OCD Action’s Team
Our team of Trustees, Volunteers and Staff work together to help make the sure that the Charity can meet its objectives and realise its vision. In this section you can learn more about who is involved with the Charity.
Trustees
OCD Action’s Trustees have responsibility for the governance of the charity, setting our strategy and ensuring that we meet our objectives.
Our Trustees team comprises of people with OCD, carers, medical professionals and charity professionals. The balance of our Trustees group is one of the things that makes OCD Action such a strong charity. Together, they offer a wealth of personal experience and professional knowledge to ensure that we not only fully understand the challenge of OCD but that we are also equipped to meet it.
Kath Howell
Chair
Kath's passion for making a difference to the lives of those affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder led her to join OCD Action as a Trustee in early 2017. She has held the position of Chair since 2021.
Prior to joining OCD Action's Board, Kath served as a Trustee for several charities. Her partner has OCD, so she fully understands the impact the condition can have on people’s lives. In fact, it was her husband's delayed OCD diagnosis that motivated her to get involved with OCD Action, wanting to do what she could to ensure that others would not have to go through the same experience.
Kath's professional background in Management Consultancy enables her to bring valuable skills in strategy and operational improvement to the organisation.
As Chair, Kath is excited to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers, and Trustees of OCD Action to build upon the charity’s accomplishments and lead it towards a bright and hopeful future for the OCD community.
Piers Watson
Trustee
Piers Watson has been involved with the Charity for over 25 years as a Trustee and former Chair.
He has OCD himself and is passionate about ensuring the support he has received for his OCD is available to everyone.
After studying history at the University of St Andrews, Piers spent his early career in investment management before moving into the art world. For the last twenty years he has been a co-Director of Watson Westmorland, agents in fine art.
Professor David Veale
Trustee
Professor David Veale
Trustee
Professor David Veale FRCPsych, FBPsS is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at The South London and Maudsley Trust (NHS) and The Nightingale Hospital (private).
Both centres provide specialist treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Professor Veale is also based in the Department of Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry where he conducts original research in OCD, BDD and a specific phobia of vomiting.
He is a past Chairman of OCD Action and continues as a professional adviser and trustee of today’s OCD Action Committee. He is co-author of the self-help books “Overcoming OCD”; “Overcoming Body Image Problems (including BDD); “Overcoming Health Anxiety” and “Manage Your Mood” all published by Robinson. He was a member of the NICE group that produced guidelines on treating OCD and BDD.
He is past President of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). You can contact David via his website at www.veale.co.uk.
Chloe Volz
Trustee
Chloe is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Maudsley Hospital in London. She heads up the national specialist OCD service for children and young people where they offer assessment and treatment for OCD and related disorders to some of the most severely unwell young people around the country. Since joining this service in 2002 she has been involved with OCD Action, recently increasing her involvement and commitment by becoming a Trustee in 2019.
Witnessing the devastation that OCD can cause young people and their families on a daily basis, Chloe is committed to raising awareness of the disorder, delivering effective treatment and disseminating the skills required to deliver this treatment through teaching and training.
Chloe is pleased to be able to bring her extensive experience in the field to help shape future strategy and developments for OCD Action particularly in its work with young people and families.
Catherine Benfield
Trustee
Catherine Benfield
Trustee
Catherine joined the OCD Action Board of Trustees in 2023, bringing her rich experience in advocacy and mental health. As a qualified primary school teacher, Catherine worked for nearly two decades in diverse and underserved communities in East London. She is a dedicated OCD advocate, managing the website Taming Olivia and supporting individuals with OCD for over eight years, collaborating with various national and international charities, including OCD Action.
Her firsthand experience with OCD since childhood gives her a deep understanding of the condition's challenges and misconceptions. Catherine has been instrumental as the executive producer of a multi-award-winning film about OCD and distressing intrusive thoughts, gaining recognition in the international film festival circuit.
At OCD Action, Catherine is committed to leveraging her expertise in press, public relations, and communications, as well as her insights into building resources for young people with OCD.
Jay Dias
Trustee
Jay became a Trustee of OCD Action in 2023. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Leela Capital, Jay brings his extensive background in consulting and investment to the organisation. His expertise lies in assisting entrepreneurs to scale their businesses effectively, with a strong track record that includes significant growth achievements and successful exits.
With a career foundation at PwC and academic pursuits at London Business School and the London School of Economics, Jay has developed a results-focused approach that is crucial for driving initiatives within OCD Action.
Having a personal connection to OCD through his partner, Jay is highly motivated to support the OCD community. His commitment extends to improving mental health awareness and accessibility, particularly within male and South Asian communities.
At OCD Action, Jay aims to ensure sound financial management and to introduce cutting-edge technology and practices that can benefit the charity and its mission to support those affected by OCD.
Sarah Hindley
Trustee
Sarah joined the OCD Action Board of Trustees in 2023. With a deep understanding of lived experiences, a strong professional background in fundraising and a keen interest in research, Sarah is passionate about advancing understanding of OCD and improving access to evidence-based treatments.
