Annual Conference 2026 - Where people and purpose are the heart of technology
About the event
Join us at The Crowne Plaza, Gerrards Cross, for our Annual Conference 2026 - Where people and purpose are the heart of technology.
Budgets are getting tighter, headcount is reduced or redistributed, expectations of delivery are increasing, the pressure is greater than ever. So come and spend time with peers who 'get it', with experts who can help you solve problems, with colleagues who have stories to tell, experiences to share and where you can share the challenges you're facing in a safe, supportive environment.
The agenda will create space for all things tech, digital, data and AI, with a healthy dose of professional power skills, plenty of case studies, face-to-face Special Interest Group meetings and lots of time for networking, connecting, and having some fun too.
All CITL members can attend for free - you only pay for your accommodation. Non-members can purchase a two-day ticket or day ticket (or become members and attend for free...!).
Confirmed speakers
Tree Hall
CEO of Charity IT Leaders, ND advocate & campaigner and founder of NEUROnique. Faculty Member of Workplace Wellbeing Academy.
Su Crighton
Su is a technology leader with a talent for delivering effective digital transformation projects. She is a Partner in KPMG’s Technology and Data Practice with over 30 years experience working across sectors, to harness technology to create and enhance business value. Su was CIO at Cancer Research UK for almost six years, so has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing charities and not-for-profits. She is passionate about supporting the sector, and using her skills, experiences and contacts to deliver meaningful change. Su is also a trustee at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust.
Avril Chester
Recognised as one of the UK's most influential women in technology, Avril is a technology leader, entrepreneur and author of Leading with Humanity in an AI World. Formerly Chief Technology Officer at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, she is currently COO at AINAD and Co-Founder of The Human Intelligence Circle, bringing people, ideas and expertise together to turn possibility into impact.
Stuart Mcskimming
When I left my CIO role to become an independent consultant and podcaster, I lost the job title and the budget that came with it. Overnight, people would only listen to me if I had something genuinely useful to say. I'd lost the team of experts where we could be the technology 'gatekeepers' and instead had to work hard on my skills as a guide, a coach, a trusted confidante, a thought-leader. If I failed, I'd become irrelevant and disappear. In this interactive, and probably overly dramatic talk, I'll share what that shift taught me about influencing senior leaders in our sector - an audience who are simultaneously nervous of tech but also want to be bold with it. if you want to be an effective Technology and AI leader over the next decade, inherited authority won't cut it. You'll need to earn your influence.
Nicole Hill
Nicole Hill is a Business Central Product Specialist at ForGood.Tech, helping charities modernise finance operations and adopt sector-specific solutions. She works closely with non-profits to ensure finance systems support stronger reporting, compliance and decision-making while enabling long-term organisational growth
Adam Wall
Adam Wall is a CRM Product Specialist at ForGood.Tech with a focus on helping charities strengthen supporter engagement and operational efficiency. He works on product development, adoption and innovation across Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions designed specifically for the non-profit sector.
Megan Gibson
Megan Gibson is the Direct 2 Desk Team Leader at Novatech, with over 12 years of experience delivering tailored IT hardware and managed endpoint services. For the past four years, I have been driving Novatechs focus on supporting the charity sector, partnering closely with non-profit IT leaders to tackle the unique operational and financial challenges they face. Passionate about driving social value through technology, Direct 2 Desk helps organisations stretch their IT budgets further, streamline device logistics for remote and frontline teams, and implement sustainable circular economy models that keep funds focused where they matter most—on the front line.
