Meet The Team

Sinéad has been Chief Executive of Aspire Housing since 2006. 

Sinéad grew up in Staffordshire, studied at Keele University and is one of its founding “fellows” in recognition of her achievements and Aspire’s support for North Staffordshire communities.

Sinéad is Chair of Barnsley-based Berneslai Homes and a Non-Executive Director at Goram Homes and was Chair of national housing network PlaceShapers for five years. Sinéad continues to be a voice for change, sharing her passion for community-based solutions to the housing crisis.

In recent years, Sinéad has received an MBE for services to housing, two honorary doctorates for work supporting communities was named ‘Chief Executive of the Year’ in the 24Housing Awards, and has seen Aspire receive the Queens Award for Enterprise; a first for housing.

Aman Dalvi has worked in senior positions for many years, including as Chief Executive of three different organisations where he has led multi-disciplinary teams. Aman has extensive experience in Planning and Regeneration, and in his career, was the Executive Director of Development & Renewal in a major London Local Authority. Aman was also a ministerial appointment on the boards of English Partnerships and the Olympic Park Legacy Company. He has served as Chair of the Anchor Trust and a number of other Registered Providers. Aman also advised a major Real Estate Company in London on Housing and Planning matters.

In 2000, Aman Dalvi received an OBE for services to housing.

David is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant. He has held a number of senior financial positions with organisations based in the Midlands, including Express Dairies plc. He was Finance Director of train operator Midland Mainline and coach operator National Express. His executive experience has been in large customer focused organisations and has seen the successful delivery of strategy development and execution, turnarounds, business transformations, cost re-engineering, acquisitions, disposals and major projects.

He has previously been a Non-Executive Director at the Hinckley & Rugby Building Society where he was Vice Chairman, Senior Independent Director and chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee. Additionally, he has held a Non-Executive Directorship with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust where he chaired the Audit Committee and completed a short interim term as a Non-Executive Director with United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust as Chair of the Finance, Performance and Estates Committee.

Currently, he is a Non-Executive Director with National Savings and Investments and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. He is a Trustee with the charity Consumers’ Association trading as Which? where he chairs the Strategic Finance Committee and is a member of the Group Audit and Risk Committee. Also, he is also an Independent Committee Member of Trent College’s Finance and Estates Committee.

Liz joined the organisation in September 2021. At that time she was completing her office as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at Staffordshire University where she served for 6 years completing 35 years in Higher Education.

Liz grew up near Stafford, attended college in Stoke-on-Trent and her first teaching job was at Longton High School in 1983.

Liz was awarded a CBE in 2019 for her services to Higher Education and became a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 2020.

Amanda is a Business Development Manager working with a company that specialises in supporting all manufacturing industries with the procurement and supply of automation and control components.  Prior to this she was a senior engineer in the telecoms industry. Amanda has been an Involved Customer at Aspire for four years and played a part in securing the TPAS accreditation.

Working also as a Customer Assessor she has been involved in projects to shape the services around our void properties, green spaces, and communal areas to name a few.  Amanda is also a member of OASIS, a group of customers who monitor Aspires commitment to the Promises that it makes and who ensures that the customer voice is heard.

Amanda is also involved within the scouting movement and has been a Cub Leader for the past 11 years.

 Paul  is the Staffordshire County Councillor, representing the Newcastle Rural division. He is also the newly appointed CCSM (Community Cabinet Support Member) for Newcastle-under-Lyme and is the Vice-Chairman of the Council’s Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee and Audit and Standards member. Paul sits on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council where he serves as councillor for the Loggerheads ward. He is the Cabinet member and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth covering Development Control, Planning Policy and Local Plan, Planning Enforcement, Land Charges, Operational and Commercial Property Management, Strategic Transport, Economic Development (Operational), and Facilities Management. He has a keen interest in local housing provision.

Paul’s 40 years of experience professionally has been in Mental Health, Social care, the Home Office and Civil service, management of hospital services experience and he now devotes time to the Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychology service arena in a consultancy/practitioner capacity for the private sector part time. He is also a post graduate and services trainer.

David is a retired Chartered Accountant, having spent over 37 years in practice gaining wide experience of accounting for and auditing of social housing providers and credit unions with a firm specialising in providing audit and financial consultancy services to the not-for-profit and charity sectors.

He has particular interests in risk management and governance in regulated sectors and has previously been Vice-Chairman of a local stock transfer housing association.

Neale is a retired Chartered Town Planner who worked for over 40 years in Local Government. He operated in various Chief Officer roles with relevant responsibilities including Town Planning, Strategic Housing, Regeneration and Asset Management. During that time, he fulfilled several regeneration partnership leadership roles in which Aspire Housing was a key delivery partner, including programmes relating to Housing Market Renewal, a Regeneration Zone, SRB and Neighbourhood Management. 