Sarah has worked in the charity sector for over a decade, previously managing fundraising and support teams. Currently working as a Trusts Manager for a large Christian charity, she is especially interested in the interplay between mental health and faith and is dedicated to dismantling the stigma associated with OCD.
As a Trustee, Sarah is eager to support OCD Action’s mission and contribute to the transformative work being done by the charity’s staff, volunteers, and supporters to positively impact the lives of those affected by OCD.
Beth Kerr
Trustee
Beth is an experienced educator, speaker, and school inspector. Dedicated to empowering young minds, Beth, now a consultant and coach, witnessed the crucial role OCD Action played in supporting a family dealing with OCD during her teaching years. Inspired by this impact, she became an OCD Action Trustee in November 2023.
Bringing her extensive experience to OCD Action, Beth is particularly eager to amplify the voices of young people within the charity, believing firmly in their power to influence meaningful change.
Faizal Musa
Trustee
Faizal was appointed as a Trustee for OCD Action in 2023. His professional background as an HR Director and chartered member of the Institute for Personnel and Development has honed his expertise in cultivating inclusive and connected workplace cultures. With over two decades in HR, Faizal has extensive experience in the retail and education sectors, and is currently working for a multi-academy trust which runs schools across the north of England.
Faizal is dedicated to ensuring equal educational opportunities for children from all backgrounds and is actively involved as a trustee in a youth organisation supporting underprivileged young people. His personal experiences with close friends and family facing mental health challenges have fuelled his commitment to addressing stigma and accessibility in mental health care.
As a Muslim and member of an ethnic minority, Faizal is particularly focused on dismantling cultural barriers in mental health within minority communities. His passion for mental health advocacy and his personal and professional insights are instrumental in his role at OCD Action, where he aims to make a significant impact on the lives of those affected by OCD.
Staff
Leigh Wallbank
Chief Executive Officer (ft) - London
Leigh Wallbank
Chief Executive Officer (ft) - London
Leigh has over 15 years’ experience in the voluntary and statutory sectors. She has held a number of senior leadership roles in national mental health charities and feels it is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead OCD Action’s team of skilled and committed staff and volunteers.
She is passionate about increasing awareness of OCD and tackling the painful trivialisation that exists in society. Throughout her career she has seen the devastation that OCD can cause, but strongly believes that OCD is treatable. Leigh is committed to working with the OCD community to ensure OCD is properly understood and everyone impacted by OCD has access to the right treatment at the right time.
Leigh is pleased to have an opportunity to work with OCD Action staff, members, volunteers, and the wider OCD community in driving forward real change for everyone affected by OCD.
Keira Bartlett
Groups and Communities Manager (ft) - Cromer
Keira Bartlett
Groups and Communities Manager (ft) - Cromer
Keira joined OCD Action in 2013 as our first Groups and Communities Manager.
She is the project Manager for the Charity's 'Always Better Together' project, which delivers a range of online support groups. The project also works to develop and support the network of local independent support groups across the UK.
Prior to joining the OCD Action staff team, Keira ran local OCD support groups and volunteered as a Trustee for the Charity.
You can contact her at keira@ocdaction.org.uk.
Christian Bower
Helpline Manager (pt) - London
Cara Gordon
Communications, PR and Engagement Manager (ft) - London
Cara Gordon
Communications, PR and Engagement Manager (ft) - London
Cara joined the OCD Action team in 2019 and became Communications, PR and Engagement Manager in 2021.
Cara plays a pivotal role in steering the charity's external communications and engagement work. She is dedicated to spreading awareness about OCD through various channels, including collaborations with the media. Cara leads a dynamic team responsible for orchestrating essential events, such as the annual conference, crafting impactful campaigns, managing the charity's vibrant social media presence, and more. Her role extends to leading the charity's Youth service, which includes an e-Helpline for 14-25 year-olds and the Young People's Co-production Panel.
Cara is passionate about shifting the public perception of OCD and challenging misconceptions, believing that this is key to ensuring that everybody gets the treatment and support they need, when they need it.
For inquiries or to connect with Cara, reach out to her via email at cara@ocdaction.org.uk.
Lana C
Helpline Co-ordinator (pt) - London
Eden Diffley
Administrator (pt) - London
Mairéad Ruane
Communications and Content Officer (pt) - London
Lauren Tribe
Services Co-ordinator (ft) - London
Lived Experience Leadership
At OCD Action, we take a lived experience leadership approach, meaning people’s personal experience of OCD directly influences our strategy and decision making. We currently have two co-production panels leading this work. Our Youth Engagement Panel are a group of under 25s with personal experience of OCD and related conditions, who help to design and deliver our work with young people. The establishment of our EDI Panel in March 2023 marked a pivotal advancement in making our services more inclusive for people of colour. The panels meet once a month to co-design and co-produce initiatives, ranging from awareness-raising campaigns to support services.
Volunteers
The Charity works with around 100 volunteers throughout the UK. We rely on their dedication and commitment to deliver the services that we provide for people with OCD and to help raise awareness of the disorder. You can learn more about volunteering at OCD Action here.
