Our people

Alison is an experienced charity CEO who joined the Trust in February 2023. Always an animal lover, she has also held a lifelong fascination with human biology and medicine. Leading THRT is her dream job! 

Outside of work, she has run nine marathons, sings in two choirs and enjoys gardening. The photo is of Alison with her neighbour’s dog Jess, who she walked every day during the COVID lockdown.

Max joined the Trust back in August 2011; 12 years later, she is the longest serving member. She is passionate both about the Trust and animals, and is mum to two rescue dogs, Betty and Bertie (pictured) and two rescue cats, Porge and Bradders. Betty and Bertie are also members of the charity team, joining us in the office most mornings for cuddles, ball and snoozes under the desk. 

When Max is not walking her pooches and hoovering up pet hair, she loves interior design, gardening, Wordle and the odd jog around the block!

Sara joined the Trust in September 2023. She loves working for an organisation that reflects her own values around animal welfare and in a role that offers such variety. 

Sara’s outside of work interests include walking her bearded collie Alfie, watching live music and supporting Manchester City FC!

Sophie is a marketing professional with previous experience within the healthcare sector. Throughout her career she has focused on using social media and other marketing channels to craft compelling stories.

Sophie is also passionate about the wellbeing of animals, having been a vegan for 7 years. She joined the Trust in April 2024 to help drive awareness of and support for humane medical research.

Janet is a retired Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. As a surveyor she specialised in landlord and tenant law and property and asset management. She lives in Sale with her husband Alan and their 15-year-old rescue cat Spike. 

Since 2008 she has been involved with The Society for Abandoned Animals, a small local animal rescue based in South Manchester. She is currently Chair of the Board with this charity, helping them drive their strategy forward, to provide food and shelter to those animals abandoned by their owners and to find them their forever loving home. 

She is excited to chair the Board of the Humane Research Trust, and hopes that her professional and charity experience will support the Trust to achieve its aim in improving human health without causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

Bryan joined the Trust as a trustee, thanks to the involvement of his aunt, Gillian Homan, who has been a trustee for a number of years. He completed a degree at University of Aston in Birmingham in Biochemistry/Pharmacology and a postgraduate course at Birmingham University in Toxicology. Up until 1991, he worked as a practical toxicologist and held a Home Office licence for that time. 

From 1991 until 2019 he was a senior manager at United Utilities. He has also been involved with the Rivington Heritage Trust, chairing the organisation for many years until the charity secured significant Heritage Lottery funding in 2019.

He has always maintained an interest in science, and brings his business and charity experience to the Trust to actively promote and support its goals and values.

Kelly is an experienced and passionate professional with a strong commitment to serving charities. She is also a life-long animal advocate, having been vegetarian for most of her life before going vegan 15 years ago. She has also undertaken hands-on volunteer work at an international animal rescue organisation. She currently lives in London with her husband and two senior cats. 

Her experience as operations director at the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre has honed her ability to navigate complex environments and launch impactful strategic initiatives. She has experience of ensuring compliance, facilitating transparency, and managing finances, and has a keen eye for improving policies and processes. 

As well as her operational experience she has a lot of insight into research funding, having spent many years working in university research facilitation, where she supported a significant number of grant applications and helped to secure around £50 million in funding.  She hopes to use her skillset and her commitment to animals and social impact to support the Trust to benefit animals and people.

Alan joined The Trust in June 2023 as a trustee and Honorary Treasurer. Alan is a Chartered Accountant with a postgraduate diploma in Health Economics, and has extensive experience in financial planning and analysis.

When he’s not helping to keep the books balanced, he’s cycling around the hills of Scotland or walking his family’s beloved mini schnauzer, Odie (pictured).

Barry has extensive experience across a number of sectors, including safeguarding, health and social care and financial services. Currently employed as the chief information and digital officer for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), he is responsible for the delivery of technology and innovation for this central government organisation. He is also a non-executive director for Personal Care and Support in Bury and a trustee of Rossendale Hospice. 

Additionally, he is an avid supporter of various animal charities within the UK, having joined the Trust to play a direct role in the welfare of animals. He also brings my background in digital technology and innovation to good use as Chair of the Trust's operations sub-committee.

Paul spent 20 years at Barclays Bank Trust Company and then moved to J . Rothschilds in 1998 as a senior manager. He became a partner at St. James’s Place in 2001 and senior partner thereafter. Now semi-retired, Paul is a trustee and director of The Severn Hospice. He has extensive knowledge of trust & estate planning and investment management. He brings 45 years’ experience in the complex world of financial services to his role as trustee with the Trust.

Paul is also a massive animal lover, with three cats, three dogs and three horses. He passionately wants the work of the Trust to make a lasting difference to the welfare of animals, now and in the future.

Gill began her working career in human resources, first in retail and then in the automotive engineering industry. After a career gap she moved into higher education, working with postgraduate and post experience students. She also had the opportunity to work in Eastern Europe and in China over the later years of her career. 

After retirement she increased her voluntary work in a number of organisations, including Barnardos and the University of the Third Age, joining the Humane Research Trust in 2020. She found that the Trust’s ethos of improving human health without cost to animals is one that she supports unequivocally and is proud to do so.

Julie joined the Trust in June 2023. She is a professor of biomaterials and tissue engineering in the Department of Materials and Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester. Her research is focused on cell behaviour and understanding both the cell biology and the biomaterials to then create more appropriate materials for biological and clinical applications. These applications are mainly biomaterials and tissue engineering for the repair and regeneration of tissues such as bone, cartilage, intervertebral disc and skeletal muscle.

She brings her expertise in animal-free research methods to her role as trustee for the Trust, helping to support its science and grant-making activities.

Aline is a professor of biomolecular engineering and associate dean for business engagement and innovation within the University of Manchester. Her research focuses on developing animal-free hydrogel materials for use as 3D scaffolds, inks for 3D printing and within drug discovery.

She is also a trustee of the Royal Society of Chemistry. As trustee at the Trust, she is excited to help reduce and replace the use of all animals in research.

Sam joined the Trust in June 2024. He is currently reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Durham University as well as undertaking an industrial placement year at HSBC UK as an analyst. He is passionate about community engagement, which he champions as a multi-academy trust high school governor and a representative of youth, faith and LGBT+ communities on Cheshire Constabulary's Independent Advisory Group. Sam has also stood as a candidate in the Cheshire East Borough Council elections and is an elected member of the LGBT+ wing of a major UK political party.

As a vegan of over five years, Sam is committed to The Humane Research Trust's goal of removing the usage of animals and animal products, in the advancement of human health. With a variety of work in the community and voluntary sector, Sam is excited to facilitate new marketing and fundraising initiatives to help promote the values of the Trust. He is eager to provide a nuanced perspective and help make their vision a reality.

Natalie is a student at the University of Manchester studying Biochemistry with Industrial Experience. She has always supported finding innovative ways to progress scientific research without animal testing.

When she is not studying, Natalie enjoys singing with the Hallé Choir and crocheting various projects. She has a pet cat named Lucky (nicknamed Bean) who provides her emotional support during exam periods!