Committee Members

The committee oversees our strategic assurance framework. It ensures proper conduct, standards, ethics and integrity policies. Plus, health and safety arrangements and performance.

It examines self-assessments against regulatory and legal requirements.

Bob Cuffe - Chair 

A Teessider by birth, Bob spent over 30 years in local media. He was previously managing director of Trinity Mirror North East, publishers of the Gazette in Middlesbrough and the Chronicle, Journal and Sunday Sun in Newcastle.

Bob works with several organisations as Chair, Vice Chair and non-executive director.

Winsome Small

Winsome is a social housing professional with over 20 years of experience. She is passionate about delivering services which make a difference to people's quality of life.

Winsome has experience in supported housing, care, retirement living, private sector leasing and general needs housing, and extensive tenancy management knowledge.

She is driven by challenges and exceeding expectations for organisations and stakeholder services.

Lee Ali

Lee is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and CFO with over 20 years’ international financial and business leadership experience gained through public, privately owned and private equity backed businesses within the region.

In the wider community, Lee is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and chairs the Finance and Audit Committee at Dementia Matters. He is also Treasurer of his local scout group.

Jack Hunter

Jack Hunter is a Chartered Construction Manager (MCIOB) and experienced Estates and Facilities professional, currently serving as Deputy Director (Estates) at Newcastle University. With over a decade of experience, Jack leads the strategic direction of Capital Development, Minor Works, Maintenance, Property, and Strategic Projects & Planning at the Russell Group university.

Jack began his career at AECOM as a Graduate Project Manager, working on high-profile projects for Cambridge and Coventry universities. He joined Newcastle University in 2014, progressing through roles such as Senior Project Manager and Head of Improvements, procuring, leading and managing multi-discipline internal and external professional teams and contractors.

In May 2021, Jack was appointed Deputy Director (Estates), overseeing major strategic estates functions and ensuring successful project delivery. He is also a Board Member & Director Trustee for The Newcastle University Retirement Benefit Plan.

Jack holds a BSc (Hons) in Construction Management from Northumbria University and is currently pursuing an Executive MSc in Strategic Leadership at Newcastle University Business School.

The Remuneration Committee oversees our people strategies and policies. It reviews employment and pension strategies for board, committee members and colleagues.

Rob Goward - Chair

Rob has worked in HR for over 30 years. He was vice president of HR for the Seagram Spirits and Wine Group for 15 years, Global HRD of Smith and Nephew plc and Group HRD of Maxxium Worldwide BV.

He is currently a partner within the Mercer Consulting Group. Rob has an MSc in Politics from London University, an MBA from IMC, and Chartered membership of the CIPD.

Lynn Bassett

Lynn Bassett is an experienced HR leader with over 20 years of expertise in human resources and organisational development within the consumer and retail sectors. She is currently HR Director at Barbour, where she operates at a global level, driving a people strategy that supports business growth while fostering an inclusive and engaged culture.

Previously, Lynn spent a significant part of her career at Nike, holding several HR leadership roles, most recently as Senior HR Director for the UK and Ireland and a member of the EMEA HR Leadership team. In this capacity, she played a key role in shaping HR strategies, talent development, and organisational change initiatives.

Beyond her corporate experience, Lynn has contributed to education and business strategy through her voluntary role on the International Advisory Board at Newcastle University Business School. She is a Chartered Member of the CIPD and holds a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Cambridge, a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management, and a Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching. She was also awarded a Diploma in Inclusive and Authentic Leadership from Northwestern University.

Lynn is passionate about social mobility, fairness, and equity, and she brings a strong governance and advisory background to her trustee role.

Salma Yasmeen

Salma has lots of experience in the health and care systems and leading organisational innovation and change and developing partnerships across different sectors and services.

Salma is passionate about public services. She is interested in how they address inequalities and enable everyone to live a safe, connected, meaningful and healthy life.

Gustavo Imhof

Gustavo came to the UK for his studies and has been in the country since 2014. He is recognised as one of 30 rising stars in customer experience under the age of 30 and is co-author of an international best-selling book. Now working in Product Management, he has coached over 300 inspiring professionals, helping them into their dream careers.

Sarah Dewar

Sarah sits on the Remuneration Committee and joined Thirteen in 2025. Working as the Executive Director for People and Digital for Everyturn Mental Health, a national provider of mental health services, Sarah is passionate about creating inclusive organisational cultures that enable people to thrive.  Sarah has also worked as Director of People at an independent provider of integrated community health services and spent 11 years in HR at a national housing association.

Sarah is Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and also serves as Vice Chair of the Board for the arts venue Dance City (together with chairing the finance, governance and people committee). She is also a mentor on the national CIPD Aspiring HR Directors programme. Outside of work Sarah enjoys walking in the countryside  and going to the gym together with spending quality time with her children. 

The Finance Committee oversees and reviews the Group's treasury strategy and policy. It also works with the Development & Investment Committee to review the investment strategy and policy.

Andrew Wilson - Chair

Andrew has a background in consulting and mergers & acquisitions. He owns and manages a number of his business interests and investments.

He previously worked for the publisher Penguin Random House as finance & commercial director for their distribution business and spent over ten years at Sage Group PLC.

Andrew holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University.

Gavin Jones

Gavin has over 25 years experience in corporate treasury working in various business sectors in both UK and European listed and privately  owned businesses.  Gavin is a Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers having completed his professional treasury qualifications.

