Trustees

Blane is a Chartered Accountant by profession, qualifying with KPMG in Leeds. He currently works for Lenvi, a financial technology company in Leeds, in their Commercial Finance team. Outside of work, Blane is a keen runner and fundraised on behalf of Leeds Mind for the 2024 Rob Burrows Leeds Marathon. Blane is also a proud dog owner, with Bella being a particularly hyper Keeshond who continues to keep him and his wife on their toes. At Leeds Mind he sits on the Finance Committee.

Kate has a background in strategy development, policy, research analysis and evaluation, and has worked across a range of fields both in the UK and internationally. She currently works for NHS England and Improvement, where she leads strategy work on behalf of the National Quality Board. Kate is passionate about health and wellbeing and runs yoga classes and coaching in her local community “in her spare time”.

Jen is passionate about making a difference to people whether that be personally or professionally. With extensive experience in Community Fundraising and Events having previously worked for Cancer Research UK and in her current position as the Director of Fundraising for Headway - the brain injury association, she enjoys building relationships and partnerships that deliver impact.

Having seen first hand the debilitating effects poor mental health can cause and personally benefitting from counselling a few years ago, she was keen to support the great work Leeds Mind provides people locally.

Outside of work Jen doesn’t sit still. She is a mum to three young girls and enjoys walking, weight training and is known to get stuck in to a challenge for Charity, just don’t ask her to run another Marathon.

Tracy is an Associate Director at Leeds Beckett University with strategic accountability for the External Relations Service. Tracy leads a team responsible for the advancement and management of Leeds Beckett University's reputation and profile in the UK and internationally. This includes management of the university's communications and campaigns, creative, digital and events, alumni and partners teams.

Tracy is the current chair of the Leeds Anchor Network marketing and communications group and an independent steering group member at Leeds Business Improvement District.

Tracy is also a Trustee for Learning Accord Multi Academy Trust and the chair of the pay, performance and personnel committee.

Prior to working within the higher education sector, Tracy worked at Kirklees Council and Welcome to Yorkshire. She was part of the team responsible for delivering and securing investment to bring large scale events to Yorkshire, including the Grand Depart Tour de France, Yorkshire Festival and Tour de Yorkshire.

Cheryl has had a long career working in IT specifically within the insurance industry and is now a Chief Information Officer for JMG Group. Prior to this Cheryl did some consultancy work for Leeds Mind helping them to overcome some technology challenges and was so impressed with the work that they do for the community, she applied to be a Trustee to enable her to continue to contribute to this valuable service. Outside of work, Cheryl likes to ride her horse and walk her dog.

Heather brings experience of working as a clinician, leader and organisational development practitioner in secondary mental health services across Leeds and York and more recently has designed and led national health and wellbeing and leadership programmes across health and social care. She currently balances her work as an Asociate Tutor at the University of Manchester with her role as an independent coach and OD consultant, continuing her passion to support the growth and development of others. Outside of her work role, Heather is passionate about health and well being and is a fan of cold-water lake swimming, recognising the evidenced benefits of this on managing her own physical and mental health. She is excited to be joining the team at Leeds Mind and hopes to bring her experience to support Leeds Mind in enabling all to flourish.

Luke is a Chartered Surveyor specialising in commercial property management. Very aware of the fantastic work Leeds Mind do, Luke hopes to put his property knowledge to good use and add value to the team by helping to develop a property strategy.

Kirsty is a Chartered Accountant with a career rooted in the social housing sector. She currently works at the Regulator of Social Housing, where she assesses financial risk and evaluates the viability and governance of social landlords.

Since 2013, Kirsty has practised mindfulness to support her own mental health and wellbeing. She is now a qualified Mindfulness Teacher, delivering the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, as well as taster sessions and workshops. Through this work, she discovered a passion for supporting others with their mental health difficulties and recognised the power of open conversations in reducing stigma around it.

Joining Leeds Mind as a Trustee allows Kirsty to combine her professional skills in risk, finance and governance with her personal commitment to mental health advocacy. She is excited to contribute to an organisation that shares her values and helps people with mental health difficulties to feel supported and empowered.

Tobias is currently a Deputy Manager at Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service, and in the past has worked across many areas of the NHS, from frontline services to departmental bodies. Diagnosed as having Schizophrenia and Depression, Tobias has been a user of Leeds mental health services for the past 25 years, which has included stays on inpatient wards, day hospitals, and using community services.

Outside of work, Tobias is the Secretary for Leeds Masonic Charity, and since he was 21, has held numerous Chair posts in a national self-improvement organisation. In addition, Tobias is an avid gamer, and spends most of his free time pretending to be a successful football manager - but only on the PC!

Amardeep is a digital strategist with a deep commitment to ethical, inclusive technology and the power of lived experience to drive meaningful change. She joined the Leeds Mind Board of Trustees in 2025, bringing expertise in digital innovation, AI, and user-centred design, particularly as they relate to health, care, and community organisations.

With a professional background spanning strategy, communications, and tech for good, Amardeep is passionate about ensuring mental health support is accessible, compassionate, and responsive to the real lives of those who need it. She supports Leeds Mind in its mission to help people build on their strengths and live well with their mental health, while advising on the responsible use of digital tools and technologies.

Her lived experience as a parent-carer and advocate also grounds her contributions in the everyday realities of navigating complex systems, and reinforces her belief that community-led, person-centred support must sit at the heart of mental health care.