Our Trustees

I recently retired from the role of Director of Finance at Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) where I enjoyed ten years working to ensure that Hertfordshire provided its population with outstanding mental health and learning disability care and support.  It was whilst with HPFT that I began working with Mind in mid Herts and I am privileged to be able to continue this work.

I have a great interest in ensuring mental health support is available for all.  I have experienced the impact that these issues can have both on the individual and the wider family. There are a whole range of issues currently such as: access to services, service quality, funding, long-term support, unmet needs, and public perception. 

These issues need to be tackled and Mind in Mid Herts is playing a key part in this work both within the Hertfordshire health economy and also as an active trusted member of the Mind Federation. I have recently joined the National Mind Finance Audit and Risk Committee and I am delighted to have the opportunity to represent the views and needs of the federation members on that Committee.

I continue to be inspired by everyone I meet within the organisation, the staff, our volunteers our trustees and Board advisors, their commitment passion and talent are fantastic to connect with and provide MiMH’s its energy and freshness which is so important to our beneficiaries. I believe the vision, mission and goals that we have developed are the right ones and I want to continue to play a part in making these a reality.

I have been working as a pharmacist across various health sectors for over 30 years, and for the past 12 years, I have specialised as a mental health pharmacist, helping people to optimise their medication use. I am currently a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Quality Network for Learning Disability Advisory Committee. Additionally, I am pursuing a PhD at the University of Warwick, focusing on research related to psychotropic medicines. I am actively involved in delivering education and training, and I am passionate about supporting mental health and well-being, as well as improving the lives of individuals with mental health conditions. My extensive experience within the NHS, combined with supporting family members facing mental health challenges, has given me a comprehensive understanding of health policy, best practices in delivering care, and how mental health conditions impact both individuals and their families.

I have been a Mind in Mid Herts Trustee for a number of years. I have worked in both Commercial and Local Government sectors. I have a deep understanding of the issues experienced by people with mental health problems. I am also very aware of the struggles such individuals face regarding the prejudice they encounter from all walks of society. I have taken much pleasure in seeing Mind in Mid Herts grow from strength to strength and look forward to working with this organisation develop and grow providing on an ongoing basis a top quality service to its users.

Ian is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience working in a number of Senior Finance roles in Banking.

Ian was introduced to Mind in Mid Herts through the support Lloyds Bank Foundation has provided to MiMH over the last few years.

Ian has provided support to Sharn, our CEO, in the recent past and was delighted to be asked to join the Board of Trustees. Ian brings a strong Finance background and is keen to get involved in a number of areas to support the wider management team.

Narcis has over 20 years’ experience in the end-to-end business cycle within the food industry, global food supply chain management, and marketing, financial management reporting & manufacturing process knowledge. He has worked in a wide range of industries including food, manufacturing, retail and FMCG.

He has a Masters in Management, Specialising in Business Administration from Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom and he is a Member of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.

Claire has been a HR professional for nearly 15 years partnering business leaders on their people strategies. She is a Chartered member of the CIPD. She currently works for St Albans’ biggest employer where she has responsibility for defining and delivering the Wellbeing Strategy across the Europe & India region. ‘I am passionate about mental health and ensuring that the wellbeing of employees is a top priority. Also, that the organisational culture allows people to bring their best selves to work’. Claire is excited to bring her corporate experience and make a positive contribution to MiMH and the lives of those it supports. She lives in St Albans with her young family and loves to travel.

Being open and transparent my personal connection with a Mind in Mid Herts (MiMH) grew from when I experienced high levels of anxiety last year; with no medical treatment I found to find a solution that worked for me which I call “outdoor time”. I was aware of MiMH as a local resident of Colney Heath, however, it was only when I experienced my own mental health issues did I realise how important a charity like this is in providing prevention, recovery and support services to those like myself in Hertfordshire.

