Our leadership team
Martin Houghton-Brown, Chief Executive
Martin joined St John Ambulance as chief executive in
January 2018. He has a strong track record in leading the
development of public service delivery and in policy change with a
focus on giving people – especially young people – the chance to
fulfil their potential through volunteering, education and
training. He comes to St John Ambulance from Depaul UK, where he
was chief executive for five years. While at the charity Missing
People, he successfully campaigned for a new missing persons law
and launched the new national telephone number for missing people.
He has also held roles at the Children’s Society and served as
Chair of the YMCA England & Wales board of trustees.
Mark Farmer, Director of First Aid
Services
Mark Farmer took up the new post as Director of First Aid
Services in April 2016, having been Regional Director for the South
East region since joining St John Ambulance in March 2012. As
Director of First Aid Services, Mark has responsibility for St John
Ambulance's first aid delivery including event first aid,
community work and ambulance operations. Mark and his team also
provide leadership and support to St John Ambulance volunteers,
including our engagement with young people.
Prior to joining St John Ambulance, Mark held a number of senior
management posts in the hospitality and events industries,
including roles as Operations Director for Youth Hostels
Association and Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Show and
Showground, and as Vice Chair of Visit Lincolnshire.
Steve Foster, Director of People &
Organisation
Steve Foster is the Director of People & Organisation,
joining St John Ambulance in 2010. His directorate includes HR,
Volunteering, Safeguarding and Health & Safety.
Overall, he is responsible for making St John Ambulance a
more rewarding place to work and volunteer at, as well as ensuring
that we are legally compliant and safe.
Before St John Ambulance, Steve previously worked in the private
sector for various multinational companies in HR leadership
roles.
Mel Fox, Director of Training &
Enterprise
Mel Fox is the Director of Training & Enterprise. He joined
St John Ambulance in July 2003 initially as the CEO for West
Midlands Region prior to becoming a Regional Director within
the-then newly formed Commercial Training Division, now known as
Workplace Training. Prior to joining St John Ambulance, Mel spent
20 years in retail banking and 7 years in the private sector with
equity funded start-ups.
His directorate includes Workplace Training and the Central
Training team, Schools, Volunteer & Employee Training, National
Resourcing, Sales, Customer Services and Supplies.
James Radford, Director of Strategy and
Communications
James Radford joined St John Ambulance in November 2016 after a
decade of working in the sport and leisure industries in a variety
of policy, insight and strategy roles. Most recently, he helped
write the government’s overall sport strategy and that of Sport
England, championing the role of insight in the process.
At St John Ambulance he is responsible for working
with the Board and the Senior Management Team to develop the
organisation’s strategy and monitor progress against the goals
within it, including through supporting annual business planning,
overall risk management and research into our impact.
Roxy Boyce, Director of Quality &
Standards
Roxy Boyce started her career as a nurse and health visitor
before moving into a variety of management roles in both acute and
community health services. Roxy has also held senior roles in the
Department of Health, Civil Service and Care Quality Commission
before joining St John Ambulance in late 2016.
Roxy’s expertise lies in corporate planning and governance, and
leading transformational change.
Jo Keaney, Director of Finance & Corporate
Services
Jo Keaney is the Director of Finance & Corporate Services
and is responsible for Finance, Property and Facilities. Her team
are based at NHQ, Winchester, in the regions (including a National
Facilities team) and at the Shared Services Centre in
Sheffield.
Jo’s previous role was Corporate Director of Finance at Victim
Support, and prior to that, she held several Finance Director roles
in the education sector and media. Jo is a Fellow of the Institute
of Chartered Accountants, a Member of the Institute of Taxation and
has an MA in Finance and Investment.