Our team and trustees

Tom Harrison

Chief Executive Officer

Shabir Ladak

Director of Finance & Resources (Deputy Chief Executive)

Serena Sanghera

Director of People & Culture

Henry Webster

Operations Manager – Community Services

Kerry Webster

Operations Manager

Paul Glasper

Chair

Paul Glasper is a Chartered Insurance Broker and lawyer with over 27 years’ experience leading major UK and European insurance businesses. Paul currently serves as Senior Vice President, Insurance Europe for Odevo, leading insurance operations across the UK, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Germany, Italy and Portugal. Within this role, he also serves as CEO of insurance broker, Alexander Bonhill. Paul brings deep governance expertise, strong commercial acumen, and a long track record of transformational leadership. As Chairman of Autism West Midlands, he combines strategic clarity with a values driven commitment to inclusion, culture and community impact.

Phil Jordan

Vice Chair

Philip (Phil) Jordan is a British entrepreneur and former Managing Director of Amillan Limited, where he spent more than 35 years building one of the UK's leading communications and IT infrastructure businesses. Alongside his business career, Phil has been a dedicated supporter of Autism West Midlands for over 20 years. As the parent of a child with autism, he brings both personal insight and professional leadership to the charity. Phil currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees, helping to shape the organisation's strategic direction and governance. He is passionate about ensuring autistic people and their families receive the support, opportunities and advocacy they need to thrive.

Julie Roberton

Secretary to the Board

Gurdip Singh

Gurdip Singh, married to Sarla, and have 2 boys the eldest now an adult was diagnosed as Autistic at the age of 4 years. A retired automotive engineer with MSc. in Robotics and Systems & 6sigma black belt. Substantial experience in engineering industry in varying disciplines ranging from product design, manufacturing technologies and project management. Realising that family life is centred around the Autistic child, with little support & low awareness in early 90’s, I volunteered as a parent support group leader. This enabled me to understand the importance of early intervention & identification of individual needs. This meant liaison with the local authority education department was crucial in adherence to statementing procedure: and the importance of identifying needs in the statement for educational needs. Passionate about Autism & equipped with analytical skills, I feel I can add value and support our CEO & senior management team to challenge commissioners to develop community based strategies: Improve lives of Autistic individuals and their families: whilst working to legislation, the Autism Act, CQC & keep abreast of new AI methodologies.

Dr Ashok Roy

Professor Ashok Roy is a Consultant Psychiatrist for people with learning disabilities and Associate Medical Director at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. He is the Learning Disability & Autism Clinical Lead, NHS England Workforce, Training & Education. He is the Co-Chair, Learning Disability Professional Senate, and a past chair of the Intellectual Disability Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is a Trustee for numerous charities. For his work for people with learning disabilities, he was awarded an OBE in 2018 and the Royal College of Psychiatrists President’s medal in 2024.

Dr Glenys Jones

Dr. Glenys Jones is an Educational Psychologist who has been involved in the work of Autism West Midlands for over 30 years and has been a Trustee for XX years. She was employed by the University of Birmingham and worked on several research projects evaluating the education of autistic children and young people. Glenys has also run many workshops and developed materials for professionals, parents and carers in collaboration with autistic young people and adults. She was Editor of the Good Autism Practice Journal for 25 years and produced materials for the Autism Education Trust. From 2010 to 2020, Glenys was a clinician working in a diagnostic assessment service for adults who thought they might be autistic. Glenys aims to bring her experience and knowledge on the many changes in the field of autism over the last 30 years to her role as Trustee.

Joy Taylor

Joy Taylor is a FCMA qualified accountant and Finance Director. With over 25 years of experience in the non-profit and charitable sector, Joy has built a career rooted in purpose-driven financial leadership. Her background spans social housing and adult social care, working with both small and large organisations that support vulnerable individuals and communities. Throughout her career, Joy has developed deep expertise across a wide range of financial disciplines, with a particular focus on ensuring value for money and the efficient use of resources to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Cheryl Allen

Cheryl is an experienced HR and transformation leader with extensive experience in org change, people strategy and service improvement. With over 25 years experience in HR, she has led large scale programmes focused on operational effectiveness, digital innovation and employee experience. Cheryl brings a strong commitment to good governance, inclusion and delivering positive outcomes for people and communities. As a Trustee she provides strategic oversight, practical insight and a collaborative approach, helping organisations navigate change whilst remaking focused on their surprise, values and long-term sustainability

Alison Francis

Treasurer

Alison Francis is an experienced senior finance leader with more than 25 years' experience across the charity, housing, technology, energy and commercial sectors. She has led finance functions, business transformation, governance and strategic change, and has extensive experience advising Boards and executive teams. Alison holds an MSc in Finance and Accounting and a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership. As Trustee, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee at Autism West Midlands, she combines professional expertise with personal insight as the parent of an autistic son and is passionate about strong governance, long term financial sustainability, and improving outcomes for autistic people and their families.

Fiona Harrison

Fi Harrison is an experienced charity leader and the Marketing and Communications Trustee at Autism West Midlands. She brings more than 25 years’ experience in fundraising, communications, strategy and organisational leadership across the charity and higher education sectors. Currently Interim Executive Director of Humanimal Trust, Fi also works as a freelance consultant, supporting charities to strengthen their impact, income and long-term sustainability. She has previously held senior roles with Birmingham Dogs Home and the University of Birmingham and is proud to support Autism West Midlands’ work with autistic people and their families.

Jennie Bannon

Jennie is an NHS Strategy Director with extensive experience leading strategy and transformation across both the NHS and private sector. Jennie is passionate about helping organisations improve services and deliver better outcomes for the people they support through inclusive, person-centred services and brings to her Trustee role a strong understanding of national health and care policy alongside practical experience of leading change. Jennie also brings valuable lived experience as the parent of an autistic son with complex learning disabilities and high support needs and as such has a deep personal understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing autistic people and their families. As Trustee, Jennie is committed through her personal and professional experience to helping the charity make a lasting difference and is proud to support the charity's mission and help shape its future.