Senior Leadership

Irene Sobowale

Irene was appointed the Brainkind’s Director of Finance in 2013 and became the Chief Executive two years later. Before joining the Brainkind (formerly The Disabilities Trust, and the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT)), Irene held several senior finance roles within the CLS Group and elsewhere, including Barclays Bank. Irene is also a qualified accountant and ACCA Fellow.

Keeley Cremona

Keeley has experience in healthcare and leadership of services for adults with acquired brain injuries. Her previous role was with National Care Group, where she was Head of National Neurological Services.

Dr Rudi Coetzer

Dr Coetzer is the Clinical Director of Brainkind. He is an Honorary Professor at Bangor University and at Swansea University. His main clinical and academic interests are neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation of people with acquired brain injury and other neurological conditions, clinical leadership, and service development. Dr Coetzer is on the Specialist Register of the British Psychological Society Division of Neuropsychology. He previously worked in the NHS for more than 2 decades as a Consultant Neuropsychologist.

Naomi Carey

Naomi is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) with an MA in Strategic Human Resource Management. Naomi has a wealth of experience in HR and Organisation Development, having worked in the private sector (as Worldwide HR Director for the Tetley Group) and the not-for-profit sector (as Strategic Head of HR for Action for Children) and has operated her own HR consultancy. Naomi joined Brainkind in October 2013.

Clynt Hall

Clynt is an experienced leader, Chief Financial Officer and Finance Director, having spent over the last 10 years in several health and social care organisations. He has helped lead organisations through significant positive changes, including improving financial performance, changing processes, implementing systems, or setting the direction and strategy. He is also a qualified accountant and has led IT, property, and project management functions.

Shelagh Murphy

Shelagh has been working in health and social care services for more than 38 years, as a registered manager in different types of service, including learning disability, autism, physical disability, older people and people living with dementia. Shelagh has also trained as a registered social worker and has worked in both children’s and adults’ disability teams. She was a CQC Adult Social Care Inspector for more than ten years, as well as being a CQC Lead Inspector, and she has worked as a Quality Manager for two nationwide charities at a regional and national level. Shelagh has worked at Brainkind since 2018 as a Registered Manager, Personalisation Lead and Quality Assurance Team Manager.

Helen Casson

Helen worked as Head of Employee Relations (Care Services) at Bupa and most recently as Head of People Business Partnering and Employee Relations at Anchor before taking up the role of Head of People Business Partnering, Employee Relations and Reward at Brainkind in February 2025. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD with an MA in Strategic Human Resource Management, Helen is passionate about enhancing the overall colleague experience, focusing on wellbeing, culture, and effective employee relations.

Ayesha Trott

Ayesha has worked in social care for over 30 years, with a career across public, private and not for profit sectors. She began her career as a nurse working with people with learning disabilities, which was sparked by voluntary work at a long stay hospital gateway club.  She has held senior posts in organisations supporting older people, people with a learning disability, acquired brain injury and neurological service provision, optimising operational efficiency and effectiveness to deliver sustainable, high quality outcome focused services. Ayesha is proud of developing value driven and high performing teams to achieve the very best outcomes for all stakeholders.

Lee Richards

Lee originally trained as a social worker working in both the statutory and voluntary sectors, with a focus on adult and child safeguarding. He has worked in a range of Charitable organisations focusing on performance improvement, and developing and setting up residential service provision. He moved to Brainkind in 2018 as the Regional Manager for the Midlands, before taking up the interim position of Assistant Director of Operations (South).