Real people who care

Explore:

Executive Leadership Team

Rachel Maitland

Chief Executive Officer

Angela Harris

Director of Support Development

Dr Jane Haley MBE

Director of Research

Sharon Gillies

Director of Operations

Rachel Maitland

CEO

My background

Something personal

Angela Harris

Director of Support Development

My background

Something personal

Dr Jane Haley MBE

Director of Research

My background

Something personal

Sharon Gillies

Director of Operations

My background

Something personal

Board of Trustees

Adrian Murphy

Chairman

As the CEO of Murphy Wealth, a multi award-winning financial planning business, Adrian brings invaluable knowledge and skills to the Board, with particular experience in cash flow analysis, due diligence, investment research, risk management, and long-term planning. He also brings his own personal experience of MND as his brother Brian was diagnosed with the disease in 2018.

Throughout 2022, Adrian went above and beyond in his role as Chair, by embarking on an epic Monster MND Challenge, aiming to raise £40,000 for MND Scotland’s 40th anniversary. 

Over the year, he completed the Loch Ness Etape, the Caledonian Etape, Edinburgh Marathon, Ironman Cork, Great Scottish Run and the most challenging of his events – a 7-day Monster Triathlon. The week-long adventure is the UK’s ultimate multi-sport challenge, which started with a 5km swim in Loch Ness, followed by 1,000km of cycling across five days, and finished with an ultra-marathon (50km) along the Thames in London. Thanks to Adrian’s hardwork and commitment, his total sits at over £50,000. 

Liz has 30 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer in the energy and natural resources sectors helping clients develop clean energy projects. As a Partner at Shepherd & Wedderburn LLP, Liz brings legal and commercial skills to the board of trustees, and has also worked in the third sector as a trustee previously.

With a personal connection to MND, Bryan is an accomplished marketing and communications professional with over two decades of experience in the B2B sector, who excels in collaborating with business leaders across various industries, including professional and financial services, law, accountancy, property, and technology.

Dave has spent all his career in global corporate learning and development, building and leading successful teams. He is currently Director of Global Learning Services at PwC, and was also a Director for two years at Berwick Rangers FC, where he helped a new board restructure and turn around their financial fortunes at the start of the pandemic.

Debbie, who lost her mother to MND, is an experienced marketing, business development and engagement influencer. She brings significant experience having successfully delivered strategic and operational marketing, communications, and brand management for a range of leading organisations over the last 20+ years, in both her executive career and in a supportive capacity in her roles on various Boards. She is the Founder of Cairnwood Consulting – building engagement, coaching and delivering transformational change – and is also Director of External Relations for Fettes College. 

Donald has nearly 30 years of experience in policing, across local policing as well as investigating serious crime, working collaboratively internally and externally across a number of projects, particularly around supporting vulnerable people and communities.

He also has significant experience in leading staff within Public Protection, more recently within the area of Adult Protection (AP), with oversight of planning and governance of all matters relating to AP. He has experience in strategic oversight within Public Protection, working with partners across the Public Sector, Scottish Government and the Procurator Fiscal Service as well as third sector organisations.

Donald has a strong personal connection to the charity. His father and mother, John and Peigi Macleod, co-founded MND Scotland in 1981, following his father’s diagnosis of MND. 

Graham is Head of Mortgage Journeys & Lending Operations, RBS International and has 15 years’ experience in financial services working across a range of disciplines. Most recently he worked for FreeAgent, a NatWest Group-owned accounting software business designed for small businesses. Prior to that Graham worked within Partnerships and Propositions for NatWest Business Banking. Graham lost his grandfather to MND and has first-hand experience of the impact the disease has.

Myles is Strategic Lead for Financial Health, Citizens Advice Scotland. He has 25 years’ experience as a public affairs professional working in the third sector, much of which involved leading the campaigning and influencing activity for various health charities to help shape better outcomes for people with health conditions.

As Emeritus Professor of Cellular Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh, Richard’s career focuses on motor neurons, particularly in Motor Neuron Disease. He founded the Edinburgh Motor Neuron Disease (EdMoND) research group in 2006, which later led to the Euan MacDonald Centre. Richard received the Delsys Prize in 2015 and became an Honorary Fellow of the Physiological Society in 2020.

Scott has worked in a variety of roles in the pharmacy profession, both in Scotland and in Canada, including his position as Pharmacy Lead for Clinical Governance in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

Adrian Murphy

Chairman

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