Phil George
Phil George is the Head of IT at FitzRoy – Transforming Lives, where he leads the organisation’s technology strategy and service delivery with a strong focus on efficiency, sustainability, and improving digital access for staff and the people FitzRoy supports. As FitzRoy’s senior IT lead, Phil oversees infrastructure, device lifecycle management, and service improvement programmes that directly enhance operational resilience across the charity. Phil has been a driving force behind FitzRoy’s award‑winning transformation work, including initiatives that have reclaimed significant time and resource for the organisation’s lean IT team. In public interviews and case studies, he has highlighted the challenges of managing large volumes of devices within limited charity budgets and the positive impact of modernising lifecycle processes to reduce delays, improve service delivery, and support ESG goals. His leadership has also contributed to sector recognition. In 2025, FitzRoy’s partnership with Novatech received the Infrastructure Transformation of the Year Award from Charity IT Leaders – an achievement Phil has described as an honour and a testament to collaborative, mission‑driven innovation. With a practical, problem‑solving approach and a deep understanding of the unique pressures charities face, Phil brings valuable insights into modern IT operations, sustainable transformation, and enabling frontline impact through technology.
Glen Ridgway
Glen Ridgway is a workplace mental health and wellbeing strategist, conference speaker and co-founder of Workplace Wellbeing Academy. As author of The Wellbeing Advantage: How caring for your people can power your business, he helps organisations turn genuine care for their people into stronger engagement, better performance and sustainable growth. Drawing on his experience of developing and leading award-winning global workplace wellbeing programmes he now advises organisations of all sizes on how to build environments where everyone has the potential to thrive. Because, when your people thrive your business will thrive too.
Tory Cassie
For the past 28 years, Tory has worked exclusively within the Nonprofit sector and has been instrumental in driving growth and success in Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit within mhance. Having worked with many hundreds of organisations of all sizes, she is passionate about using technology to make a positive impact and help organisations achieve their goals.
Kat Stoner
Kat Stoner is Director of Technology Transformation, PMO and Engineering at RNIB. She leads teams spanning data, engineering, transformation programme delivery and governance, with a focus on modernising technology, improving organisational resilience and ensuring accessibility is embedded into digital solutions from the outset. With over 15 years' experience delivering large-scale technology and business transformation across the charity sector, retail and hospitality, Kat is passionate about using technology, data and AI to create inclusive experiences and better outcomes for colleagues, customers and communities.
Marian Kendix
Marian enjoys enabling people to use data to drive impact. Within this, establishing meaningful metrics, and the behaviours needed alongside them, has become one of her passion projects. Despite moving with trepidation into her first Insight role 20 years ago, and then into Data leadership when it was added to her role without warning, she’s very glad of it all! She moved from the commercial world to the charity sector nine years ago, and has been Head of Data and Insight at Crisis and now MND Association. Alongside the challenges of vital data operations, she relishes opportunities to champion the use of data to inform decisions and drive actions.
Andy Higginson
I'm a certified Microsoft Cloud Consultant with 25+ years' experience across both the technical and commercial areas of IT support, M365/Azure/Security cloud strategy and managed services. I have spent the last 7-8 years in Cloud Solutions Design and Architecture and now lead the Microsoft CSP practice area for Academia/Smartdesc.
Ryan Preece
Ryan Preece is Director of Not-for-Profit at esynergy, where he works with charities and civil society organisations to rethink how technology, data and AI can deliver greater impact. Before joining esynergy, Ryan was Deputy CTO at The King’s Trust and previously led enterprise architecture and data governance at the RNLI. His career has focused on transformation in complex, mission-led organisations, with a particular interest in how the sector can reduce duplication, share more, and build technology around people rather than organisational boundaries. Ryan is also a Trustee of the Aston Martin Heritage Trust and a regular speaker on technology, data, AI and transformation across the charity sector.
Sabah Merad
Sabah Merad has spent her career working in technology, taking on a wide range of roles including business analysis, project management, consultancy, research, product marketing, education and course development, mentoring and coaching. Her work has covered business and technology change, systems analysis, architecture and design, and software development lifecycles and methods. Sabah has a PhD in Computer Science and has worked across government, non-profit, education and private-sector organisations. Sabah has been involved with Charity IT Leaders for several years through its conferences, events and communities, and is Co-chair of the CITL AI Special Interest Group. Outside the technical aspects of her work, Sabah is interested in the experiences that shape people’s working lives. She is particularly interested in the people side of working life and the importance of human connection, community and a sense of belonging.
