Our team

Liz joined Association of Chairs in November 2023 as Interim Chief Executive, responsible for the smooth running of AoC’s services and operations and working with the board on strategy development. She brings considerable experience of the non-profit sector and a passion for supporting effective leadership. She has previously held senior roles at Clore Social Leadership and Leaders’ Quest and continues to offer her time as a facilitator for Windsor Leadership. She is a qualified coach and an experienced interim director, having worked in both small and large organisations and with membership networks.

Helen joined the Association of Chairs in April 2024 as Membership & Events Coordinator and is passionate about providing an exceptional member experience and topical and relevant events for Chairs and future chairs.

Previously Helen has worked with charities and not-for-profit organisations in patient support, training and events and prior to that has over 10 years’ experience in the healthcare industry.

Lally is working with the Association of Chairs to develop and lead on peer support projects for our network. She focuses on our London project, funded by the City Bridge Foundation, which includes AoC’s co-mentoring scheme and a peer support group for chairs operating in London. Lally works a few hours for us each week.
Lally brings considerable experience from her years at the membership organisation, CharityComms, where she has developed and managed membership and mentoring schemes for comms professionals working in the charity sector. Lally brings experience in building and nurturing individual relationships and networks for peer-to-peer learning.
Lally is really interested in people and wellbeing, she is a qualified yoga teacher and is currently studying for a BA in humanistic counselling at the University of Chichester.

Helen is our Communications Manager. Joining the Association of Chairs in April 2024, she has led on our brand refresh and new website, as well as managing our newsletters and social media channels.

Helen brings over 17 years’ experience in the charity sector, from non-profits large and small, including Stonewall, the Salvation Army, Age UK, and most recently a user-led Disabled People’s Organisation called Shaping Our Lives. She is passionate about comms and finding the right message for the right audience, and prioritising great user experience.

Rebecca is a freelance Communications manager, acting as interim while Helen Buckley is on maternity leave. She is responsible for our newsletters, social media channels, blog content, and wider AoC communications. Rebecca has worked with a wide variety of non-profit organisations over the past decade, including Getting on Board. She is also a trustee of Devon Wildlife Trust, where she had her first experiencing of chairing on a sub-committee. Rebecca is passionate about increasing the diversity of boards; she identifies with a range of underrepresented groups.

Kabita Mandal Dhanuk is a communications professional, passionate about leveraging strategic communication for meaningful impact. She began her career in 2014 and has worked as a journalist, Communications Officer, and Communications Consultant with international government organisations such as United Nations Environment Programme, United States Agency for International Development, and the British Council, contributing to branding, communications, and stakeholder engagement while bringing expertise in storytelling and content development, among others.

At the Association of Chairs, she assists communications, branding, and event management to further enhance member engagement and contribute to organisation’s goals.

She recently earned her second master’s in Strategic Advertising and Marketing Communications from the University of Greenwich, where she also secured the university as a client for her consultancy project, A Consultancy Project on Strengthening Academic Integrity through a Strategic Marketing Approach at the University of Greenwich, an alternative to a traditional dissertation, for which she received a distinction.