EJ Havlin Northern Ireland Development Director Expand As the director of our service in N.Ireland, EJ is responsible for service delivery and development across N.Ireland. EJ manages a team of skilled and experienced staff members who have personal and professional experience allowing them to offer information, advice and support to adoptive families in N.Ireland.With a degree in Social Sciences plus a range of community development and adult education & training qualifications, EJ comes from a voluntary sector professional background. Previous roles have involved widening participation & social mobility in higher education at Queens University Belfast, capacity building initiatives in Belfast community projects & developing empowerment programmes for older people across N.Ireland. EJ is committed to enabling the voice of adopters to be raised.EJ is an adopter and was previously a volunteer with Adoption UK.
Fiona Aitken Development Director Scotland Expand As the director of our service in Scotland, Fiona is responsible for service delivery and development across Scotland. Fiona manages a team of skilled and experienced staff members who have personal and professional experience allowing them to offer information, advicee and support to adoptive families in Scotland. With a degree in Sociology and a qualification in Speech and Language therapy, Fiona comes from a child focussed professional background. Previous roles involved developing and coordinating family support services for children and families affected by disabilities, and working in a residential respite environment. She has a further qualification in Autism, and an interest in therapeutic interventions. Fiona believes that Adoption UK in Scotland offers unique support to families, with a foundation of peer support and shared learning and experiences, and is keen to develop the support services to help meet the needs of families and raise awareness of adoption in Scotland.
Ann Bell Development Director Wales Expand Ann is responsible for developing and managing our activities in Wales. As well as overseeing the delivery of services to adopters across Wales, Ann also liaises with the Welsh Government and local authorities, ensuring that the voice of adoptive parents is heard in the new National Adoption Service. An adoptee and adoptive parent herself, Ann was formerly a secondary school teacher and more recently worked as Director of Communities that Care in Wales. She has a Masters degree in early childhood studies and has done research into the support needs of adoptive parents during the first year of placement.
Joel Saddler Interim Chief Operating Officer Expand As interim Chief Operating Officer Joel is responsible for the day to day operational management of the charity in addition to income generation, including fundraising and business development. Joel has over 35 years’ experience in the public sector and third sector having careers in the NHS, Ofsted Early Years, a national advocacy charity and a private sector childcare business. He joined Adoption UK in 2014 and since then has been the lead in winning, developing and overseeing a number of government grant funded projects.
Sue Armstrong Brown Chief Executive Expand Sue is Chief Executive at Adoption UK, overseeing the charity’s strategic direction, ensuring that the voice of adopters is recognized within key legislative decisions, and leading the development of the organisation. Sue has a 25-year track record of helping charities achieve their goals with government. A charity director and lead advocate, Sue has previously worked with prominent NGOs including the RSPB and Green Alliance, as well as being a charity trustee and an independent strategy and policy advisor. Sue is an adoptive mother Contact Sue Read Sue's blog
Scott Casson-Rennie Director – Engagement & Delivery Expand Scott heads up the Engagement & Delivery Team in England – responsible for development and delivery of Peer support to our membership, and securing and delivering Peer support services to adoption agencies.Scott and his team have developed Adoption UK’s “Adopter Voice” service which is now a fully commissionable service and recognised within Regional Adoption Agencies as a way of being able to improve and develop their services, as well as Regional and National Adoption and Special Guardian Leadership Boards.Scott is an adoptive parent to three sons, and has vast experience of roles relating to adoption in Local Authorities, Regional Adoption Agencies and Voluntary Adoption Agencies since 2007.Contact Scott [email protected]