
Meet The Ripple Pond Team

Rodger Cartwright
Chief Executive Officer
Rodger is our Chief Executive. He is a strategic thinker, passionate about growing the organisation and helping as many people as possible. Rodger is a Veteran with extensive experience working in the charity sector and the emergency services. He has a wealth of knowledge and skills in strategy and safeguarding. His great interests are military history and art; if you are foolish enough to mention the Battle of Trafalgar in his presence, you are set for the next few hours. Rodger has a story for every event but shuns the limelight; you will often lose him at an event as he loves to meet, talk to people, and spread the word about The Ripple Pond. Rodger loves animals and usually has a dog or cat nearby.
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Joyti Mackintosh
Head of Finance and Corporate Services
Joyti is an accountant and has worked in an array of roles connected with finance in the charity, private and public sectors. Joyti has extensive commercial experience in contract management and procurement, including in the world of auditing. She is also the CEO and founder of her own accountancy practice. Joyti lives in a very rural part of Suffolk, enjoying cycling and running in the countryside and has recently added hill walking into the mix. She lives with her husband and playful cat Toffee who will occasionally go for a long walk with them if he is in the mood!

Heather McKeown
Head of Operations
Heather is one of the world’s kindest souls. She cares deeply and is positive in being able to find a solution and way forward. With her background in psychology, she’s not only insightful but also brilliant to talk to especially at the end of the phone when you need clarity or reassurance. We all look to Heather when we hit technical snags as if Heather doesn’t know, we won’t have a chance! Heather has a cheeky sense of humour that you don’t always see coming. She loves spending time with her family and is impressively good with all things crafts. Outside of work she can be usually found exploring nature or on a fun day trip with her family - almost always with a cup of tea in hand!

Sarah Parkinson
Project and Brand Manager
Sarah has been connected with The Ripple Pond for many years. Sarah has a background in pastoral care and public speaking and is passionate about caring for carers and using her voice for families. She is a creative soul whose brain reflects the number of tabs open on her internet browser. She loves to plan and create but is equally happy talking life through with a cup of coffee in hand. Sarah has a busy family life with three young children, a dog called Sherlock and her husband who has complex PTSD from his time in the military.
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Toni Browning
Member Support Advocate
Toni is flexible, capable and here to help support our amazing members. Toni can put her hand to most things which is just as well as a Military spouse she has lived in 10 houses in 18 years, and navigated through jobs to both fit in with and support military life. Toni loves spending time with family and getting outdoors for a run. As a family after moving around so much they are in the process of building their forever family home and can’t wait to settle into it soon.

Kirsty Gallucci
Member Support Advocate
Kirsty is one of the most down-to-earth and caring people you’ll ever meet. With over 20 years of experience as a dedicated mental health nurse, she brings deep compassion, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to well-being to everything she does. Kirsty lives with her Navy veteran husband and their rescue dog, Stinky. Whether she's exploring new destinations, volunteering for community projects, or out on a run, Kirsty is always chasing the things that bring her joy and meaning. When it's time to unwind, you’ll often find her curled up with a good book or happily immersed in her latest personal project, transforming her conservatory into a lush, thriving greenhouse.

Holly Howells
Events Coordinator
Holly is our Event Coordinator and is enthusiastic about building The Ripple Pond community through events that bring people together and help create meaningful connections. With a background in education, she enjoys bringing her experience into supporting the development of resources for families, helping them navigate conversations around understanding injury and managing difficult times. Holly has two young children who keep her wonderfully busy, and when she gets a moment to herself she loves reading and cooking, and is currently attempting to get into gardening, with mixed results and a lot of hopeful enthusiasm!

Emily Hannon
Member Support Advocate
Emily brings over 15 years of experience supporting and advocating for individuals affected by domestic and sexual abuse, working across a range of settings including healthcare. Most recently, she led a specialist service within an acute hospital, helping to improve how domestic and sexual abuse is recognised and responded to in busy clinical environments. She is known for her calm, compassionate approach and her ability to really listen, creating a space where people feel safe to talk and be heard without judgement. Emily understands that everyone’s situation is different and works alongside people at their own pace, supporting them to make sense of what’s happening and consider what feels right for them. She is particularly interested in how support can reach those whose experiences may not always be visible. Emily values being part of a service that helps people feel less alone and more able to move forward in ways that work for them. Outside of work, Emily enjoys being creative with found or vintage pieces, often picked up at a Sunday boot fair, reading, and spending time in her upcycled greenhouse, usually with varying degrees of success.
Meet Our Trustees
Behind every charity there is a Board of Trustees. These Trustees are the unpaid and often unsung heroes of the charity sector. Our Trustees are so passionate about supporting the military community, that they voluntarily give up their own time to oversee the running of The Ripple Pond. They all work incredibly hard, making hugely important decisions about how we operate, and about the services that we provide to our Members. Theirs is a vital role, and we wouldn’t be where we are without them.

Brigadier Andrew Wood
Chair of the Trustees
Brigadier Andrew Wood has served in the Armed Forces for 40 years, having begun his military career with the Royal Naval Reserve during the Falklands campaign in 1982. After an initial four years served in mine countermeasures as a seaman, Andrew transferred to the Territorial Army, in order to conduct bomb disposal training as a sapper in the Royal Engineers. Andrew commissioned as an officer at Sandhurst in 1992, and shortly after qualified as an Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operator. Andrew saw active service commanding the EOD detachment in Bosnia in 1997, and subsequently served on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. His final role was as Deputy Director Land Warfare. Speaking of his appointment as Chair of the Board of Trustees at The Ripple Pond, Andrew said: “My time spent in the ranks has served me well – it has shaped me as an officer over the last thirty years, allowing me to better understand the pressures facing young service men and women. Whilst service personnel and veterans face numerous challenges, their service families are often facing challenges of their own. It is for this reason that I am passionate about taking on the role of Chair of Trustees, in order to serve more service families.”
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Our Board of Trustees: Simon Broomfield, Jonathan Werrett, Jessica Cheesman, Rachel Mason, Jackie Watts, Sarah Cook, Kathleen Parker, Gemma Begley
Our Board of Trustees
The Ripple Pond’s board of trustees is a diverse and dynamic group, bringing together a rich tapestry of experiences and expertise. This diversity ensures that our charity is guided by a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by carers within the Armed Forces community. Our trustees come from varied backgrounds, including senior managers, veterans, and serving military personnel. This mix of professional and military experience allows us to benefit from a range of leadership styles and strategic insights. The presence of both commissioned and non-commissioned ranks among our trustees ensures that we capture a wide spectrum of military perspectives, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the Armed Forces environment. Crucially, many of our trustees have lived experience, either as injured service members or as carers themselves. This firsthand knowledge provides invaluable empathy and insight, ensuring that our policies and initiatives are deeply rooted in the real-life experiences of those we aim to support. In addition to their military and caregiving backgrounds, our trustees bring specialist skills that are essential to the effective governance of our charity. These include expertise in areas such as healthcare, mental health, finance, governance, and organisational development. Their diverse social and cultural backgrounds further enrich our board, promoting inclusivity and broadening our understanding of the various communities we serve. This blend of professional, military, and personal experiences ensures that The Ripple Pond is well-equipped to meet the needs of our community. Our trustees’ commitment to our mission is unwavering, as they leverage their varied skills and experiences to drive our vision forward, ensuring that everyone caring for a loved one in our Armed Forces communities “feels seen, heard, and supported”.
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