5 August 2025

When I started out in life I could never have imagined I would manage to achieve such a senior role. I grew up in significant poverty in childhood and most of my peers didn’t move on to further education. However, there were some notable exceptions who managed to achieve very positive careers.

I decided early in my life that I wanted to create a positive future for myself. I originally wanted to go to art school but then chose business and accountancy as an area of work that could keep me employed throughout life. I attended college to study business studies and then university to study accountancy. I managed to achieve my ACCA qualification after many years studying while working. I decided I wanted a business degree to I studied my BA Honours with the Open University. It was an excellent, flexible way to study. I experienced health challenges, and I was diagnosed with lupus. I changed direction a bit and took on a role counselling people with the same condition as me. That led to my passion working with mental health and I went on to complete a BSc with the Open University in Psychology with Counselling. All my study after university was while working but I was determined.

After some time out when I was ill, I took an accountancy role for an international development charity and then worked in accountancy for three years, following some work as a community development worker. I was then offered my first CEO role in a drug and alcohol charity. It was a flexible, fun place to work, and I stayed for almost five years. I realised how many people struggled financially. I then spent 15 years as CEO in the mental health and trauma field. It was a wonderful role where I met fantastic, committed people and friends for life, including the people we supported. However, I also saw again how many people struggled with financial issues and debt. I started work as a local councillor and again many of my enquiries from the public involved financial challenges. After working in the accountancy field again for two years I saw the job with Money Advice Scotland. I realised from my experience how important the charity is. I was delighted to be offered the role.

As I said at the start of this blog I could never have imagined I would be a CEO, but it is a fantastic job where you can really feel you are making a difference. I would always work in the charity sector. The hard work to arrive at this point was worth it as I now can support the brilliant team and provide a positive working environment.