Meet our trustees who, together, bring a fantastic range of knowledge and experience to help guide the work of Richmond CVS.

Edward de Waal (Chair)

Edward joined the board in February 2023 and is honoured to have been elected as Chair of Richmond CVS (RCVS). As well as his role at RCVS, he is involved in two other local non-profit/charitable organisations.  He is a director of Thamesbank Credit Union, which provides affordable loans and savings products to the local community and is also a trustee of a local Scout Group. He is very much looking forward to working with the staff and board of RCVS to help develop the organisation further in its mission to support and empower the voluntary sector in Richmond. Edward spent many years working in the financial services industry and also has a background in IT.  He is married with two children and has lived in the borough for over 25 years. He enjoys walking and cycling as well as travel.  

Marco de Sanctis (Vice-Chair)

With a background in entrepreneurship and leadership, Marco has spent his career growing organisations and fostering collaboration. His experience spans the video games and food industries, where he has led teams, streamlined operations, and embraced innovation.  He is a strong believer in empowering people, continuous learning, and making a positive impact.  As a trustee, he is excited to contribute his skills and experience to support the Mission of RCVS and help drive meaningful change.  Marco has been a Trustee with RCVS since February 2025 and has been Vice Chair since August 2025.

Mark Smith (Treasurer)

Mark joined the board of Trustees in April 2023. He emigrated to Canada after qualifying as a Chartered Accountant for five years, returning as a fully-fledged management consultant.  After eight years with KPMG, he set up his own consultancy business in 1994 servicing large multi-nationals in Pharmaceuticals, Telecoms and Banking, featuring in the Sunday Times Fast Track 3 years in succession.  In 2002 he set up another consulting business, focused on public sector clients and, particular local authorities, police forces and children’s services organisations dealing with a range of pressures, including austerity.  Mark is passionate about developing the role of voluntary services within an increasingly complex portfolio of public bodies delivering services with increasing demand and shrinking budgets. 

Dominique Phipp (Secretary)

Dominique is Senior Assistant Company Secretary at Knight Frank and began her career in corporate governance and compliance in 2018.  Her experience spans both local and global charitable and private organisations in the heritage, education, and real estate sectors.  She is an Associate of the Chartered Governance Institute and her education background also includes Diplomas in Law, History, and a certificate in Charity Law and Governance.  She joined the RCVS Board as a first-time Trustee in February 2023, motivated by a desire to give something back to her local community, to gain new skills and confidence, and to support RCVS in its ambition to diversify its governance voices.  In 2025, Dominique was appointed the honorary position of Secretary.  She is passionate about collaborating with others to improve the governance of organisations and is excited to support RCVS’s Mission to strengthen and empower the Borough’s voluntary sector. 

Gerry Sheridan

Gerry has a degree in Chemistry and after more than 35 years working with IT companies, he retired in 2017.  His primary focus was IT Infrastructure Services which attracted him to the infrastructure role that RCVS plays in the Sector for the Borough.  In retirement, Gerry’s time has been involved with trusteeship with Citizens Advice Richmond (CAR) and RCVS.  Gerry joined the Board of RCVS in February 2020 and served as Chair from April 2023 to August 2026.  He stepped down to be replaced by Edward and looks forward to working closely with him through to the Board and AGM in November 2026 to ensure a comprehensive transition.  Gerry enjoys golf, walking, cycling, his grandchildren and travel.

Annabel Naylor

Annabel became a trustee in October 2024. She volunteers locally and is also an independent Governor for Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College. She was previously a trustee for over four years in a neighbouring borough, supporting a charity for those with learning disabilities and autism. Her career was largely spent in international project management in pharmaceuticals and her experience includes marketing, procurement, and leading the development of training.  Annabel is particularly interested in how a charity keeps abreast of the changing environment it operates in to maximise benefits to its beneficiaries.

Kate Ellis

Kate began her career as an engineer at Jaguar Cars before joining BP where she spent 22 years in a range of roles, including leading oil trading, petrochemicals and shipping businesses. In 2015 she moved into Central Government as a Commercial Director at the Ministry of Justice and later as Chief Commercial and Business Development Officer at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Kate’s non-executive Board roles have included the Richmond Foundation, Birmingham Business School and Richmond’s Orange Tree Theatre. She now chairs the Board of the Oil & Pipelines Agency, part of the Ministry of Defence.  As a Richmond resident for almost 35 years, she is passionate about enabling everybody who lives and works here to thrive, and to that end was delighted to join the RCVS Board in February 2025.

Sarah Thomas

Sarah became a trustee of RCVS in February 2025. She has been a practising solicitor for over 25 years with a focus on transactional work in the life sciences and health care sector.  She has held a number of leadership positions at her firm, principally relating to the development of client relationships in the sector.  Outside of work, Sarah is an active member of key trade associations that support the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries.  She brings her experience from collaborating with her clients and colleagues, and her love for Richmond, to the Trustee role to support the valuable work that RCVS and others in the voluntary sector do in the Borough.

Dugald Millar

Dugald has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.  He began his career working for a refugee charity and after training as a social worker spent forty years in local government. His responsibilities have included care services, community safety and community cohesion, and he was twice a Director of Joint Commissioning with the NHS. He has sat on three government department working groups on Quality and on End of Life care.  He is a trustee of Healthwatch Richmond and a past trustee of Integrated Neurological Services.  Dugald has a strong commitment to the importance of the voluntary sector and of public voices in planning and monitoring services.

Lisa Pickup

Lisa is an executive coach and leadership development consultant dedicated to empowering organisations, teams, and leaders to realise their full potential. She is passionate about building collaborative, enabling cultures that drive shared and sustainable success. She brings over 30 years’ experience as a people professional, working across diverse industries and geographies in both the private and public sectors. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), an accredited professional coach, and has previous experience as a Non-Executive Director. She became a Trustee of RCVS in January 2026, drawn by the strong alignment between its values and her own, and is excited to contribute to its Mission.

Patsy Langridge

Joining the board in 2026, Patsy is a self-employed marketing and employee engagement consultant, helping clients across various sectors – from personal health to insurance to aviation software. In her last permanent role, as well as leading a marketing and innovation function, she sat on the Executive Committee and was involved in a strategic, governance and advisory capacity. She also spearheaded initiatives in culture, engagement and corporate social responsibility, and served as a mentor and advocate for mental health and women in the workplace.  She studied Modern Languages and European Studies at degree level and has a PGCE in Further Education.  Patsy brings her experience and enthusiasm to help RCVS continue to provide strong and effective leadership in an open and inclusive local voluntary sector.