Management & Governance

Health in Mind is governed by a Board of Directors, who are trustees of the charity, and the day to day management is delegated to our Chief Executive.

Health in Mind operates a clearly defined line management structure. Each of the service teams is managed by a Service Manager who in turn is accountable to the Chief Executive, Gwenn McCreath, Depute Chief Executive, Theo Dijkman and Head of Regulated Services Joan Johnson.

To identify the Service Manager for each service please refer to the individual service page.

We also have a Central Services Team who provide financial and administrative support.

Management Team profiles

Gwenn McCreath – Chief Executive

Gwenn has worked in the voluntary sector for most of her working life (quite a long time!), including 10 years with OXFAM, 2 years with Capability Scotland and 13 years with RNIB. Her work in these organisations has been diverse, including working with volunteers, fundraising and marketing, external relations and managing services, at both Scottish and UK levels. Gwenn is really motivated by being part of an organisation that makes a difference in people's lives - she wants the world to know about the great staff and volunteers that we have here and to bring our approach and expertise into the lives of more people.

Gwenn takes an active interest in the work of the voluntary sector and is on the Boards of Volunteer Development Scotland and the Scottish Mental Health Co-operative.

Theo Dijkman – Depute Chief Executive, Development

Theo has worked in the voluntary sector for over 18 years where he has managed teams offering support from home, residential care and supported accommodation to people with mental health and substance misuse difficulties. In addition to his management experience Theo has completed extensive psychotherapy training and is registered with UKCP. His work is informed by a passionate belief in the potential for growth that lies within each individual.

Joan Johnson – Head of Regulated Services

Joan has worked in social work/social care since the early 1970s. As an unqualified social worker in a hospital for people with learning disabilities she was introduced to partnership working and has remained passionate about that, and about her chosen career, to this day. Her experience in front line social work included child protection and criminal justice, groupwork and community work, older people and mental health, school based social work and practice teaching.  She then managed the Orchard Centre for 15 years, learning and growing with her colleagues and with the service and only leaving when the lure of her current post, and the big city, proved too strong.

Joan is committed to ensuring that our services reflect service user involvement and participation, innovation and creativity, best practice and recovery. 

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors have overall responsibility for the organisation and offer a diverse range of professional backgrounds and experience.

Board members have been specifically selected for having the key skills necessary to manage the volume and diversity of our activities and/or for being representative of the communities with which we work.

Sandra Macaskill - Chair

Sandra brings experience in social enterprise development, social return on investment and employability. She is also a keen promoter of laughter therapy as part of improving health and well being and hopes to create opportunities for clients to get involved in developing this work.

Isobel Gray – Treasurer

Further information on Isobel will appear here shortly.

Jim Verth

Jim is a retired Social Worker and he worked in and around Edinburgh for most of his career. As a Social Worker, he worked with people coping with the impact that their mental health problems had on their lives and those of their families. He saw at first hand the importance of people having choice in where and how they sought support and the important role that organisations like Health in Mind play in providing that support, and in providing a wider perspective on mental health issues. He was therefore pleased to have the opportunity to join the Board of Health in Mind where he hopes that his experience as a social worker and social work manager will be of use. Jim lives in Edinburgh and is enjoying the leisure and volunteering opportunities that retirement has brought.  

Paul Harvey

Paul has over 30 years’ experience of using a wide variety of residential, community and tertiary mental health services in various locations throughout the UK. He is widely credited with the foundation of Fareham & Gosport SUN – a unique, service user managed and service user group operating in South Hampshire; and has extensive and innovative service development, management and evaluative experience at all levels within the statutory and voluntary sector structures in that part of the world. He is employed in a personal support role by Enable Scotland, and amongst other things is currently enhancing service user involvement opportunities within that organisation. He is a soldier of The Salvation Army; and enjoys history, politics and walking in wide open spaces.

Judy Fowlie

Judy became involved with Health in Mind as a volunteer in 2004 and joined the Board in November 2007. She is still actively involved as a be-friender with Re:discover.

Judy works as a solicitor and has a good knowledge of property matters in Edinburgh. She has also completed a post graduate research counselling qualification and has a committed interest in mental and emotional wellbeing.