Our Board

Kevin took up the role of Active Norfolk Chair in December 2022. He is an experienced leader and business coach with a background in financial services and technology. He spent ten years as a senior member of the management team at Virgin Money, following senior IT roles at Royal Bank of Scotland and The One Account. His strengths include strategic planning and delivery, governance, and data analysis. He currently works as an Executive and Management Coach.

A certified England Athletics coach, Kevin played hockey competitively for 20 years before taking up endurance running. He’s completed over 30 marathons, although these days his times are getting steadily less competitive! He has practical experience in setting up running clubs, coaching and event management.

Kevin spent seven years as a volunteer trustee for Move On East, supporting the rehabilitation of ex-offenders across Norfolk, and currently volunteers as a listener and leader at The Samaritans. He is also a trustee of The Great Hospital in Norwich.

Hayley is Head of Communications and Advocacy at the University of East Anglia, looking after the university’s corporate, reputation, student and alumni communications.

She has extensive experience in in all aspects of communications and engagement, including media relations, events and digital communications, as well as stakeholder and project management.

Prior to joining UEA, Hayley worked in a number of PR and communications roles including local government, agriculture, food, tourism and health.

Outside of work, Hayley is an active member of a local women’s running club, and also enjoys hiking and watching cricket.

James is a leadership expert with a track record of success at providing executive coaching and personalised leadership development programmes to ambitious individuals and organisations. James’s breadth of experience and passion for sharing best practice has made him a sought-after figure amongst high performing organisations that are focussed on achieving success.

James established Flywheel Learning in 2017, following six, successful years as a secondary school Headteacher and Executive Headteacher in West London. He serves as Director of Leadership and Development for Tower Hamlets Education Partnership, supporting nearly one hundred East London schools operating in one of the most diverse and deprived boroughs in the country. James is also Strategic Lead for the School of PiXL Leadership, designing and delivering virtual and face to face leadership programmes for member schools across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He works across the country with a large number of leaders, CEOs and C-suite executives as an executive coach.

Having started his career as a PE teacher and keen sportsman despite being born with a physical disability, he understands the transformative impact of sport on individuals and communities. He has served on a number of governing bodies and trust boards and is experienced in partnership working. James relocated to Norfolk in 2019 and has been involved with Active Norfolk since 2020.

Norfolk-born Ian loves sport and played football and cricket for several local senior clubs. He moved into coaching when his three, now adult, sons started their sporting journeys. He obtained level 2 qualifications in both football and cricket and coached at club and county youth level in both sports. When his daughter took up hockey, Ian qualified as a level 2 hockey coach again working with both club and county age group teams.

An accountant by training, Ian held senior positions with major blue chip companies before establishing a financial planning and wealth management company of which he is director.

Ian is passionate about getting young people involved in sport as he recognises that it is crucial to their physical, mental and social development.

Bob is an energetic leader with extensive management and financial experience. Skilled in negotiation, strategic thinking and with the capability and understanding to achieve change. A leader whose team supports him.

Bob was Managing Partner of leading regional accountancy and advisory firm Larking Gowen from 1997 to 2013. He is now Business Consultant and Founder at Business Direction.

Bob spends his non-working time on maintaining his smallholding, running and cycling.

Sadie Parker is the Associate Director of Primary Care for Norfolk and Waveney CCG, responsible for the strategic commissioning of primary care.

This includes delegated commissioning from NHS England for the 105 practices in Norfolk and Waveney, the General Practice Forward View programme, including the recruitment and retention of general practice staff, and the strategic development of integrated primary and community care through the integrated care system primary and community care workstream. She works closely with colleagues in health and care organisations across Norfolk and Waveney, along with GP providers as they further develop primary care networks.

Sadie has 25 years’ transformation and commissioning experience in the NHS, having previously worked at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG as the Director of Primary Care, Southend CCG as Associate Director of Primary Care and Engagement, developing a locality approach with local primary care services to work in a more integrated way and moving to fully delegated commissioning. Prior to that she was the head of primary care at NHS Suffolk Primary Care Trust before moving into the role of Head of Operations at NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG.

Margaret is the Norfolk County Council member for Hingham in South Norfolk and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships.

Margaret has been involved with voluntary and community groups since the 1970s. Her career focused on childcare. During her career she has worked for Children’s Services and Ofsted supporting Early Years and Childcare facilities as well as Holiday Playschemes for older children. She recognises the value of encouraging children to get involved in physical activities/play from an early age to keep them fit and healthy.

She became a District Councillor in 1991 and is the longest serving member on South Norfolk District Council. She joined Norfolk County Council in 2013 and is currently a Cabinet Member with responsibility for over a dozen different services including The Fire Service, Trading Standards, Arts and Culture, Customer Services and Information, Adult Learning and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Margaret is keen to work with Active Norfolk to encourage communities to run and/or promote local social events for all ages which combat loneliness and obesity, promote good health and wellbeing, and provide opportunities for people to keep fit in fun and enjoyable ways.

James is Director and Head of Marketing & Digital at Naked Marketing and hugely passionate about sport. He has represented Norfolk CCC, Norfolk Golf and Norwich City Football Academy. James has joined the Active Norfolk Board on the back of the Boards drive to develop a younger membership of the Board and will be a vital part of providing a varied perspective in Board decision making in the aim of driving participation in sport and physical activity. 

Phil worked at a senior level in the NHS for three decades before moving into a private sector role supporting startups in the health and technology sectors. He started his NHS career as a clinician before going into senior management, eventually becoming an Executive Board Member and Chief Operating Officer for Basildon Primary Care Trust with responsibilities including leadership, workforce management, and service delivery

Over the past 12 years Phil has used his skills and experience to help a range of innovative startups and founders to successfully grow their businesses, mentoring and coaching them in areas such as strategic planning, fundraising, financial planning, governance, and branding.

Phil is ambitious about harnessing the power of physical activity to help more people achieve their full potential. He enjoys walking, cycling, gardening, and pilates.

Annie is an advocate for accessible activities and environments. She is trained in Inclusive Leadership and has a particular focus on supporting mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. For many years she worked as a studio manager and re-toucher in the creative industries. She now primarily works to support mental health and inclusivity since facing her own barriers, living with a chronic illness. It is through this that she discovered the true importance of equal opportunities. Annie remains an outdoor enthusiast and strives for equity in accessing physical and wellbeing activities as well as nature and the outdoors.

Hannah is an experienced Architect and a committed advocate for equity and opportunity for all in the built environment.

She supports the Boards work in Place and Active Environments.