Board of trustees

Mark Silverman

I live in Barnet with Abbie and our son Thomas, having been a chartered Town Planner since 1998 working for a local authority in Hertfordshire.

I have been a trustee of Action Duchenne since 2008, soon after Thomas was diagnosed with Duchenne.  Since joining the charity, I have held a wide range of research and campaigns responsibilities.

Action Duchenne has been instrumental in delivering improved outcomes for the Duchenne community and I will continue to work closely with the staff and Trustees, to achieve even more for those living with Duchenne and their families.

Gary Fegan

Father to Katie, Cormac and Ronan, we found out that Cormac had DMD in 2014 after trying to get to the bottom of his antisocial behaviour. Cormac has a nonsense mutation and this led to working with Action Duchenne and other DMD charities to fight for the approval of Translarna in Scotland. Cormac was the first patient to be prescribed Translarna through the NHS in the UK via an Individual Patient Funding Request, which is how he continues to receive the drug today.

Roger Cockerton

I am married to Lynne with two grown up daughters Lizzie (Dentist) and Georgina (Trainee Solicitor) and live in Suffolk.  I am an experienced senior finance professional, a Chartered Accountant working as a contractor within the NHS.  Prior to that I worked in the insurance industry mainly in the Lloyd’s market, within the broking community where I was Finance Director for a Chinese owned entity for twenty years.

I have had an interest in the not for profit sector since the 1980s and acted as a hands-on trustee treasurer for local charities and continue to do so.  In addition, I have gained significant experience dealing with NHS charitable funds, preparing yearend financial statements for audit and more recently, active interaction with trustees at Southend NHS FT.

Emma Simmonds

I live in Hampshire and have two grown up children.
I have worked in education throughout my career, both here in the UK and Australia,
where I lived for 6 years. I have spent the last 11 years working for an Independent
Specialist School and College, supporting young people with physical disabilities. I
am passionate about ensuring young people and their families have access to the
right education, and to ensure all of their health and care needs are met. I attend and
represent at SEN Tribunals and therefore have a thorough knowledge and wealth of
experience in the frameworks that underpin this legislation.
I have supported Action Duchenne and attended the International Conference
through my line of work over the years. I am really honoured to have been appointed
as a Trustee and look forward to working with Florence and Trustees to support the
Charity and its aims.

Vicky Pleydell

Vicky Pleydell is a retired GP with 35 years of service in the NHS, including 20 years in health services management and leadership. As the Chief Officer of Hambleton Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group, Vicky managed a substantial budget and led significant improvements in patient services. Her experience with involving patients, carers, and clinicians in service development, and her commitment to compassionate care align perfectly with our values. Vicky’s background also includes educational roles, such as Co-Director of the Nurse Practitioner Programme at the University of York, reflecting her dedication to healthcare innovation and education.

“I am a mother of four and grandmother of four beautiful boys. One of my grandsons was diagnosed with Duchenne in 2016 aged just over 2. During my working life I was a GP for over 30 years and also worked in education and NHS management and leadership. As a doctor I was passionate about trying to design care that kept the individual, and their family at the centre and was not fragmented by rigid organisational structures and budgets. There is still much to do. As a grandmother to Sebastian I want to try to make a difference to the life he has, both personally but also if possible help to influence the world he inhabits in a wider sense, so he and others living with Duchenne have the best life possible.”

Greg Hill

Anna Mabile

Anna Mabile is a seasoned accountant with over 15 years of comprehensive experience in finance and operations. Anna has demonstrated exceptional leadership, overseeing all financial activities and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Her extensive background includes managing ERP system implementations and leading financial reporting and audits. Anna’s expertise in strategic planning and change management will be invaluable to our financial stewardship and operational excellence.

“I am excited to join Action Duchenne as a Trustee, motivated by a desire to support families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy. With a background in finance, starting from an apprenticeship at OPEL and an MSc in Business Studies, I bring a unique blend of creativity and accounting expertise. My career has focused on financial performance optimization and innovative communication with non-financial stakeholders, skills I believe will benefit Action Duchenne.”