Find out a little more about the team at Head Office.
Steven joined PAT in January 2024 and has been building on 42 years of extraordinary work by volunteers, who, with their pets, bring companionship and emotional support to thousands. Working closely with the Board, staff and volunteers, his focus is on enhancing the volunteer experience, securing sustainable income, and delivering a new corporate strategy to ensure PAT continues to grow and thrive.
For the first two decades of his career, Steven worked in the NHS, initially within health promotion and public health, and then leading the NHS Direct helpline across London. He then moved to the charity sector, taking on senior leadership roles at Macmillan Cancer Support, the British Lung Foundation, and most recently, Cruse Bereavement Support. Alongside this, he’s served as Chair of the Board for two local charities.
Steven is a huge pet lover and says it’s a privilege to lead Pets As Therapy and help more people experience the unique joy and comfort that time with a pet can bring.
Meg is responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day operational activities at PAT, reviewing how we currently work and looking where improvements can be made.
John leads our fundraising, marketing and communications activities at Pets As Therapy.
He brings a lifelong passion for impactful charity work, with a strong track record of helping organisations grow their reputations and fundraising capabilities. At Pets As Therapy, John is inspired daily by the dedication of volunteers and the visible, transformative impact that pet visits have in hospitals, schools and care homes.
Working for a charity that brings joy and comfort through animal companionship combines John’s professional expertise with his personal values. He is committed to expanding the charity’s income and reach, ensuring more people across the UK can benefit from the unique magic that pets bring. John works with PAT three days a week.
Louise Waters is our new Volunteer Experience Manager, and has many years of experience in volunteer management, including 10 years at Oxfam where she managed the volunteer speaker programme.
Louise has a cat called Layla, and is very excited to be joining PAT and getting to meet all our wonderful volunteers – and their pets, of course!
Helen has been with Pets As Therapy since 2014 and ensures the welfare and care of PAT Pets is upheld in line with our guidelines, while providing vital support to Assessors and PAT Volunteers by answering queries about PAT Cats and PAT Dogs.
No two days are the same, but Helen loves helping volunteers bring joy and comfort to others with their pets. She especially enjoys chatting with people about their pets. Whether it’s a funny habit or a heartfelt moment, it’s the best part of her day.
Jen looks after the technology and systems that help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes - from overseeing the look and functionality of MyPAT, to developing the digital processes that support visits, fundraising and reporting.
Sarah ensures that our financial records of donations and annual contributions are acknowledged and kept accurate and up to date.
Sheena is in the Volunteer Experience Team and supports our volunteers, answering any queries by phone or email. She also helps with general enquiries.
Rachel supports our volunteers, answering any queries by phone or email. She also helps with general enquiries.
Gill supports our volunteers, answering any queries by phone or email. She also helps with general enquiries.
Kelly plays a vital role in helping us grow our income, impact and reach. She supports a wide range of fundraising activities across community fundraising, trusts and foundations and corporate partnerships. Kelly is building relationships that help generate income, enabling thousands of volunteers and their therapy pets to bring joy, comfort and connection to people across the UK.
Anna plays a vital role in helping us grow our income, impact and reach. She supports a wide range of fundraising activities across individual giving, trusts and foundations, and legacies. Anna is building relationships that help generate income, enabling thousands of volunteers and their therapy pets to bring joy, comfort and connection to people across the UK.
Wordsmith Lorna writes our newsletters, leaflets and other PAT literature, as well as content for our website. She's worked in journalism and publishing for over 35 years and has been editor of several magazines, including Which? Travel. Lorna works with PAT two days a week.
Romy leads our digital storytelling, showcasing the powerful bond between volunteers, therapy animals and the people they support. With a passion for community engagement and creative content, she ensures our mission reaches and inspires audiences across all platforms. Romy works with PAT two days a week.
Bernadette looks after our PR and media. Passionate about storytelling to raise a charity’s profile, she enjoys meeting people from all walks of life. Bernadette is also a PAT Volunteer with her 11-year-old Shih Tzu, Bailey, sharing the joy he brings her during visits to their local hospital and children’s hospice. Bernadette works with PAT two days a week.
