CLAPA Staff Team
Meet CLAPA’s team of staff based all around the UK and find out who to contact for different areas of work.
Chief Executive
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Chief Executive: Claire Cunniffe
Claire joined CLAPA in February 2011, initially to pilot the Regional Coordinator project, which she had led since its inception. Having been Deputy Chief Executive for 2 1/2 years, she was appointed CEO in September 2018 to work with the Board of Trustees to set and lead the delivery of the organisational strategy.
Claire has a background in developing services within voluntary organisations and plays an important role in strengthening CLAPA’s links with health professionals and developing partnerships with other charities.
Email: [email protected] -
Executive Assistant: Lian Day
Lian joined the CLAPA team in March 2024 and provides support to the Senior Management Team and Trustees. With many years of Administration experience, she assists with a range of tasks to support the smooth running of the team’s workload.
Having a Daughter born with a cleft palate as part of the Pierre Robin Sequence, she is passionate about the work that CLAPA completes. Outside of work, Lian enjoys painting and exploring the countryside with her family.
Email: [email protected]
Campaigning
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Policy and Campaigns Manager: Lachlan Bruce
Lachlan joined CLAPA in January 2025, to lead the organisation new work in policy, campaigning and influencing.
He has a background working in politics, campaigning and working with charitable organisations.
Away from work Lachlan enjoys watching sport and is a qualified scuba diver.
Email:[email protected]
Communications and Data
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Head of Communications and Marketing: Nick Ford
Nick joined CLAPA in July 2025 as Head of Communications and Marketing, leading on brand and comms strategy. Nick has over 15 years’ experience in communications, marketing, digital content, and PR within the charity sector and impact focussed B-Corp companies.
Outside of work, most of Nick’s free time is spent with his two-year-old daughter, but in rare child-free moments, he enjoys reading, theatre, and chilling out on his local beach.
Email: [email protected] -
Digital Product Manager: Anna Martindale
Anna joined CLAPA in June 2011. She looks after CLAPA’s data, digital platforms, and medical information. Anna has a background in fundraising and communications, and outside of work enjoys digital painting, knitting and music festivals.
Email: [email protected] -
Digital Communications Coordinator: Lizzie Lysons
Lizzie joined CLAPA in April 2024. Lizzie works full time creating CLAPA’s graphic design and video resources and looking after CLAPA’s communication channels and support groups. Her background is in graphic design and marketing, working in both the charity and commercial sectors.
Lizzie enjoys cooking, painting, paddleboarding (in warmer months) and exploring the outdoors in her free time.
Email: [email protected] -
Content Coordinator: Kate Cotton
In September 2024, Kate joined the Communications and Information team. Her three days a week at CLAPA include interviewing and writing up case studies, fundraising articles, and website copy, to help spread the news of our impact.
Kate has worked in journalism and communications for more than 20 years. She continues to write lifestyle features for newspapers and magazines, and teaches creative writing. Outside of work, Kate enjoys yoga, travelling, a bit of rock climbing with her son, and learning Spanish.
Email: [email protected] -
Data Officer: Jack Wilkin
Email: [email protected]
Engagement and Services
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Head of Service Delivery: Nicky Fawcett
Nicky joined CLAPA in January 2024 and is part of the senior management team. She leads the Engagement and Services team in developing partnerships and delivering high-quality and effective services for the cleft community. Nicky has over 20 years of experience working in the charity sector in various senior roles. She is particularly passionate about health and wellbeing and community engagement, which is part of the reason why she was so keen to join CLAPA. Outside of work, Nicky enjoys Pilates, cooking and spending time with her family.
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Children and Young People’s Manager: Claire Evans
Claire joined CLAPA in October 2014 and has worked in the voluntary sector since graduating from University with a degree in Special Needs and Inclusion. Claire is passionate about the involvement of children and young people in decisions which affect them and loves working with CLAPA’s Children and Young People’s Council, who influence the work we do and services we offer for children and young people born with a cleft. Claire also spends her time planning and delivering events for children and young people in the cleft community with the support of CLAPA volunteers and staff.
You can contact Claire for anything related to children and young people, whether you would like to join our volunteer team who support our children and young people’s services, if you would like to find out about our plans for children and young people’s events in the future or anything else. Do get in touch, Claire would love to hear from you!
Email: [email protected] -
Involvement Manager: Gillian McCarthy
Gillian is our External Engagement Manager and works with researchers, the NHS and other external organisations in ensuring the patient voice is represented. She joined CLAPA in October 2014 and has a background in Speech & Language Therapy, Family support and project management. She has volunteered in several roles including Mentoring, E-befriending, a member of the Children’s Panel and a Childline Counsellor.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07586 045402 -
Services Manager: Daniel Richards
Daniel joined CLAPA in January 2018 and has a background in social work and various roles in local authority, NHS and third sectors. Daniel leads the strategic management of CLAPA’s Adult, Family, and Information & Support Services.