He previously worked with Arriva Limited and Venator Materials plc here in the North East.

Vishnu Reddy

Vishnu is a qualified lawyer with strong international legal, commercial and finance experience. He combines financial and legal expertise to advise, review and structure optimal financing for projects. He also has considerable experience in financing corporates, associations and entities of their real estate assets and portfolios in Europe. 

Having worked in house and in advisory roles, he understands operational and commercial risks that these entities encounter in real estate asset developments, management including in acquisitions and disposals of these assets.

Laura Donelly

Laura is a qualified accountant who has worked in a senior finance roles in several different organisations and industry sectors throughout her career, including listed PLCs and private equity-owned companies. 

She served for six years on the Finance and Audit Committee for the Glasshouse International Centre for Music, and is currently vice chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee for Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums. 

Rachel Hayes

Rachel has over 25 years’ of Capital Markets experience, working in various roles within Equity Sales and Investment Banking in the UK. Having advised Boards of both listed PLC’s and privately owned companies on fundraisings, acquisitions, and Stakeholder engagement, Rachel understands both operational and financial risk.

Rachel grew up, and still lives, in the North East and is passionate about the region and its people.

The Development and Investment Committee is responsible for reviewing and agreeing on new business, commercial growth, development and regeneration projects for recommendation to the board. It oversees the asset management strategy, development strategy and programmes for affordable homes, homes for investment, delivery and sales.

Anthony Riley - Chair

Anthony has worked in housing for 35 years for several local authorities and housing associations.

He's held executive positions leading both development and operational teams.

Laura Mack

Laura co-founded Change & Transformation and worked across all of the organisation's products and services. She started her career at Procter & Gamble on the marketing graduate scheme, which led to a transfer to Geneva, and on moving back to the UK, she headed up several key commercial teams for Procter & Gamble in London. Laura also spent time with other well-known consumer goods experts, including Cadbury and Heinz. Since moving to the North East, Laura has delivered consultancy projects for regional clients.

Martha Shields

Martha is head of development at South Lakes Housing and leads their development and sales programme in the north west.

A registered architect with a background in development, she has a wealth of experience in designing and delivering creative, complex housing, regeneration and community-led projects in the private and social housing sectors. Martha is a passionate advocate for social housing and creating high quality, sustainable homes for customers and communities.

Barry Cummins

Barry is a development professional with a career spanning four decades. He has extensive experience at senior executive level roles in both the public and private sectors. He has a degree in Town Planning and started his career working in Middlesbrough. He is passionate about housing delivery and creating better places.

Five Thirteen customers have joined some of our board members as part of the newly formed Customer Committee. The committee will help improve, shape and influence our services.

Katy Wilburn - Chair

Katy is employed by First Choice Homes as their head of transformation and is a researcher and analyst. For the past eight years, her career has focused on research in the social housing sector, working directly with more than 60 registered social housing providers across the UK, supporting them to continually improve and enhance the services offered to tenants and residents. Having been born, raised, and lives there now with her family, in Norton, Katy is a proud advocate of the local area and its heritage and is ambitious for its future

Val Scollen

Val is our current chair of the Thirteen Customer Involvement Framework. Val has spent 22 years in a voluntary role to challenge and hold Thirteen to account for the services it delivers to customers. Val is also joined on the Customer Committee by existing Thirteen board member, Katy Wilburn and Winsome Small, member of Thirteen’s audit and risk committee. Katy is the overall chair of the committee, and is responsible for reporting the committee’s feedback to the Thirteen Board.

Ryan Davis

Ryan, has lived most of his life in Teesside and lives with his dog, Toby. Ryan was successful in applying for a scholarship from Thirteen for the last two years of his studies at Teesside University, which he was very proud of. Joining our customer committee is a way for Ryan to give back. Ryan works as a Civil Servant for the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology. Ryan’s personal experience allows him to understand the challenges faced by young people in Teesside. He wants to make a difference by helping people who are in a similar position as he was as a young person.

Russell Jameson

Russell lives in the Whinney Banks area of Middlesbrough, with his wife and three children. Russell is Teesside born and bred. He is a hardworking firefighter and has spent the last 22 years serving the people of the Tees Valley. Being a family man, Russell cares about the opportunities available to young people. He knows how challenging it can be for them to get a good break in life. He is keen to do what he can to help young people living in Thirteen properties. Naturally, Russell is interested in fire safety and keeping customers safe. Russell wants to help make a positive impact on local communities.

Dawn Keogh

Dawn is a mother of four daughters who is passionate about making a positive difference for the future generation. Dawn first got involved with Thirteen when she joined the Social Housing Tenants’ Climate Jury, a customer group looking at ways to tackle climate change in homes and neighbourhoods. Climate change is still a big interest of Dawn’s, and she hopes to promote the benefits of making homes more sustainable. Dawn is a believer in equal opportunities for everyone, and as a customer committee member, she hopes to make sure that people know where to turn to for support when they need it.

Winsome Small

Winsome is a social housing professional with over 20 years of experience. She is passionate about delivering services which make a difference to people's quality of life. Winsome has experience in supported housing, care, retirement living, private sector leasing and general needs housing, and extensive tenancy management knowledge. She is driven by challenges and exceeding expectations for organisations and stakeholder services.