.

They meet regularly during the year to consider, determine and review the charity’s strategies and policies, and to receive reports from senior managers.

Our Trustees work for Changing Faces voluntarily to make sure we’re doing all we can to reach and improve the lives of people affected by visible difference.

We are always keen to hear from people who could add skills and experience to our Board – please email [email protected] to find out more.

Meet our Trustees

Helen Marshall (Chair)

Helen joined the Changing Faces Board of Trustees as Chair in December 2024. She is Chief Executive of Brook, the sexual health and wellbeing charity and has more than 35 years’ experience working at senior level in the private and charitable sectors, the last 15 years as Chief Executive.

Helen specialises in strategic development, social and economic regeneration, and business growth through innovation. Helen is passionate about social justice and improving outcomes for vulnerable communities.

She says. “Changing Faces is invaluable in supporting people with a visible difference, and I am truly excited to be working closely with our campaigners, staff, donors and the wider visible difference community to achieve ever greater impact.”

Bridget Gardiner (Honorary Secretary)

Bridget started her career in commercial marketing, followed by many years at a senior level in charities. This included Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Richard House Children’s Hospice, and Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Epilepsy Society.

Bridget retired from her role as Executive Director at youth development charity The Brokerage in summer 2019. She is a member of the Institute of Fundraising and has previously been a Trustee of The Directory of Social Change (DSC) as well as The Camden Society.

In addition to her role as Trustee of Changing Faces, Bridget is currently a Trustee of Thomas Cook Children’s Charity.

Elissa Holme (Honorary Treasurer)

Elissa has over 25 years’ experience in financial services, in trading and treasury roles, and is a fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers. She currently heads the treasury and liquidity management team for LCH Ltd, which is part of the London Stock Exchange Group. Elissa has responsibility for investment and liquidity management across London and New York.

Kate Pryke

Kate began her career with Stephenson Harwood as a solicitor specialising in trust administration. Since leaving private practice, she has focused on voluntary roles, serving on the board for various charitable trusts and as Deputy Chair of Governors at both junior and senior schools. Kate’s involvement with Changing Faces began after her husband sustained partial facial paralysis following an acute episode of Bells Palsy. She also serves as a magistrate in the Family Court.

John Ashcroft

John is currently National Director – Eye Care at NHS England. He also sits on national boards connected to ophthalmology and dentistry. John has held a number of posts in both the NHS and private sector healthcare and was previously Chief Executive of Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and University Dental Hospital of Manchester Trust. He has also worked at Great Ormond Street and the Royal Free London hospitals. John has expertise in leadership, strategy and operational delivery both within and across organisations in health and care.

Tiwonge Chipeta-Cohn

Tiwonge brings a wealth of experience from the public, private and charitable sectors both in the UK and abroad. Her passion and expertise is equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in which she’s held strategic and operational roles. She enjoys making the complexities and sensitivities of EDI simple.

Tiwonge has been a long-time supporter of Changing Faces, having experienced a facial trauma following a road traffic accident. A former skin camouflage volunteer, she has a keen interest in organisational development, mental health, maxillofacial surgery and scar maintenance. She says, “Changing Faces has the power to save lives: it saved mine.”

Monica Gizzi

Monica has nine years of experience in professional services, initially training as a chartered accountant (ICAS) within audit before moving into strategic consultancy in London. She currently supports CEOs of high-growth businesses on key topics such as opportunity analysis, transaction execution and strategy planning. Monica received an MBA from EDHEC Business School in 2020 and has a LLB (Hons) degree from University of Aberdeen.

Monica was born with a birthmark on her right cheek and says, “My parents were put in touch with Changing Faces for support when I was a baby, probably around the time that the charity first started.” She has taken part in various events and fundraising initiatives in the years since, and became a Trustee to provide support at a strategic level.

Susan Harrison

Susan has over 40 years’ experience of working in operational, strategic and governance roles in health, housing and social care in London and the South-East. Having retired from full-time employment, she offers her time and skills in governance roles and occasional project work.

Susan has trained extensively in management and organisational theory and practice. She is also a lay research ethicist, and is committed to the development and application of research evidence in health and social care services.

Susan was born with a port-wine birthmark and also brings her lived-experience to her role as a Trustee.

Victoria Hunt

Victoria is a digital product manager at Croydon Council. Prior to that she worked for NHS Digital for 10 years with a focus on public health and digital technologies.

Victoria has long been interested in Changing Faces’ work, having been born with Goldenhar syndrome. She joined the Board of Trustees in 2015 and has a special interest in digital and social media.

Nicholas Lee

Nicholas is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and a consultant maxillofacial surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He trained in oral and maxillofacial surgery in London at St George’s Hospital, Northwick Park Hospital, University College Hospital, Eastman Dental Hospital, and Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.

Nicholas completed an NHS Training Group Interface Fellowship in Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgery. He has a sub-speciality interest in facial reconstruction with a practice that includes orthognathic (jaw) surgery, facial implants (patient-specific), and patients’ management following facial trauma. Other interests include improving patient care through quality improvement and health leadership.

Amit Sheth

Amit is a senior commercial and strategy professional with extensive experience across the private and public sectors. He currently serves as Commercial, and Regulation Director at Alt HAN Co, where he oversees strategic initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory compliance for the UK’s smart energy infrastructure. Amit is a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS), with a track record of leading large-scale transformation projects and complex negotiations.

Amit has a personal connection to Changing Faces, living with vitiligo on his face, and understands first-hand the challenges faced by individuals with visible differences. Passionate about inclusion and empowering others, Amit is committed to using his strategic and financial expertise to support the charity’s mission. He says, “I’m honored to join Changing Faces and help drive meaningful change for those living with visible differences”.