CHOICES – BOARD MEMBERS BIOGRAPHIES
Mike Lawton – Chair
Mike is a Commercial Director with Michelin Tyre plc. He has held senior roles within
private sector organisations both in the UK and as an expatriate. He began his
career with Waterford-Wedgwood in the late 1980s and with Austin Reed in the
1990s. Mike has an MBA from Staffordshire University. His private sector experience
includes Corporate Strategy, Sales and Marketing strategy, Business budget &
financial management, enterprise level administration process design and synergy
and International management of projects and people.
Mike joined Choices Housing Association in 2008 as a board member and has been
Chair since 2009. Mike headed the team which led Choices into the selection
process for a strategic partner and ultimately into the Wrekin Housing Group.
Chris Cullen
Chris Cullen is the Emerius Professor of Clinical Psychology at Keele University and
former Director of Psychological Services, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare
NHS Trust.
Chris has worked in both clinical and academic settings since the mid 1970s, retiring
from the NHS. For 10 years he was the Enable Professor of Learning Difficulties at
the University of St Andrews before moving to North Staffordshire in 1995. He is a
recent Trustee of Research Autism and co-chaired its Scientific Committee. In 2012
he was made an Honorary Fellow of the British Association for Behavioural and
Cognitive Psychotherapies and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the
British Psychological Society. He is a Staffordshire JP and was a school governor
for many years.
Julian Fletcher
Julian’s career has focused on improving the experience of people who need care
and support in their lives. He has a wide range of experience as a social care
practitioner through to chief executive of a large care organisation. He has also had
experience as a member of a number of national social care bodies and as a board
member across care and housing organisations.
Julian understands the current issues facing care and housing providers and the role
of board members to ensure good governance, think strategically, communicate
effectively and to be able to analyse information and monitor performance. He
enjoys maintaining positive relationships, whilst offering constructive challenge and
support is important to him. He is a naturally numerate person and well aware of
financial reality.
Julian wholly supports the vision and values of Choices and the services which they
provide and is impressed by what Choices has achieved.
Bob Floyd
Bob is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a professional member of
the Royal Institution of Chartered surveyors. He has 35 years’ experience within
social housing mainly at Director and Chief Executive level. He led in the setting up
of a stock transfer RSL as Chief Executive for two years and now undertakes interim
management and consultancy through his own business. Recent roles have been
with Cobalt (LHT Group), Wulvern, Stockport Homes, Stafford & Rural Homes and
Manchester City Council.
Shirley Jones
Shirley is the parent of a Choices service user and is the service users/ carer
representative on the Board. She lives locally and is actively involved in a number of
carers groups in Staffordshire.
Shirley is currently working with a group looking at dementia in adults with learning
disabilities and has a particular interest in adults with learning disabilities who have
autism.
Susan Merry
Susan retired from social work in 2010 after a 40+ year career during which her
experience has been wide ranging. Latterly Susan worked in adult services, in
particular relating to disability, mental health and learning disability.
She came to Staffordshire in the early 90's & worked as part of the Stallington
Resettlement Team, a multi-disciplinary team, which is where she first came across
Choices (formerly North Staffs Housing Consortium).
Following the Stallington closure in 1997 Susan joined Stoke on Trent's Registration
& Inspection Team and continued the relationship with Choices, albeit wearing an
entirely different hat, inspecting and monitoring many of their group living homes,
working more closely with them as an organisation and producing reports
accordingly. It was always a positive relationship.
Susan moved on from inspection to work at Keele uni where for 6 years she coordinated & developed practice learning opportunities for social work students. A
range of students were placed within various aspects of Choices which was
beneficial & a challenge to all concerned. Placements did not always go smoothly &
Choices staff and residents were enormously supportive to the process.
Although now fully retired from all of the above Susan retains a keen interest in all
aspects of adult disability and is committed to quality of care.
Tony Taylor
Tony has more than forty years’ experience within the Social Housing sector and
holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Housing. His housing career commenced at the
Housing Corporation and he was a long serving CEO of Waterloo HA –A major
developing association in the Midlands.
Between 1976 and 2009, Tony was a Director and Secretary at West Midlands
Housing Society Ltd and between 2009 and 2011 was the interim Chief Executive of
Choices Housing Association.
Tony is currently the Chairman of Seesaws Day Nurseries Ltd – A commercial
company which owns and manages five nurseries – and is the Vice Chairman of
Future Housing Group, a successful LSCT in the East Midlands.
Tony is married with two adult sons and is an enthusiastic golfer.