Recently he completed a 20-month Interim Head of Service role for Stafford Borough Council. Also he is a self-employed advisor to small businesses and operates as a Strategic Consultant with the Staffordshire Civil Contingencies Unit.

In addition to his post-Graduate Town Planning qualification, Neale gained a level 7 qualification in Strategic Management.

 

Pat has worked in housing management and development for over 40 years. She established her own housing consultancy company in 2004 and has worked on a wide range of housing management and development projects across the country, ranging from large scale regeneration projects, shopping centre redevelopment, development of Extra Care schemes, housing strategy development, restructuring and change management.

Originally working for Derby City council for 12 years, Pat then moved to South Yorkshire Housing Association as Housing Services Director and then became Development Director, again for South Yorkshire Housing Association. Pat was also Head of Development at Castle Vale Housing Action Trust, Keynote Housing Group and Midland Heart.

Pat has previously been a board member of Ashram Housing Association and was Chair of York Housing Association.

Pat has a BA(Hons) in English and a the CIH professional qualification in housing.

Jane Atherton brings over 30 years’ experience of working at a senior level within the social housing sector.

Jane Atherton runs her own HR consultancy practice supporting organisations to be great places to work. Prior to this, Jane was the Group Director of People and Risk at the New Charter Group in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester and Chair of Ashton Pioneer Homes.

Jane was appointed as the Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC) at Aspire in April 2024. The role of the MRC is to champion a positive complaint handling culture and build effective relationships with complaints teams, residents, its audit and risk committees as well as wider teams and the Housing Ombudsman Service.

David is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant. He has held a number of senior financial positions with organisations based in the Midlands, including Express Dairies plc. He was Finance Director of train operator Midland Mainline and coach operator National Express. His executive experience has been in large customer focused organisations and has seen the successful delivery of strategy development and execution, turnarounds, business transformations, cost re-engineering, acquisitions, disposals and major projects.

He has previously been a Non-Executive Director at the Hinckley & Rugby Building Society where he was Vice Chairman, Senior Independent Director and chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee. Additionally, he has held a Non-Executive Directorship with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust where he chaired the Audit Committee and completed a short interim term as a Non-Executive Director with United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust as Chair of the Finance, Performance and Estates Committee.

Currently, he is a Non-Executive Director with National Savings and Investments and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. He is a Trustee with the charity Consumers’ Association trading as Which? where he chairs the Strategic Finance Committee and is a member of the Group Audit and Risk Committee. Also, he is also an Independent Committee Member of Trent College’s Finance and Estates Committee.

John is a chartered accountant who has spent over 40 years in public practice, first with KPMG and then with a fast growing regional practice where he led the private sector across the UK, covering audit, reporting, taxation and corporate finance.

He still managed to fit in a number of treasurer roles, most notably with The Scout Association, one of the leading UK charities with dual royal patronage. As a senior trustee, he was chair of the audit, risk and finance committee and oversaw considerable change from 2003 to 2010 including a very successful centenary year in 2007.

Now running his own consultancy practice providing non-exec director and part-time FD roles, business coaching and a regulatory affairs role with 17 international accounting networks at a European level.

Joanne is a Chartered Director who gained a breadth of experience with the alternative energy and clean tech sectors over the last two decades and is a positive changemaker in both fighting against global warming and supporting the restoration of our degraded ecosystems.

Whilst her early career was spent in financial roles in the traditional manufacturing and engineering sectors; social responsibility, sustainability of resources and the impact of business activity on the environment and individuals within society are at the core of the businesses that she has supported. Joanne is currently involved in a Non-Executive capacity with several not-for-profit organisations and is Chair at the British Taekwondo Council.

Joanne’s professional activities are further underpinned by her other professional Fellowships gained with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the Chartered Management Institute.

Pat has worked in housing management and development for over 40 years. She established her own housing consultancy company in 2004 and has worked on a wide range of housing management and development projects across the country, ranging from large scale regeneration projects, shopping centre redevelopment, development of Extra Care schemes, housing strategy development, restructuring and change management.

Originally working for Derby City council for 12 years, Pat then moved to South Yorkshire Housing Association as Housing Services Director and then became Development Director, again for South Yorkshire Housing Association. Pat was also Head of Development at Castle Vale Housing Action Trust, Keynote Housing Group and Midland Heart.

Pat has previously been a board member of Ashram Housing Association and was Chair of York Housing Association.

Pat has a BA(Hons) in English and a the CIH professional qualification in housing.