Vikki Snowball
IS &DM Office Manager at The Donkey Sanctuary, where I help teams make the most of technology, data, and case management systems. When I am not delivering digital improvements, I am often organising camps, activities, and adventures as a Scout Leader.
Robert Morgan
Robert Morgan is the founder of Factory Internet, a UK cyber security company specialising in managed security operations, penetration testing and incident response. Combining hands-on technical experience with security leadership and governance, he helps organisations turn security ambitions into practical, effective defences. His work spans building and running SOC capabilities, improving threat detection and response, and strengthening organisational resilience. Robert brings a pragmatic perspective on making cyber security operations work in the real world, balancing technology, people and business priorities.
Karen Ogborn
Karen Ogborn has worked with Crimestoppers for over 20 years, holding a number of operational positions from working with young people, on marketing campaigns, to project management including setting up the Charity's contact centre. As Chief of Staff she is responsible for aligning all departments with the Charity’s strategy, articulating the impact of Crimestoppers to communities and supporters, and working with key stakeholders. She takes a lead on Information Security, Data and IT developments, helping colleagues get the best from their technology, while keeping data safe but accessible. Supporting the 300+ volunteers for the charity is also part of her role, so they can help Crimestoppers be trusted in every community. With a degree in theatre design and production Karen likes to bring her creativity to her work. She lives in London with her husband and three children.
Lauren Galvani
Lauren is a strategic wellbeing and digital impact consultant for the charity sector. Starting her career deep in the delivery of IT Managed Services, before moving into the technical world of charity CRM solutions, she has first hand experience of the challenges IT leaders face from many perspectives. Her own career has seen her consistently manage leadership roles and complex projects, and she is also a trained somatic movement and embodied yoga practitioner. Whether it's hosting yoga workshops for a charity's frontline. or carrying out a CRM readiness assessment with her Cygnet Digital work, the goal of her career is now this: to make the lives of people who work at charities easier.
Gill Chapple
Gill Chapple is a seasoned entrepreneur and business leader with more than 25 years’ experience building, running and transforming businesses. Her background spans e-commerce, finance and executive leadership before moving into the environmental sector, where she is now CEO of The Future Forest Company. Gill has a particular interest in how businesses can turn environmental responsibility into practical, measurable action.
Matt Secker
Matt combines technical expertise with a practical focus on delivering technology that works for people. He has led infrastructure modernisation, cloud adoption, and digital transformation initiatives, while maintaining a strong interest in emerging technologies such as AI and automation. Known for his collaborative approach and ability to connect technology with business outcomes, Matt enjoys sharing lessons learned from real-world IT leadership and helping organisations navigate change.
Ben McCarthy
Ben McCarthy is an Account Manager at Celon, a technology consultancy that helps organisations modernise their IT, strengthen cyber resilience and get more value from their technology investments. Ben works closely with charities and non-profits, helping them understand their challenges, shape practical technology strategies and connect them with the right technical expertise across infrastructure, cloud, cybersecurity and managed services.
Graham Oddey
After an early career in manufacturing and distribution with P&G, Graham joined PA Consulting Group as a Total Quality Management specialist. Later at KPMG, he specialised in Change Management consulting, which has been the main focus of his work since the mid-1990s. He has worked for more than 100 organisations, helping them to get better results through their people. Graham joined TeamUp in 2024 where he has concentrated on developing client services and building the business.
Phillip Edwards
Josh Hutchison
Josh leads non-profit partnerships at Transparity, Microsoft's Global Non-Profit Partner of the Year and CITL's Best Technology Partner. He works with charities across the UK to harness data and AI to accelerate mission impact, helping organisations turn emerging technologies into practical outcomes for the people and communities they serve.
