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Our trustees are the life blood of the Dyspraxia Foundation, giving their time to help us flourish
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Our Trustees
Jonathan Levy - Chair with responsibility for Income Generation
Jonathan lives in Warrington and serves as a trustee of the Dyspraxia Foundation, with responsibility for income generation. Jonathan has dyspraxia and takes every opportunity to raise awareness of the condition through public speaking, press releases and previously appearing in an award-winning episode of Channel 4 series 'Embarrassing Bodies - Live from the Clinic'. Professionally, Jonathan works as a fundraiser and small business owner.
Sally Payne - Vice Chair and chair of Medical Panel
Sally is an occupational therapist and Professional Adviser with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. She has worked with children and young people in the West Midlands for many years. A former Chair of the Dyspraxia Foundation, she continues to lead the Medical and Research Panels. Sally has a particular interest in teenagers with dyspraxia who were the focus of her PhD research. She was also a consultant to CBeebies for the programme Tree Fu Tom.
Matt Devonshire - Trustee with responsbility for Technology
Matt has been involved with the Dyspraxia Foundation since 2014 when his girlfriend Rosie, who is dyspraxic, introduced him to the foundation at the Bristol conference. He was made a trustee with responsibility for the charities' websites and social media in 2016 and helped create the foundation's youth website. Matt works as a network technician in primary education and can often be seen taking part in running events for the charity. Matt served as vice-chair of the foundation from June 2018 to September 2021. He now serves as the trustee overseeing the charities Technology and Digital Security.
Steven Duckworth - Trustee with responsibility for Strategy and Policy
Steven Duckworth is a healthcare professional with a background in neurology and is very interested in Developmental Coordination Disorder, not least because his son has just received that diagnosis. He is the senior leader within the NHS in the North East and Yorkshire is a large and varied portfolio of work and has a background in charity governance. He also sits on the editorial board of the BMJ’s Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. Steven will take on the role of Trustee with responsibility for Strategy and Policy.
Charles Ellott - Treasurer
Charles Elliott joined the Board in January 2022 to fill the long-standing vacancy for Treasurer. Charles lives with dyspraxia and dyslexia along with all the typical barriers many of those affected face. Both Charles and his child now face the same barriers. Through his own lived experience and seeing his child facing many of the same issues he is very aware of the many hurdles and setbacks faced in an unhelpful environment. After much struggling and hard work Charles eventually managed to obtain a BTEC in Business Studies, and a Degree in Economics and went on to become a Public Sector Accountant (CPFA) and a PRINCE2 Project Manager working for local government. His brief was on making public services more accountable to those they are here to serve. During this time, he also came down with ME/ CFS. It was hard work with many setbacks, but he got there in the end. Charles is keen to show that no one should be written off and with the right environment and support, anyone can deliver.
John Macklin - Trustee with responsibility for Education
John is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and mentors and coaches’ colleagues who are aiming to gain PFHEA status. John says, “As a coach, I have not only worked with school leaders as a coach but also trained school leaders in coaching techniques to use in the classroom and in one-to-one sessions with students. I also mentor students as part of my Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute. I am also a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Educators in the City of London. I am presently a Head of Department which is the 2nd highest leadership role in the University of East London’s School of Education and Communities. I lead academics teaching & researching Speacial Education, Early Years, Social Work, International Development, Sociology amongst others. I was previously Deputy Leader of my local council and have worked with many local groups including being on the management boards of several local groups. My dyspraxia was identified and confirmed by an educational psychologist in Jan 2014 at the age of 47 whilst I was studying for my doctorate.
Sophie Negus - Trustee with responsibility for Youth
Sophie has been involved with the Dyspraxia Foundation since 2018 when she was diagnosed during her final year at university. She has previously been a youth champion and local co-ordinator and is now looking forward to being a trustee! Sophie currently works as a project support coordinator for a local charity where she lives in Northampton and when she isn’t working or attending board meetings is a keen traveller.
Emma Long - Local Group Coordinators Representative
Emma joined the Dyspraxia Foundation in June 2022 as a Local Group Coordinator covering Cambridgeshire following her daughter’s diagnosis of DCD/Dyspraxia. Emma has personal experience as a parent/carer of what it is like to have a child undiagnosed/diagnosed with DCD/Dyspraxia and the struggles parents continue to have with Education and Health Providers. Emma joined the Board of Trustees in November 2022. Emma’s background knowledge is in Children’s Health Services (PCT’s) and Education/SEN Needs. Emma is passionate in raising awareness of DCD/Dyspraxia for all generations and future generations.