Our board members come from a range of professional backgrounds, each bringing valuable knowledge and experience to the role.
You can read more about all of them below.
Dawn Keightley
Chair, Leazes HomesDawn Keightley was appointed as a Leazes Homes Trustee in April 2017 and became Chair in August 2018. She has spent over two decades in the social housing sector, mainly working for a national provider of supported housing and latterly for a regional provider in a range of strategic roles, including Managing Director. Dawn also previously worked with NHS England Transforming Care Programme focusing on increasing housing choices for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
Ged Walsh
Vice Chair, Leazes HomesGed was appointed as a Leazes Homes Trustee in April 2018. Ged's last full time role was as Director of Development and Assets at Karbon Homes and he has over 30 years of experience working in the construction and housing sectors. Ged is a chartered surveyor and, during his career, worked for several large social housing organisations as well as for Homes England. He is also now Development Committee Member for Gentoo housing in Sunderland.
Scott Martin
Board member, Leazes HomesScott became a Board Member in 2024. He started his career with KPMG before moving into senior finance and management roles in the housebuilding sector. He spent 10 years at Barratt Homes as Finance Director and then Managing Director before taking the position as Group Finance Director at the £230million turnover Storey Homes.
Kath Heathcote
Board Member, Leazes HomesKath is a housing professional who has held several senior positions in housing, including Head of Housing for Derwentside District Council. Over her career, Kath has managed a range of services and has experience and expertise in supported housing, which is particularly relevant to Leazes Homes. Kath currently undertakes interim management and consultancy roles and this experience of different organisations and ways of working, along with her experience and expertise in housing is a great addition to the Board of Leazes Homes.
Pip Hughes
Board Member, Leazes HomesPhilippa Hughes (known as Pip) joined the Leazes Homes Board in January 2022. Pip works in a senior management role within the NHS, bringing her housing expertise to the Learning Disability and Autism Programme. She is also a Trustee of the regional Children's Charity, Children North East. Pip has more than 20 years’ experience in the housing sector, predominantly within the fields of homelessness, supported housing, specialist support services and business development, working for a range of national charities and local social housing providers. Pip has always enjoyed bringing together strategic partners from social care, health and housing to deliver real change and is passionate about the truly transformative power of having the right home on people's life chances.
David Hern
Board Member, Leazes HomesDavid joined the Leazes Homes Board in September 2022. He is currently a Director for Turner & Townsend and has worked on some of the major construction developments in the north, including residential and social housing, as well as interim appointments for Manchester and Bradford City Councils. David has Bachelor and Masters degrees from Northumbria University and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a Member of the Association for Project Management and a Certified PRINCE2 Project Management Practitioner in 2010. He was also an External Assessor at Northumbria University and in his spare time is heavily involved in providing voluntary service for his local church and is also a volunteer at The People’s Kitchen in Newcastle.
Daniel Gibson
Board Member, Leazes HomesDaniel joined the Leazes Homes Board in September 2022. Having worked in the property industry for 15 years, he has built up experience in property development, management, surveying, residential lettings and property investment. Daniel set up his own residential estate agency and investment company in 2012 and over the years has worked on numerous multi-million pound housing developments. Daniel currently holds positions as a director and non-executive director across several housing companies within the private and social housing sector.
Neil Revely
Board member, Leazes HomesNeil became a Board Member in 2024. He has over 40 years’ experience in the social care and housing sectors. He spent much of his early career with Durham County Council prior to moving to North Yorkshire County Council in 1998, subsequently becoming Executive Director of Health, Housing and Adult Services for Sunderland City Council in 2007. Since 2016 he has provided consultancy across Health, Housing, and Adult Services and the wider Local Government and Health sectors. He is an associate member of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and Chairs the ADASS Housing Policy Network. He Chairs Disability Action Yorkshire, and has acted as an Adviser to the Local Government Association’s Housing Commission, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care, and contributed to various housing related matters with the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health and Social Care. He works with the LGA as a Care & Health Improvement Adviser. Neil is passionate about supporting the creation of strong communities and giving everyone the opportunity to live in a good quality home with a belief that a safe and secure home is a key component for a person to maximise their life chances. He is a strong advocate for the development of accessible homes to give the best possible independent living choices.