I have always participated in adventurous endeavors such as rowing the Atlantic Ocean unsupported and swimming the English Channel as well as many others I have started a campaign to inspire others to reach their potential, it is targeted at those whose daily lives involve excessive “screen time” to get more outside time in nature for that wellbeing balance. Next year I will cycle from John O’Groats the most northern point of mainland Scotland to Lands End the most southern point of England for MiMH.

I looked at the values and the mission of the charity and it aligned with my own. I want to help those who need help with their mental health. I want to give to the community as it is where I get the most satisfaction when helping those that need it. It is important for me to listen and facilitate change by contributing and add value to the strategy/guidance of the charity in compliance with governmental law, whilst also fundraising through my adventures and giving talks to the community (see my website: www.isaackenyon.com) on behalf of the charity. I have been the president of my university swimming club as well as the geological society of the university so am familiar with how committees are run. I have experience in finance working as an accounting business analyst so understand the financial side of the charity and effective in outreach raising over £120k in 6 months to row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Being upfront I have not been involved in a charity this large before and am interested to learn more and challenge myself in a trustee role as well as getting hands on with volunteering.

Mary Compton is an experienced leader who retired in 2021 following a 37-year career with BT. Her most recent role was Head of Transformation and Change for HR Services. She has a background in business strategy, change management and during the last 10 years worked as part of an internal transformation consultancy practise to develop and deploy significant people, organisational and process change programmes across the business.
Mary has also spent time as an NHS non-executive director, Trustee and Vice Chair of another Hertfordshire based charity in addition to many years as a school governor. She is now looking to blend retirement with a new Trustee role to help Mind in Mid Herts continue to deliver high quality services and grow the organisation so it can extend its reach further.
I am looking forward to helping the charity grow and build upon its excellent reputation at a time where demand is growing exponentially. Our services are in demand more than ever before, there is no demographic that is untouched by mental health challenges. The last few years and current landscape has made me more conscious of how important it is that we provide services at a local level. With central services stretched and people of all ages and backgrounds feeling more vulnerable, it is vital that we make it easy for people to get the help they need and offer somewhere to turn to. I hope to use my business skills, experience and time to make a difference to the population of Hertfordshire and support the amazing team at MiMH to help more people across the county.

Lakshmi Raghavachari is a dedicated HR professional with over 35+ years’ experience who has consistently demonstrated her passion for people throughout her career.

Lakshmi is currently a Snr HR Business Partner for St Albans District Council. Her HR journey commenced with a specialization in recruitment and has since expanded to encompass various aspects of human resources and people development.

Lakshmi’s extensive HR expertise spans a wide array of areas, including organizational Re-design, change management, employee relations, procurement/contract management, compensation and rewards, as well as health and wellbeing.

Her knack for aligning HR strategies with organizational objectives is highly regarded by her clients.

Recognized for her outstanding professional acumen, Lakshmi excels in forging robust relationships with both individuals and executives. Her proficiency in navigating intricate workplace scenarios and offering solutions to complex challenges stands out as one of her core strengths.
Beyond her professional achievements, Lakshmi holds the distinction of being a Chartered member of the CIPD and actively contributes to her profession as a CIPD volunteer. Serving as the Secretary of the Herts CIPD branch, supporting a community of over 3500+ members, she participates in local events, sharing her insights on HR best practices.
Outside her HR role, Lakshmi is a passionate advocate for work-life balance and volunteering. She previously served as a Trustee for a Housing association, providing housing for individuals with mental health needs and learning disabilities.

Lakshmi Raghavachari’s unwavering commitment to HR excellence, combined with her strategic mind set and dedication to employee development, positions her as an indispensable asset to any organization seeking to optimize its human capital. 

John is a lawyer with over 30 years’ experience in a commercial practice in London during which time he led teams advising on large scale and complex litigation. He was also responsible for establishing the Mental Health network at his firm.

John lives in St Albans with his family and is very much looking forward to helping this important charity continue to thrive in order to meet the increasing demand in this essential area.