The ECS team
Management team
Kate Cocker: Director
Employed with ECS since 2004, Kate is qualified at postgraduate level in business and management. She has more than ten years' experience in the fields of homelessness and mental health.
Jill Childs: Team Leader, Elmore Team
Employed with ECS since 2005, Jill is a qualified Social Worker and holds a BA in applied social sciences, an MSC in mental health and has a practice teachers award. She has more than fifteen years' experience in the fields of dual diagnosis, homelessness and mental health.
Liz Patterson: Team Leader, ASB Team and Prisoners' Support Team
Employed with ECS since 2006, Liz has more than fifteen years' experience in the fields of homelessness and young people.
Charlotte Dawson, Team Leader, Parenthood Team
After completing a psychology degree Charlotte worked in residential care for people for people with learning disabilities. She then managed aged care services for people at risk of homelessness in Australia. Returning to the UK, Charlotte worked as a freelance trainer in health and social care, and management until joining ECS in 2009.
Angela Mayston, Team Leader (maternity cover)
Employed with ECS since 2008, Angela has more then eight years experience in the fields of homelessness and assertive outreach.
Board of Trustees
Mike Simm, Chair
Mike trained initially as a Thames Valley Probation Officer and then spent over 30 years working for Oxfordshire County Council, predominantly in Children's Services. Having served as Head of Oxfordshire Youth Offending Service and Head of Community Safety, Mike ended his career in May 2009 as Assistant Director for Commissioning and Partnerships in the Children and Young People's Directorate. Mike is a highly experienced trustee and has acted as chair of several boards. He previously chaired the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Strategy Group, which in 2008 won MJ and Health Service Journal awards for innovative partnership work in the community.
Cathie Ashley
Cathie trained as a counsellor in the 1980s and then worked in the not-for-profit sector for 15 years until her retirement in 2006. She has worked for Stonham Housing Association and Connection, and spent four years managing Oxfordshire Mind's Housing Projects.
Dr Jill Cohen
Jill is a retired Professor of Psychology (The Open University) and has 10 years' experience on the Board of Thames Valley Probation Service. She is currently lay assessor for postgraduate medical education.
Mark Hammond
Mark has worked in supported housing for nearly three decades, focusing on young and homeless people. Mark is Managing Director of Key2 Futures Ltd, which provides housing and support for young people leaving care.
Tan Lea
Tan is Strategic Lead for Youth with Oxfordshire County Council and Head of Oxfordshire Youth Offending Service. She has worked in Children's Services in the statutory and voluntary sector for more than 25 years, primarily with young people.
Steve Pearce
Steve is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy with the Complex Needs Service, part of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Clare Rowntree
Clare is Manager of Oxfordshire County Council Joint Housing Team, which tackles and prevents homelessness. Having worked in the homeless sector for more than 15 years, her experience ranges from delivering and managing services to strategic and partnership work.
Matthew Wigglesworth
Matthew has been a manager of a range of supported housing services for Stonham – the Well Being arm of Home Group – for more than 15 years.
Paul Goodman
Following nearly 20 years with the Thames Valley Probation Service, Paul was Chief Executive of the Ley Community, Oxfordshire's residential drug treatment centre, for 10 years. He is involved with diverse voluntary sector organisations, and has a particular interest in working with refugees and asylum seekers. He is also a Trustee of Oxford Homeless Pathways.