The Charity Accountants' Conference 2025 - Speakers

George joined DSC at the beginning of 2017 and, having previously led the sales and customer service teams, moved into training at the start of 2020.

He trains in Management & Leadership, Fundraising, Personal Development, Project Management and Wellbeing. He has extensive experience in helping organisations make positive changes to how they approach social change.

He is also qualified as a Mental Health First Aider, with additional time spent studying Psychosis.

The favourite part of his role is knowing that the work DSC performs has a major impact on both the charities and individuals that we are able to serve.

Eileen joined DSC in January 2018, and having worked within the commercial teams in charities and social enterprises brought a wealth of experience of generating income and delivering high quality services into the DSC Sales team.

Eileen’s many years’ experience as a trainer in both the commercial and 3rd sectors was then employed as she became a member of the Training team, designing, updating, producing, retailing and delivering courses and workshops.

Eileen enjoys being part of a team that is genuine, professional and totally committed to building sustainable charities with well trained, confident trustees, employees and volunteers.

Jay Kennedy is the Director of Policy and Research at the Directory of Social Change (DSC), where he has worked since 2003 in a variety of roles involving research, policy and public affairs, and senior management. In 2024 DSC published Jay’s Speed Read on Campaigning, which is an accessible, introductory guide for charities wanting to influence the UK political system.

Jay is responsible for DSC’s Research Team, which researches information for DSC’s fundraising publications and its funding website www.fundsonline.org.uk, and conducts bespoke research for a range of grant-makers and other charity clients.

Debra has worked in the charitable and voluntary sector for nearly 40 years with brief forays into the private sector.

Amongst numerous other roles, she is Co-Chair of the Soldiering on Awards. She is a Trustee of In Kind Direct, one of the Prince's Foundation Charities, a governor of the Berkshire NHS Community Foundation Trust, a Commissioner on the Local News Commission of the Public Interest News Foundation, and just recently stood down as trustee of the Berkshire Community Foundation.

She is also an Africa Advocacy Foundation Ambassador for women and girls at risk of or affected by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Debra has served as a trustee of several charities including being the co-founder of the Small Charities Coalition and was its first Chair. She served on the Charity Commission's SORP committee for over 7 years and was the Vice-Chair of Governors of Whiteknights primary school for 6 years.

She is a renowned public speaker with many years' experience of training and coaching and is an internationally published author of several books on management and leadership including It's Tough at the Top; The Pleasure and the Pain; It's Murder in Management and It's a Battle on the Board. Debra has a regular monthly column in Third Sector magazine and has appeared on Radio 4's The Moral Maze.

Debra is an alumna of Windsor Leadership having participated on the Strategic Leaders Consultation.

Cathy has worked in the voluntary and charity sector in the UK and Ireland for 25 years. As learning and development specialist, her career has focused on supporting individuals and organisations in the sector to be the best they can be for their beneficiaries.

In her role at DSC, Cathy designs and delivers training for our public courses, events and in-house training customers. She also provides coaching and mentoring support to senior managers and CEOs.

Aside from specialising in management and leadership topics, Cathy is particularly interested in how to have the best relationships at work, as well as our own personal effectiveness in performance at work. She strongly advocates that collaboration is a happier, more creative and sustainable way of working and enjoys helping individuals and organisations find ways to do this more often.

Cathy was on the DSC Leadership Team for 13 years where she gained all sorts of insights into the financial and practical challenges that charities face in the modern world. Previous roles as trustee, volunteer, project manager and PA to a charity CEO, give her an experiential understanding of working at all levels within an organisation.

Jonathan Orchard rejoined Sayer Vincent as a Partner in 2013 and specialises in audit, internal audit, and risk management for charities. With over 20 years of experience in the sector, he brings insight from roles including Head of Consultancy at Mango, where he developed services to strengthen NGO financial accountability. Jonathan advises organisations on governance and risk, combining strategic understanding with a practical approach. He coauthored the Charity Finance Group guide Rethinking Risk and is known for helping charities build confident and adaptive risk management cultures.

Judith Miller joined Sayer Vincent in 2006 after training with KPMG in the United Kingdom and Germany. As Partner, she leads audits and governance reviews for a wide range of charities, combining technical expertise with a people centred approach. Judith has extensive trustee experience, having sat on a number of charity boards in this time. She sits on the ICAEW Charities Committee and is a course director on the Inspiring Financial Leadership Programme run with Charity Finance Group and Bayes Centre for Charity Effectiveness. An engaging trainer and facilitator, she regularly speaks at conferences and designs bespoke development programmes for charity leaders.

