Board of trustees

Gary Lashko, Community Services Director, CHS Group
Chair of the Board of Trustees and Company Directors

Gary started as Chief Executive of Carr-Gomm, a national charity providing support and housing, on 1st October 2003. From July 2010 he became Director of Supported Living for Sanctuary Carr-Gomm. Prior to that he was Chief Executive of Providence Row Housing Association, working with street homeless people in London’s East End from October 1997, which he joined after being Director of Development for Carr-Gomm.  Gary worked briefly for the Refugee Housing Association.  Between 1988 and 1994 Gary worked for Centrepoint, the housing association and charity for young homeless people.

His career in supported housing began in Carr-Gomm in the early 1980’s and has worked for two Health Authorities in mental health.

Tom MacInnes, Research Director, New Policy Institute

Tom is the Research Director at the New Policy Institute, an independent think tank. Much of his research and analysis work relates to issues of poverty and social exclusion. He has co-authored around a dozen reports that together evidence around these themes, analysing patterns and changes over time.  Prior to this, Tom worked as an analyst at the Department of Health, where his work covered a variety of areas including mental health and secondary care for people in prison.

Dr Nick Maguire, Deputy Director, PG Dip in Cognitive Therapy, University of Southampton

Nick works as a chartered clinical psychologist at the University of Southampton, lecturing on and researching the treatment of adults with severe and complex mental health problems. He has a particular interest in researching the psychological factors implicated in the cause and maintenance of entrenched homelessness. He has worked in the NHS in community mental health teams and run psychological projects for multiply excluded homeless men, using cognitive behaviour therapy to treat the mental health problems underpinning behaviours which can lead to homelessness. 

David Walton, Retired Chief Probation Officer, Staffordshire

In this role he promoted many initiatives in partnership with the voluntary sector, particularly targeting persistent offenders with multiple needs. Through other work he undertakes, he still has extensive links with the Probation Service.

David Williams, Performance Manager, NHS West Midlands

David is a Performance Manager working for NHS West Midlands.  Between May 2006 and December 2010 David worked as the NHS West Midlands Regional Lead for Offender Health and Social Care.  Prior to this David has worked in the Department of Health, for Her Majesty’s Prison Service and in the RSPCA.  David originally trained as a teacher and has spent much of his career providing support to improve the quality and range of services provided.

Christine Laing QC, Criminal practitioner

Christine Laing is a criminal practitioner specialising in murder, internet-based crime, large scale drugs cases and serious sexual abuse. She has an interest in mental health and frequently works on cases involving multiple-agencies.
An expert on covert and intrusive police techniques, Christine often acts as a guest lecturer and trainer at the National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.  She is also a part-time circuit judge, authorised to try serious sexual offences and acts as counsel on Bar Standards Board tribunals.

Christina Dykes, Senior Adviser

Christina Dykes is a political leadership specialist with 25 years of experience in politics and public affairs. She has worked with the Conservative party for many years and has qualified with a Tavistock Institute certificate in political coaching. She is an Associate of the Institute for Government and she has been appointed an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Performance at Work, Department of Psychology, City University London.

She is currently the Senior Adviser to the Attorney General, Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP and  a consultant to the Local Government Association where she runs a leadership course for senior councillors and undertakes coaching for Council Leaders.