Our trustees

Terrie Alafat

Terrie was previously the chief executive of Chartered Institute of Housing. Prior to that, she worked at the Department of Communities and Local Government, where she became director of housing. Terrie was previously a trustee at Crisis and is now Chair of Riverside Housing Association and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, alongside her role as a trustee of JRF and Grosvenor Hart Homes.

Saphié Ashtiany (Chair)

A lawyer by background, Saphié is the principal of a small consultancy specialising in equality law, working predominantly with institutional and charitable bodies. She is the Visitor and an Honorary Fellow of Harris Manchester College Oxford, as well as a visiting professorial fellow at Queen Mary University of London. Saphié holds other trusteeships at Joseph Rowntree Foundation, St Davids Cathedral, the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and the English Touring Theatre.

Kit Beazley

Kit is a chartered accountant, and has spent most of his career in financial services, most recently at Triodos bank. Kit is also chair of trustees at the Finance Innovation Lab, a charity which builds power to transform the financial system for people and planet. He also volunteers as a consultant for Cranfield Trust, and is a volunteer befriender with Christians Against Poverty.

Tony Burton

Tony works on community, design and environmental projects, is founder of Civic Voice and is chair of Power to Change, CPRE’s Policy and Campaigns Committee and The Conservation Volunteer’s Chestnut Fund. He is a neighbourhood planning examiner and consultant, and convenes Neighbourhood Planners London. Tony is a trustee of Sheila McKechnie Foundation and previously chaired the National Lottery Community Fund.

Steve Evenden

Steve is Chief Internal Auditor at Nationwide Building Society, and throughout his career, has built and led internal audit teams covering retail banking, corporate banking, insurance and asset management at Barclays, AXA and MS Amlin.  Steve also serves as Deputy President of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (CIIA).

Robert Gardner

Robert joined Nationwide Building Society in 2010 as chief economist and alongside his team, provides economic analysis and advice to key decision makers in the organisation. He is also the external spokesperson for the Nationwide House Price Index. Prior to joining Nationwide, Robert worked at Barclays Bank, and was also the head of macroeconomics at RBS, where his team was responsible for providing economic analysis and forecasts for the UK, US and major Eurozone economies.

Baroness Alicia Kennedy

Baroness Kennedy is Chief Operating Officer at The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, having previously served as Director at Generation Rent. Prior to moving to the third sector, Baroness Kennedy had a 25-year career in politics, holding senior roles in the Labour Party and the official opposition, namely chief of staff, strategic advisor and deputy general secretary of the Labour Party.

Gill Leng

Gill works freelance, supporting policy and strategy development, with clients including the Greater London Authority and Local Government Association. She has worked in homes and communities, and health and wellbeing for over 25 years, having previously worked for Public Health England and NHS England in similar roles, as well as having positions in local and central government.  

Judith McNeill (Vice Chair)

Judith is chief executive of the KPMG Foundation, which helps young people from disadvantaged UK communities to achieve their potential. Previously she was Comic Relief’s grants director, and director of philanthropy at The Mercers’ Company, and has held senior roles at Macmillan Cancer Support and WaterAid. Judith is a trustee of the Coutts Foundation.

Damian Thompson

Damian joined Nationwide Building Society in February 2023 as commercial director of landlord. He has previously worked as managing director of retail for Aldermore Bank and has 30 years of experience across building societies, banks and specialist lenders.  He has also worked alongside colleagues on the UK Finance Mortgage Board and served as deputy chair. 

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