You are here: Home About Us Faces Behind the Foundation Faces Behind the Foundation Welcome to our staff and Trustee teams, and meet our President and President Emeritus. Role Staff President Chair Vice-Chair Trustee Vice-President President Emeritus Carole O'Neill RGN JP Trustee Carole trained as a nurse in Doncaster and worked as a Ward Sister in the Accident & Emergency department for many years. She began work as a Magistrate in 1991 and served in the Judiciary for 28 years before retiring. In 2020, Carole was appointed as the first ever female High Sheriff in South Yorkshire from Doncaster. Nick Pike Trustee Nick is a Chartered Financial Planner and a Certified Financial Planner as well as an accredited Later Life Adviser. He has provided financial planning advice to a diverse range of clients including private individuals, Trusts and pension schemes. Currently, he is a Financial Planning Director at abrdn, previously known as 1825. Martin Ross Trustee Martin was the founder of Sheffield-based PR and communications company HR Media Ltd, now known as Chapter II. He’s worked closely with a number of well-known organisations in the Sheffield City Region including Sheffield City Trust, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sheffield United FC, sharing his knowledge of a broad range of communication skills. Tricia Smith Trustee Tricia was until recently the CEO of the Source Skills Academy, with over twenty years’ experience in the Education sector. She holds Trustee roles as Non-Executive Director of Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Governor at Kirk Balk, whilst being a member of the Rotherham Skills and Employment Group and the Sheffield City Region Provider Network David Akeroyd Trustee David has been involved in Further Education since 2008 joining Barnsley College in August 2019 and was promoted to his current position as Principal and Chief Executive Officer in August 2023. David has previously worked in Banking and Finance and has held senior leadership roles in Liverpool and Bradford prior to joining Barnsley College. His commitment and passion to developing learning programmes for young people and adults based around the knowledge, skills and behaviour required for successful transition into employment or higher education feed into the Barnsley College vision “Transforming Lives”. Melinda Schofield Trustee Melinda has over 25 experience in advertising and media and currently holds the position of Regional Sales Director at Bauer Media Yorkshire where she is skilled in negotiation, advertising/sponsorship sales, budgeting, business planning, marketing, management, and coaching. Darren Littlewood Trustee Darren Littlewood joined Henry Boot in 1998 before becoming Chief Financial Officer in January 2016. He is responsible to the Board for all financial and risk matters relating to the Henry Boot Group of Companies. He is heavily involved in investor communications is also responsible for communicating strategy and results to both private and institutional investors.Alongside his role at Henry Boot, Darren is a Director and Trustee of South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited and Member of the CBI Yorkshire and Humber Regional Council. Julie Gill Trustee Julie has over 25 years of strategic and operational management experience, the last 12 of which were at board level and senior executive roles. This has been accrued within a demanding and highly regulated financial services sector environment. In managing £multi-million business critical transformation and investment projects, Julie has consistently delivered on strategic vision and have enabled business to fully exploit growth opportunities. Her last role being Executive Director of Operations at Westfield Health. Julie is currently a Trustee of Rotherham Hospice. Previous Trusteeships have included a member of the Joint Audit Committee for the SY Police and Crime Commissioner, Cathedral Archer Project, Nether Edge Management Company Limited and a governor at Bradfield School Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next
Carole O'Neill RGN JP Trustee Carole trained as a nurse in Doncaster and worked as a Ward Sister in the Accident & Emergency department for many years. She began work as a Magistrate in 1991 and served in the Judiciary for 28 years before retiring. In 2020, Carole was appointed as the first ever female High Sheriff in South Yorkshire from Doncaster.
Nick Pike Trustee Nick is a Chartered Financial Planner and a Certified Financial Planner as well as an accredited Later Life Adviser. He has provided financial planning advice to a diverse range of clients including private individuals, Trusts and pension schemes. Currently, he is a Financial Planning Director at abrdn, previously known as 1825.
Martin Ross Trustee Martin was the founder of Sheffield-based PR and communications company HR Media Ltd, now known as Chapter II. He’s worked closely with a number of well-known organisations in the Sheffield City Region including Sheffield City Trust, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sheffield United FC, sharing his knowledge of a broad range of communication skills.
Tricia Smith Trustee Tricia was until recently the CEO of the Source Skills Academy, with over twenty years’ experience in the Education sector. She holds Trustee roles as Non-Executive Director of Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Governor at Kirk Balk, whilst being a member of the Rotherham Skills and Employment Group and the Sheffield City Region Provider Network
David Akeroyd Trustee David has been involved in Further Education since 2008 joining Barnsley College in August 2019 and was promoted to his current position as Principal and Chief Executive Officer in August 2023. David has previously worked in Banking and Finance and has held senior leadership roles in Liverpool and Bradford prior to joining Barnsley College. His commitment and passion to developing learning programmes for young people and adults based around the knowledge, skills and behaviour required for successful transition into employment or higher education feed into the Barnsley College vision “Transforming Lives”.
Melinda Schofield Trustee Melinda has over 25 experience in advertising and media and currently holds the position of Regional Sales Director at Bauer Media Yorkshire where she is skilled in negotiation, advertising/sponsorship sales, budgeting, business planning, marketing, management, and coaching.
Darren Littlewood Trustee Darren Littlewood joined Henry Boot in 1998 before becoming Chief Financial Officer in January 2016. He is responsible to the Board for all financial and risk matters relating to the Henry Boot Group of Companies. He is heavily involved in investor communications is also responsible for communicating strategy and results to both private and institutional investors.Alongside his role at Henry Boot, Darren is a Director and Trustee of South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited and Member of the CBI Yorkshire and Humber Regional Council.
Julie Gill Trustee Julie has over 25 years of strategic and operational management experience, the last 12 of which were at board level and senior executive roles. This has been accrued within a demanding and highly regulated financial services sector environment. In managing £multi-million business critical transformation and investment projects, Julie has consistently delivered on strategic vision and have enabled business to fully exploit growth opportunities. Her last role being Executive Director of Operations at Westfield Health. Julie is currently a Trustee of Rotherham Hospice. Previous Trusteeships have included a member of the Joint Audit Committee for the SY Police and Crime Commissioner, Cathedral Archer Project, Nether Edge Management Company Limited and a governor at Bradfield School
