Board of Trustees - EDP Drug & Alcohol Services

Board of Trustees

What is a Board of Trustees and what do they do?

The Board of Trustees focus on ensuring we have and are fulfilling our vision and mission, meeting legal requirements, setting strategic objectives, monitoring performance, ensuring financial and risk management, long term planning and monitoring and appraising the Chief Executive.  All the work they do for EDP is done on a voluntary basis. 

Our Trustees are: 

Ian MacQueen, Chair

Ian MacQueen moved into his new post as Chair of the Board of Trustees in July 2011.  Having started out at the age of 18 running his own shop and restaurant, Ian has had a long career in retail and brings valuable commercial experience to EDP.  He has worked at a senior level in a number of companies and is currently involved in the start-up of two new businesses, manufacturing environmentally friendly cleaning products and marketing outdoor leisure products.  Of his work with EDP, Mr MacQueen says that he is "hugely excited by the challenge" and looks forward to working as "part of an organisation that every day and night makes a tangible and positive difference to so many people's lives".

Mike Beresford, Treasurer

Mike is now retired but previously worked as a Finance Analyst within the Housing Corporation. Part of his job was to see that organisations were working well, managed risk effectively and were compliant with regulation and codes of good practice. 

Suisan Davies

Suisan’s involvement with EDP results from her work with vulnerable adults and children, at both operational and strategic levels, where she fostered an interest in substance misuse and the socio-economic factors connected with it.  Suisan first joined EDP in 1995 as a volunteer and took part in the intensive and thorough training programme before starting work in the needle exchange where she came into contact with the many individuals using the service.  In addition to her work, Suisan is also a private humanistic counsellor and psychotherapist. 

Gerry Hinton

Gerry has had over 20 years experience in leadership and management with a major financial institution, including 5 years in personnel, training and development, before deciding on a change of career. He has worked for 10 years as a consultant/lecturer on educational, management and leadership programmes with the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry.  He also works with the University of Exeter on the Royal College of General Practitioners’ leadership programme and with INTO University of Exeter on their graduate Diploma in Management with English. Gerry has direct links with the National Health Service, include working on educational projects for the South Western Deanery and Public Health. Internationally he has worked with the European Union and the World Health Organisation on Management and Leadership issues in Oman, Bosnia, Egypt, Mexico, Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic.

James Hutchinson

James is currently Chief Executive of the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. He has overall responsibility for the strategic and operational management of the organisations strategy working with the Guild’s Board of Trustees.  Prior to moving to Exeter James spent 6 years at Goldsmiths Students' Union, University of London, initially as Membership Services Manager and latterly as Chief Executive. He has also worked as the Education Officer at the University of Plymouth Students’ Union where he was trustee of the students’ union and a member of the University’s Board of Governors.   

Paul Taylor

Paul has worked as a practitioner in the substance field for 20 years and has in depth knowledge of the wide ranging issues that face both users and providers of services in this area.  He is especially interested in the needs and opportunities taking shape in the landscape of public health and criminal justice and through his extensive experience is well placed to contribute to the good governance and development of EDP.

Rick Weeks

Rick has, for many years, been in various management roles in the drug and alcohol treatment field, prior to his current role at Pluss, a Social Enterprise which supports people with disabilities into work.  Rick’s continuing interest and commitment to the field of treatment is inspired by his belief in peoples’ ability to change, and he is now very pleased to be able to contribute to the governance and strategic direction of edp.  He has a special interest in overcoming barriers to accessing treatment as well as the political dimension of funding drug and alcohol treatment, and also has expertise in the voluntary sector, marketing and business development. 

Joy Wishlade

Joy is Strategic Director of Taunton Deane Borough Council, with responsibility for regeneration, development, housing growth, sustainable communities and the provision of affordable housing. Joy has experience of working within both public and private sectors within the South West.

Morgen Witzel

Morgen currently works as an Honorary Senior Fellow in the University of Exeter Business School. He undertakes some teaching and consulting duties for the business school.  He is also a Partner in a small writing and publishing business (Western Writers Block, in Northlew). As part of the business, he also writes for a number of business magazines and journals and undertakes lecturing and consulting work around the world.  His research and writing interests include business history, business strategy, brand management, business ethics and corporate social responsibility.

Tony Woodward

Tony is a partner with a business law firm, Bond Pearce, working between Exeter and Bristol. From 1984 to 1999 he was solicitor to the London & Manchester financial services group in Exeter (now Friends Provident).  Tony has a long career in charity work, acting as secretary for the Exeter Muscular Dystrophy Group for many years before joining EDP’s Board of Trustees.