Non-Executive Directors

Helen joined the Board of Ipswich Hospital in April 2016 and was then appointed to the Board of ESNEFT in 2018. She became Chair of the Trust in June 2019; reappointed from 1 January 2023 with the term of office expiring on 31 March 2025.

Chair of Board of Directors and Council of Governors; member of Remuneration and Nomination Committee.

Helen’s career in health and social care spans more than 40 years and has taken her from ward to board. After an early clinical career as a nurse, midwife and health visitor, she moved into partnership working with local government and the common theme in all subsequent roles was seeking greater integration of services in the health and care system. Helen has worked at regional and national level including a lead policy role with the Audit Commission and was the statutory Director of Adult Social Services in a London borough and a large shire county. The latter part of Helen’s working life has been a portfolio of roles including chairing a safeguarding adults board and Trustee and executive roles with voluntary sector organisations in Suffolk.

Helen holds a BA in Health Policy and a Masters in Business Administration.

Eddie Bloomfield has held four Chief Executive roles at the Ministry of Justice, which have included Head of the Court Funds Office and Head of the Office of the Accountant General and as HM Chief Inspector of Court Administration for England and Wales. He is involved with several charities in and around Colchester in trustee and other voluntary positions and brings extensive experience in political, financial management and change management. He was previously a non-executive director at Colchester PCT and lives in Colchester.

Mike Gogarty began his career in the NHS as a GP in Clacton before moving into public health. He has spent the last 30 years in senior positions including being Director of Public Health for Tending and Colchester from 2003 until taking up his current role as Director, Wellbeing, Public Health and Communities for Essex County Council in 2013.

John Humpston began his career in the NHS as a human resources director before going on to work at Board level in four national charities and professional membership organisations – Citizens Advice, Royal College of Nursing, Crisis and Emmaus.

He has held a variety of Non-Executive board roles in the public, health, community and voluntary sectors. John is currently a Non-Executive Director of Living Sport, Groundwork East and Emmaus Cambridge.  He is also the past Regional Director and Chair of East of England Samaritans and continues to work with the Samaritans as a listening volunteer.

Hussein is an experienced clinical leader with Board level experience.

Deputy Chair of Board of Directors, Chair of Audit and Risk Committee; member of Performance Assurance Committee and Remuneration and Nomination Committee.

Mark has a long and distinguished career in the NHS as a Chief Executive and Director of Resources, having held a number of roles. Mark served as a non-executive director at Royal Papworth NHS Trust for seven years. He was previously elected President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Karen is an experienced executive with 25 years spent building a career nationally and internationally across all disciplines of HR. She brings board experience and a significant track record of leading through change primarily in the highly regulated financial services industry, within complex cultures.

Currently People Director at Santander with strategic leadership responsibility for Transformation, HR Business Partnering and Service Delivery Operations teams, she is a member of the senior leadership team and sits on several steering committees and management forums where her role is to challenge strategic decisions and guide decisions through influence and advice.

Karen strives for continuous improvement and relishes transitioning organisations through cultural change. Living in Suffolk with her husband and daughter, she is passionate about healthcare and addressing health inequalities and is keen to use her business skills to support her local NHS trust and deliver improvements for the community.

Usha Sundaram is Associate Professor in Consumer and Digital Marketing at Norwich Business School University of East Anglia and is currently Associate Dean for the Social Sciences Faculty with portfolio remit for graduate employability and opportunities. She has over 30 years of experience in training, development, leadership and higher education across industries spanning hospitality, tourism, retail and has held teaching, administrative, and leadership roles in UK HE for over 20 years. She researches, writes, and consults with a range of businesses and third sector organisations on areas relating to digital technologies, innovation, placemaking, economic clusters, skills, and green technologies. She mentors several business and tech start-ups.

Usha has nearly 10 years of Non-Executive Director experience in a range of governance settings across charities, social housing, schools, and higher education with experience in governance areas of investment appraisal, service user outcomes and experiences, audit, risk, assurance, and complex digital transformation.

Richard Spencer is a former BT employee and has held positions there as Director of Culture and Policy and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, as well as nearly 10 years as their Head of Strategy and Partnerships.

He is an experienced executive coach, and since taking up early retirement from BT, he has been immersed in charitable and voluntary work with the homeless and more vulnerable people in society. Richard lives in Colchester.