Aidan Forman
Aidan leads technology transformation at Alzheimer's Society. A UK CIO 100 winner and former Director of Technology and Digital Transformation at RNIB, he brings extensive experience in digital innovation, accessibility and organisational change. Aidan is now helping shape how Alzheimer's Society uses data, AI and technology to accelerate its mission and deliver greater impact for people affected by dementia.
Jeremy Worrell
A former board and C-Suite advisor, Head of Digital & Data, and author, Jeremy now dedicates himself to working with non-profits to help them adopt AI technologies for good. Much of his work centres on AI literacy, training, coaching and ethics. Jeremy recently switched into the charity sector, having spent much of the previous decade with government and healthcare organisations. In 2025, he helped the RSPB, Mind, Save the Children and the Marine Conservation Society to form robust plans, circumventing common blockers. He's now leading AI for the National Deaf Children's Society, and is a trustee of MARINElife.
Lee Springett
Lee Springett is Product Manager for AI at Barnardo’s. He leads the delivery of charity’s AI strategy, product development, and adoption programmes, including the rollout of Microsoft Copilot and a growing portfolio of AI-powered solutions. His work focuses on responsible AI, digital transformation, and ensuring technology creates meaningful impact for colleagues and the children and young people Barnardo’s supports.
Clare Mayell
Eliminating the messy ways of working that make growing your business harder | Sleeves rolled up, one fix at a time | Business Therapy | London
David Hughes
An Accountant and tax advisor with over 25 years’ experience strategically working with owner managed businesses as a fractional CFO/FD. David has been instrumental in building his own business portfolio of Accounting practices, an outsourcing business, and several tech entities. Maintaining and building lasting relationships with entrepreneurs seeking to start-up, to exit strategy planning, David has helped thousands of people achieve significant success. David’s extensive network of contacts are all carefully selected to deliver service excellence for any client we engage with as part of our client onboarding.
Laura Dawson
Laura has worked as a CIO of effective Technology Strategy, Build, Compliance and Service Delivery teams for over 25 years in both public and charitable sectors. She started her career as a systems analyst in the Ministry of Defence and a large part of her career leading the technology team and developing actuarial systems for Government Actuary’s Department, a meaningful exposure to big data models and analytics. She was then CIO at the RSPB, Save the Children UK, and then global CIO for the British Council. Her last role was as CIO of the London School of Economics and Political Science where she supported the organisation and the students through the pandemic as well as providing board engagement and technology delivery on their two newest buildings. Laura’s focus has always been on building effective teams through context-led operating model design and a sharp focus on actionable strategy, and building teams that work together rather than against each other. She helps business leaders move from siloed implementations to enterprise-wide technology solutions.
Michelle Van Wijk
Michelle is an accomplished executive with over thirty years’ experience in the leadership and delivery of business and IT strategic and implementation activities across both the private and public sectors. This experience has been gained through roles in global and boutique consulting organizations, industry, and the public sector across Australia, Asia, the UK, and Europe. Michelle has experience in owning and running small businesses, and founded and ran a for-purpose organization for just over two years. Michelle is currently leading the European CIO advisory services and team of Executive Counsellors at Info-Tech Research Group, where she also works as a trusted advisor to clients. As a trusted advisor Michelle combines her extensive skills and experience with Info-Tech Research Group’s best-practice research, blueprints, and executive services to support her C-suite clients in delivering outstanding results and value to their organizations. Michelle advises on topics including strategy, transformation, governance, program and project delivery, multi-vendor environments, data-driven organizations, and technology and business alignment. She also works closely with clients on leadership, professional development, and networking.
Jim Snape
Human focused tech leader with a background in making people's lives easier. From the private to public and charity sector, I spend time helping teams getting out of the technology and into reality
Neil Edmonds
Neil is an experienced IT professional (MBCS, MCP, ILM) with a very strong technical background. He has significant experience in IT Infrastructure Management and Leadership and has worked in large corporate environments, charity IT and DR/ Business Continuity. He is currently Head of Infrastructure at The Salvation Army.