Email: [email protected] -
Adult Services Coordinator: Antonia Sinclair
Antonia joined CLAPA in April 2022. She works with volunteers to provide innovative, relevant and responsive online services, events and resources for the adult cleft community.
Antonia ensures that the cleft community is at the heart of CLAPA’s work, promoting engagement, inclusion and co-production across all activities.
Antonia has worked and volunteered in the events industry for many years and has a passion for providing inclusive and diverse opportunities for all to get involved in. Antonia has two young sons and enjoys performing at festivals with her husband and the rest of the band in her free time .
Antonia would love to hear from you, so do get in touch if you would like to find out more about adult services or discuss how you can get involved.
Email: [email protected] -
Family Support Services Coordinator: Lucy Graham
Lucy joined CLAPA in November 2024 as the Family Support Services Coordinator, and is part of the Engagement and Services Team. Her role is to develop the service CLAPA provides to support families in the cleft community. This involves working alongside volunteers, staff and health professionals to organise and deliver a variety of online events to provide support, information, and opportunities to meet likeminded people.
Lucy has worked in the charity sector for over 12 years, mainly supporting and developing family services.
When she’s not at work, Lucy enjoys days out with her husband and two sons, running, cooking and travel.
Please get in touch with Lucy if you have any questions or suggestions about Family Services at CLAPA, she would love to hear from you.
Email: [email protected]
Finance and Operations
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Head of Finance: Zoe Moore
Zoe joined CLAPA as Head of Finance in 2024, with over 10 years of experience in charity accounting, consultancy and audit.
Outside of work Zoe enjoys cycling and cold water swimming. -
Finance Officer: Louise Barker
Louise joined in January 2024 as a part-time Finance Officer. Her working background includes bookkeeping and accounting within various industry sectors. Louise has two daughters (ages 15 & 11). Her youngest daughter, Isla, was born in 2012 with a cleft palate as part of the Pierre Robin Sequence.
Isla loves life at secondary school and is approaching the age to undertake some orthodontic surgery at Great Ormond Street and a palate lengthening surgery at Broomfield. Louise has enjoyed fundraising for Great Ormond Street and looks forward to getting involved with all that is happening at CLAPA.
Email: [email protected] -
Feeding Service Administrator: Chris Allen
Chris looks after our feeding service, including processing orders and sending them out to families and NHS Trusts. He works part time in the afternoons.
Email: [email protected]
Fundraising
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Head of Income: Mikaela Conlin-Hulme
Mikaela joined CLAPA in August 2022 as Head of Income, leading on income generation and donor care and stewardship and is part of the Senior Management Team. Mikaela has 15 years’ experience in the fundraising and supporter care sector supporting a range of small and medium charities in the UK and abroad.
Mikaela has a little girl so has limited ‘free time’ but when she can normally be found baking or planning her next travel adventure! You can contact Mikaela with any fundraising idea or opportunity, she would love to hear from you.
Email: [email protected] -
Community Fundraising Manager: Louise Dutton
Louise has worked in various sectors, including volunteering at multiple nonprofit organisations. After finishing university as a mature student, she joined CLAPA in 2023 as a fundraising officer to help make a difference in a small charity. She is now our Community Fundraising Manager looking after Community and challenge event fundraising. Her role involves looking after fundraisers and donors to ensure they have a fantastic experience while supporting CLAPA.
Louise enjoys travelling, exploring the outdoors and visiting new restaurants with her husband and young daughter.
Email: [email protected] -
Fundraising Coordinator (Individual Giving): Zoe Kumpfmueller
Zoe joined CLAPA in July 2024 as part of the fundraising team, looking after our individual donors and fundraisers. Her working background is in fundraising and marketing and she has experience in both the charity and commercial sectors. Outside of work, Zoe enjoys gardening, baking and exploring the countryside with her husband and two daughters.
Email: [email protected] -
Fundraising Coordinator (Philanthropy) : Laura Jones
Laura joined CLAPA in 2026 to support our philanthropic partnerships, working with both generous supporters and corporate partners.
Having held Development roles at various UK charities, Laura has prior experience of fundraising to support the cleft community. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about partnerships at CLAPA. Laura would love to hear from you.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys gardening, cooking and yoga, and long walks in the countryside with her dog.
Email: [email protected]
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Trusts and Grants Fundraiser: Denise Robson
Denise has been working for CLAPA since July 2016, bringing extensive funding experience to the role, and focusing on securing core funding from trusts and foundations. Denise works two days a week, generally Mondays and Tuesdays, from home in Tyne and Wear.
Email: [email protected] -
Supporter Care Officer: Maisie Cork Arundel
Maisie joined CLAPA in April 2025 as the Supporter Care Officer. She has worked in the charity sector for 11 years and has a supporter care and corporate fundraising background.
Outside of work she enjoys reading, going to the beach and live music.
Email: [email protected]
Vacancies
VACANCY: Administrator (CLOSED)
Due to a high volume of applications, this vacancy has closed early.