Ross Palmer rejoined Sayer Vincent in 2020, having first trained with the firm in 2008 and progressed to Audit Manager before taking up the role of Financial Controller at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. There, he led on VAT compliance and process improvement across the department. Back at Sayer Vincent, Ross supports charities with VAT, partial exemption, and Gift Aid, delivering practical, tailored advice. He regularly provides training on complex tax issues and contributes to client guidance through Sayer Vincent’s specialist tax group and publications.

Joanna Pittman has spent 25 years with Sayer Vincent and became a Partner in 2014. She leads audits and independent examinations for charities in health, social care, grant making, arts and membership sectors. Joanna sits on the Charities SORP Committee, shaping future reporting standards, and previously served seven years on the ICAEW Charities Committee. A passionate advocate for good governance, she delivers finance and governance training for trustee boards. She was a trustee of Farleigh Hospice for nine years, where she chaired the Financial Governance Committee and was Vice Chair.

Jon Williamson joined Sayer Vincent in 2015 and qualified as a chartered accountant three years later. As a Tax Manager, he leads compliance and advice engagements from planning through to completion, ensuring they run smoothly and to schedule. Jon has extensive experience across a range of charity clients, with a particular focus on the arts and culture sector, where he advises on creative industry tax reliefs. He is also an active member of the firm’s tax group, helping to interpret and communicate key developments in charity taxation and audit practice.

Eleanor Lockey joined Sayer Vincent in 2020 as a qualified chartered accountant and now manages a diverse portfolio of audit and independent examination clients. She ensures each audit process runs efficiently and collaboratively from planning to completion. Alongside her client work, Eleanor contributes to Sayer Vincent’s Learning and Development group, delivering internal and external training on charity accounting and audit developments. Her approachable and organised style makes her a valued adviser to both clients and colleagues.

Lawrence joined Sayer Vincent as a trainee in 2017 and qualified as a chartered accountant in 2020. He now manages audits and independent examinations across a varied client base, offering clear communication and practical support throughout the process. A member of the firm’s technical group, Lawrence helps develop training on emerging audit and accounting issues. Outside of work, he serves as Treasurer of Elders Voice, a London charity supporting older people, reflecting his commitment to good governance and social impact.

Jonathan Coyle joined Sayer Vincent in 2007 as a trainee and has since developed extensive experience across charities of all sizes and sectors. Now a Partner, he leads the firm’s technical group, ensuring staff and clients stay ahead of regulatory and reporting changes. Jonathan combines technical precision with a collaborative approach to client service, offering practical advice and training to charity boards and finance teams. He also serves as an independent member of the Finance Committee of the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

Fleur Holden is a Partner at Sayer Vincent where she leads on audit quality and provides strategic advice to charities in a variety of sectors including health, social care, and membership. As the firm’s technical partner, she ensures both staff and clients are equipped with up to date knowledge on audit and financial reporting standards. A Fellow of the ICAEW, Fleur previously served as treasurer of The Staffordshire Pathway Project, supporting victims of domestic abuse. She is recognised for her clarity, technical expertise, and commitment to strengthening governance and financial resilience.

Farrah Kitabi qualified with Sayer Vincent and later held a senior finance role at the NSPCC. She became a Sayer Vincent Partner in 2025, her experience on the charity side gives her deep understanding of finance operations, from internal controls to year end processes. Farrah specialises in audit, VAT, and Gift Aid, helping fundraising charities improve efficiency and financial management. She chairs the audit committee for Young Lives vs Cancer and leads Sayer Vincent’s Learning and Development group, providing training on reserves, sustainability, and managing audits.
Farrah is also a trustee and chair of the audit committee for Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent).

Arlene Clarke leads Sayer Vincent’s risk and assurance work, helping charities strengthen governance, risk management, and internal controls. With extensive experience from HelpAge International and the British Red Cross, Arlene has delivered assurance projects across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Her approach is collaborative and pragmatic, focused on solutions that enhance efficiency and impact.

Matt Holden qualified as a chartered accountant in 1999 and spent over two decades teaching ICAEW, ACCA, and CIMA qualifications, specialising in business and financial management. Passionate about supporting people at the start of their careers, he joined Sayer Vincent as ACA Training Manager to help shape and guide the firm’s trainee experience. Matt was drawn to Sayer Vincent’s strong culture of learning and its commitment to developing exceptional accountants through its apprenticeship programme. He finds it rewarding to see trainees grow in confidence and contribute to the financial health of charities and social purpose organisations.

Phil Davies joined Sayer Vincent in 2012 after studying Classics at Durham University and quickly developed a passion for the charity sector. Now a Senior Audit Manager, he works with a diverse range of clients, specialising in international development and donor funded audits, including European Commission and UK government assignments. Phil combines technical accuracy with a clear and supportive communication style. He also serves as treasurer at his local church, applying his expertise in governance and financial management within his community.