Meet the team
Staff
Julie Farrow
Chief Executive Officer
Julie has over 35 years’ experience of working in local authorities, the NHS and in the voluntary sector, and brings expertise in strategic management and partnership working. In 2015 Julie was appointed as Beacon for Change Ambassador for her innovative partnership working and support for small groups. She is highly skilled in project management and community development and has worked in areas of deprivation across the country, managing large scale programmes. She represents the sector on a number of joint partnerships within Cambridgeshire and across the Eastern region and chairs the Health & Wellbeing Network.
Kathryn Shepherdson
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Kathryn supports the running of the charity and oversees the Support Cambridgeshire contract, she meets lots of the organisations which make up the wonderful community sector across Cambridgeshire. Previous to this role Kathryn had worked across Hertfordshire in many Volunteer Management roles. Including setting up and managing what was called #TeamHerts Volunteering, here she oversaw the countywide volunteering service which recruits, retains and celebrates volunteers across the county. She has a keen passion for the voluntary and community sector and has volunteered within various organisations from a very early age.
Dean Middleton
Finance Manager
Dean has over 35 years’ experience in accounting & finance. He worked 20 years in local government including senior roles such as internal auditor and principal accountant. He has invested the last 16 years working with small, localised charities as a consultant accountant which involved offering advice, information and providing a full range of accounting services to clients. He is keen to share his knowledge and experience in his role as Finance Manager here at Hunts Forum.
Email dean@huntsforum.org.uk
Emma Millward
Operations Manager
Emma has recently joined the team as the Operations manager of the Maple Centre. She has spent the last 11 years in the hospitality industry managing a much larger building and leading a bigger team. She is excited to be starting a new chapter at the Maple centre & with Hunts Forum. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family & Friends, watching films & Holidays.
In her role as Operations Manager, Emma will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Maple Centre, working closely with our dedicated team to ensure smooth and efficient management. With her keen eye for detail, she will liaise with tenants, handle HR administration, and support various areas of the Hunts Forum, from organizing events to keeping systems and policies up to date.
Email emma@huntsforum.org.uk
Kathy Shaw
Senior Development Officer
Kathy has worked for over 30 years in the private, statutory and voluntary sector, as an accountant, grants fundraiser and community engagement worker. Having worked at Huntingdonshire District Council, she’s pleased to be working back in the district and is passionate about supporting a thriving community and voluntary sector with the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Email kathy@huntsforum.org.uk
Sallyann Hilliard
Development Officer
Sallyann role is primarily to provide advice and support and develop resources for members of Hunts Forum. Sallyann has over 20 years’ experience of working within the voluntary sector and local authorities. She has been the childcare voluntary sector representative for partnership board meetings and is experienced in offering advice and support to charitable community groups. She has more recently been a development manager with responsibility for income generating and the development of new services. Sallyann is proud to have started her career as a volunteer within the childcare sector and has held various volunteer positions over the years primarily within local junior sports clubs. Sallyann is looking forward to working within the community again.
Debbie Drew
Project Officer (for Health)
Having finished the vaccination work in Fenland at the end of September 2022, Debbie has moved on to support our CEO with the work around the Integrated Care System. Debbie is now responsible for the back scene admin and support for the Health Alliance and CEO Network and is also responsible for hosting the Health and Wellbeing meetings.
Debbie is also currently a voluntary representative on the Integrated Neighbourhood Boards for Wisbech, Fenland and A1Huntingdon and hopes to be involved with two future Integrated Neighbourhoods in Huntingdonshire in the new year.
Email debbie@huntsforum.org.uk
Costanza Drago
Digital Communications Officer
I am from Chile, and recently moved to St Neots, Cambridgeshire. I graduated from University of Westminster with a BA Honours in History. On my return to Chile, I embarked on different projects from working as an assistant in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chile, working on one presidential campaign and being part of a group of academics and thinks tanks leading a constitutional project. In 2020, I moved to the UK and went back to my marketing and social media background; I worked mostly in the private sector as marketing executive and account executive. In my spare time, I have always done volunteering – mainly focusing teaching English as a second language in foster homes in Chile, animal welfare, and social organisations. I am excited to be joining Hunts Forum as their Digital Communications Officer and be part of their wonderful journey as an organisation.
Dawn Ryder
Part-time receptionist
Dawn joined the Hunts Forum team in October 2021 as the Receptionist and will provide a friendly welcome to Hunts Forum and the Maple Centre and assist with all your room booking and meeting needs. Dawn previously worked for the Ministry of Defence in a variety of roles both in the UK and Germany. She currently volunteers with Brampton Befrienders.
Email dawn@huntsforum.org.uk
Marija Lysak
Fenland Development Officer
Marija has over 25 years of experience of working in the private, education and charity sectors as a Business Development Manager, Education Consultant, Outreach Manager for a refugee support charity and Pastoral roles.
She has lived and worked in the Fens for much of her career and is looking forward to supporting groups throughout the local communities in this area with the ‘Support Fenland’ project.
Outside of work Marija volunteers on the Whittlesey Festival Steering Committee , something she has done for over 12 years, helping to deliver this annual, popular event, part of the Four Seasons events in partnership with Fenland District Council. She has strong links with local schools organising a community art exhibition and enjoys inspiring all ages to get involved in the performing arts with presentations and workshops that she delivers.
Email marija@huntsforum.org.uk
Didem Ucuncu
Fenland Community Officer
Didem has 14 years of experience in the private sector. After taking a break from employment to help raise her family, Didem dedicated the past two years to volunteering within Wisbech. Her volunteering journey began when she sought out a social group to join and discovered that there were no volunteers to lead it. She stepped up to fill the role, unaware that this decision would ignite her passion for helping the community she lives in.
Currently, Didem volunteers as a Walk Leader for the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks, a Timekeeper at Parkrun, Vice President of the Wisbech Lions Club, and a Community Listener/Community Project Researcher for Healthwatch Peterborough & Cambridgeshire. With firsthand experience of the challenges community groups face in Wisbech, Didem is eager to work with groups across Fenland to help them thrive and be their voice in securing the support they need.
Email didem@huntsforum.org.uk
