Our Trustees

Our Trustees are wonderful women who give their time voluntarily to govern the charity and set its direction and strategy.

Nicola Winter

Chair of Trustees

Chris Baines

Vice-Chair of Trustees

After over 30 years in HR, working for SMEs and a women’s charity, preceded by a stint managing finance and administration in a family business, I have now retired and am delighted to be able to join Kyra as a trustee.

I have long had an interest in how and why societal expectations and stereotypes impact women’s lives and in supporting women to achieve their ambitions, which led to my concentrating on the study of sex differences in my first degree, including studying children’s beliefs about male and female roles and how women interact with the criminal justice system. I also worked to counter prejudice in recruitment in the various companies I worked for and to increase the number of women in non-traditional roles.

Joining Kyra offers me the opportunity to translate some of my interests into practical support and I look forward to being able to contribute to the wonderful work Kyra does to help women to fulfil their potential.

Nicola Clemmit

Trustee

As a careers and coaching professional with over 10 years experience in learning and development, people development, programme design and leading projects I love to help empower others to be more of who they are and move towards what is meaningful to them.

Social mobility is a key driver of mine and I work hard in my career to contribute it’s progress.

Supporting and empowering women to make positive change in a safe environment and in a holistic way is close to my heart. I’m proud to be working with Kyra to support and drive this mission forward.

Nicola

Helena Pinto

Trustee

I am an academic and I have been teaching Finance in UK Higher education since 2005. I currently work at the University of York having worked at several other Universities like Manchester, Strathclyde and Bradford. Throughout my academic career, I have balanced teaching, research and leadership roles. It is my privilege to join Kyra’s board of trustees, and I aim to contribute to Kyra’s inspiring mission to support and empower women.

Emma Rollason

Trustee

Emma is a highly experienced professional within the areas of engagement, sales, events, and marketing, most notably for York Theatre Royal, a multi award-winning tourism organisation and most recently York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. With over nineteen years’ experience, ranging from leisure and tourism to business and corporate engagement, working for charities and organising events.

Devina Sissons

Trustee

With over 20 years professional experience in Finance, I have worked in both the private and not for profit sectors.

I’m really keen to use my skills to contribute to the impact that Kyra has within the local (and not so local) areas.

Caroline Topps

Trustee

An experienced marketing professional with 20+ years of experience, I’ve managed brands, partnerships, sponsorships and have embedded corporate citizenship throughout my career – fostering partnerships with charities, volunteers, and initiatives that drive positive change.

Committed to championing women, I volunteered at Kyra before taking on the role of trustee and gained first-hand experience of the amazing work the charity excels at.

I’m committed to applying marketing expertise to build the profile of Kyra locally and nationally.

Ilara Bellantuono

Trustee

I am an academic researcher with over 30 years’ experience, with a longstanding interest in understanding how people can remain healthy for as long as possible. My work has explored a wide range of social and medical approaches to health, grounded in the belief that healthy ageing begins at conception and is shaped by the opportunities and support available throughout the life course.

Supporting women to maintain their wellbeing is central to my professional and personal motivation. I am deeply committed to approaches that recognise women’s health as holistic, preventative, and embedded within wider social contexts.

Mentorship is also a key part of my work. I have benefited greatly from being mentored throughout my career and have sought to give back by mentoring others, both within academia and beyond.

Meng (Carol) Xie

Trustee

As a data analytics and risk management professional with over a decade of experience in financial services, I’m proud to bring my skills and perspective to my role as a trustee of Kyra.

Growing up in China, and now navigating life as a working parent with an expatriate background, Kyra’s mission to support women’s mental wellbeing resonates deeply with me. I care passionately about representation and inclusion, and I’m committed to championing a future where women from every community feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Ashley Watson

Trustee

I grew up in Southeast London and moved to York 13 years ago, where I quickly fell in love with the city and the sense of community that runs through it. Communication and language have always been at the heart of who I am, and this passion led me to study Linguistics and later complete a master’s degree in Acquired Communication Disorders.

My professional journey has been rooted in community mental health, where I’ve seen first‑hand the power of preventative, relational, and trauma‑informed support. Along the way, I have also trained in Humanistic Counselling, Mental Health, and Domestic Abuse, shaping a holistic, compassionate approach to the work that I do.

I believe in supporting women to realise that they are the experts of their own lives and wellbeing. As a mother of two girls, creating a society that is safer, kinder, and more empowering for women is both a personal and professional commitment. I am passionate about ensuring the creation and continuation of spaces where women can connect with one another, feel understood, and have the room to heal, grow and thrive.