Kuheli Roy Sarkar
Kuheli Roy Sarkar is an accomplished Information Security leader with more than ten years of industry experience. She has overseen cybersecurity strategies for The Salvation Army, focusing on cloud security, vulnerability management, threat analysis, governance, risk management, and incident response. Kuheli designs security programs that are closely aligned with organisational goals and works collaboratively with cross-functional teams to enhance overall security posture. She has successfully led initiatives to minimise attack surfaces and advance enterprise detection capabilities. Her dedication to best practices is demonstrated through her leadership in achieving ISO 27001 certification and ensuring compliance with standards such as NIST, CIS, and GDPR, including the successful management of ISO 27001 Certification for specific departments like IT. Kuheli’s technical acumen and strategic insight enable the organisation to proactively address cyber threats. Her published work on data security and insider threats, along with her efforts to foster a culture of security awareness, empower teams to stay alert and adaptive within a continually changing threat environment.
Kevin Antao
Kevin Antao is Director of Digital Transformation at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, where he leads the charity’s digital, data and technology transformation. He has held senior technology and transformation roles across the charity and commercial sectors, including Amnesty International, NSPCC, Alzheimer’s Research UK and BP. His work focuses on using technology, data and AI to improve organisational effectiveness, resilience and mission impact.
Mark Salway
Mark co-leads the MSc pathway in finance at Bayes Business School. Mark has run IT functions over a twenty-year period, always across complex, global organisations. His background is mainly humanitarian, conservation and nature. He is also a chartered accountant and brings finance and knowledge management skills to the table. He has also built new IT businesses and managed real innovation in exam boards (as they moved away from paper and towards a digital world).
Guy Burton
Experienced ERP pre implementation consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the computer software industry. Skilled in Requirements Analysis, ERP Software, and Software Implementation. He has led the implementation of Iplicit in many clients since 2022.
Matthew Green
Matthew is an accomplished executive leader, with over three decades of experience delivering large-scale transformations across the charitable, public, and higher education sectors. He currently serves as the CIO at Barnardo’s, where he leads a unified directorate across digital services, data and insight, technology infrastructure, and business operations teams. Matthew is responsible for the organisation’s Digital, Data, and Technology (DDaT) strategy, including an innovative AI strategy designed to enhance frontline service delivery for children and young people. His previous leadership roles include serving as Executive Director of DDaT at the PDSA and Chief Technology Officer at The National Lottery Community Fund, where he specialised in unifying data cultures and modernising technical architecture, and almost two decades in UK university leadership roles.
Noel Anderson
Laura Moore
Laura Moore is a Senior Business Analyst with over a decade of experience across the charity and healthcare sectors. She specialises in process improvement, digital change and accessibility working closely with stakeholders to deliver practical solutions and lasting business value. Laura is passionate about collaboration, continuous improvement, and using business analysis to support successful organisational change.
FAQs
- Who is this event for?
This event has a range of technical and non-technical content for senior leaders, aspiring leaders, and tech, digital and data professionals, working in charities or charitable organisations.
- Do I have to be a CITL member to attend?
CITL members attend for free as part of their membership benefits, and only pay for their accommodation.
Non-members can purchase a one-day ticket for £225 + VAT or a two-day ticket for £395 + VAT. Accommodation will be payable separately.
The event is only for charities and charitable organisations, so please do not apply to attend if you are from a commercial organisation. If you are a commerical organisation wishing to sponsor the event please contact admin@charityitleaders.org.uk
- Is the venue accessible?
The venue is fully accessible, and we welcome delegates who need additional support to attend the event. Please contact us at admin@charityitleaders.org.uk if you have any questions about accessibility, or notify us about any ways we can support you in the Booking Form.
- How many people can I bring from my organisation?
There is no formal restriction on the number of people who may attend from one organisation. If we reach capacity on the event, we do reserve the right to limit numbers per organisation in order to enable more charities to attend.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
