The Board of Trustees is Rowcroft’s governing body and has overall responsibility for the hospice.
All of our Trustees are volunteers and bring with them their own unique professional and life experiences. Their primary focus is to ensure we’re able to offer an excellent standard of care for patients and their families for generations to come.
Helen Boyd
Helen joined Rowcroft as a trustee in 2021 and became Chair of Rowcroft’s Board of Trustees in June 2026. She brings extensive experience from both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors, with expertise in communications, marketing and strategic leadership. Helen lives in Dartmouth and co-owns Stone Tree Dairy, an award-winning farm and cheese making business. She is passionate about supporting organisations that care for people at the most vulnerable times in their lives. Helen also has significant trustee experience, including many years as Chair of Finance & General Purposes Committee at the Stroke Association. Read Helen’s blog.
Chris Brant
Chris has extensive experience in retail operations, having spent over 25 years working in this area at all levels. In addition, he has significant expertise in capital investment programmes, project delivery and property management. Drawing upon his wide-ranging skills and knowledge, Chris aims to support Rowcroft in developing objectives and strategies and delivering results in order to help secure a sustainable and successful future for the hospice.
Dr Cathryn Edwards OBE
Honoured with an OBE for services to medicine, Cathryn is Registrar of the Royal College of Physicians – the first woman ever to hold this position – and she is also a consultant gastroenterologist in Torbay. As a Trustee of both Rowcroft Hospice and the Ella Rowcroft Endowment Trust, the hospice benefits from her clinical insights and understanding of NHS management structures, as well as her skills in strategic planning, leadership and communications. Cathryn was Chair of our Board of Trustees until May 2019. Read Cathryn’s blog.
Ian Hale
Ian runs a leadership and coaching company, providing emotional intelligence coaching to employees of global banks and oil, gas and technology companies. Bringing to Rowcroft an acute understanding of people, relationships and how to help people flourish, Ian recognises the true value of hospice care, having had direct personal experiences with friends and family at the end of their lives.
Dr Carlie Karakusevic
A retired local GP who worked for 29 years in Teignmouth, Carlie brings to Rowcroft a wealth of experience and skills, including expert clinical knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the local health and social care systems. Carlie wishes to help reinforce the excellent name of Rowcroft in our area and expand the provision of Rowcroft’s expertise into the wider community. Read Carlie’s blog.
Jacqui Lyttle
A dynamic and results-driven professional, Jacqui brings over 30 years of experience in the health sector, with a strong background in leadership, strategic management, and health policy reform. Since joining the NHS in 1988, Jacqui has held various senior management and board-level roles, and she established her own consultancy in 2008. Jacqui is passionate about improving health outcomes, reducing inequalities, and driving innovative solutions to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Read Jacqui’s blog.
James Moffat
James has exceptional skills in marketing, technology, finance and business management, gathered through twenty years of experience in the commercial sector and in digital transformation projects for charities and the NHS. Founder and owner of several businesses including the Exeter-based digital agency Organic, James’ motivation is driven by a deep respect for the organisation, borne from his family’s experiences of Rowcroft’s care.
John Moore
John brings both entrepreneurial and NHS board-governance experience to Rowcroft. He has a wealth of professional experience across many sectors, including board roles in health and social care, the NHS and charities. After leaving corporate life, John grew and sold various SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) – the most fulfilling being a high-quality, domiciliary care service, rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. John is motivated by our core purpose of ‘Making every day the best it can be’ for our patients, their families, and our team. He aims to help strengthen Rowcroft’s impact and sustainability. Read John’s blog.
Tessa Moore
Tessa’s professional background is predominantly in family entertainment marketing and strategy, having worked for global media companies including Disney and Fremantle. She has significant experience in driving cause-related marketing campaigns, and while at Disney launched a £10m fundraising partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital. The hospice benefits from her breadth of skills in marketing, brand strategy and communication. Read Tessa’s blog.
Sally Scott-Bryant
Sally began her journey with Rowcroft as a volunteer Complementary Therapist, supporting patients and families for two years before becoming a trustee in January 2017. In 2019, Sally became Chair of Rowcroft’s Board of Trustees, helping guide the hospice through some of its most challenging periods – from the COVID-19 pandemic to the pressures of the cost of living crisis.. After completing her maximum seven-year term as Chair, Sally stepped down from the role in May 2026 and continues to support the hospice as a trustee.
With a wealth of experience in human resources, Sally runs her own business and brings extensive strategic and operational expertise gained through senior roles in the telecommunications and financial services sectors. She is also a qualified homeopath. Read Sally’s blog (published in 2022).
Andrew Tapson
Andrew is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Treasurer with over 30 years’ experience in financial services organisations and now runs his own company helping entrepreneurs in South Devon realise their own aspirations. Rowcroft benefits from Andrew’s strategic and financial planning skills and his passion for ensuring the hospice can continue to provide its outstanding level of care to the community for years to come. Andrew joined the Board in March 2019.
Helen Wallwork
Helen is a qualified lawyer who has been practising corporate and commercial law for the last 15 years, specialising in healthcare. She brings an analytical legal mind and experienced leaderships skills to the hospice. Helen’s commercial and business acumen and experience of running teams and developing and growing business is a great asset to the Board of Trustees. Read Helen’s blog.
Karen Williams
A qualified accountant, Karen has worked extensively with voluntary and public sector organisations for over 30 years, specialising in senior leadership, financial strategy, corporate services and strategic change. Karen is currently Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Resources at the Health Research Authority and a voluntary member of Parkinsons UK Strategic Finance and Asset Committee. Read Karen’s blog.
Rachel Banks
A Chartered Accountant with a career spanning corporate real estate strategy and financial leadership, Rachel brings extensive expertise in financial management, risk and control, and data and analytics to Rowcroft’s Board of Trustees. Motivated by a deep personal connection to the hospice—having experienced first-hand the exceptional care provided to her parents by Rowcroft’s Community Nurses and Hospice at Home teams—Rachel feels privileged to serve on the Board and is committed to helping secure a sustainable future for the hospice so it can continue supporting the local community for many years to come.
