Our team
Diane Morton
Chair & CEO
Diane founded Wag & Company in 2015 and leads the charity operationally in line with our Articles of Association and on…
Catriona Taylor
Community & Operations Director
Catriona manages the Wag operation with particular emphasis on community engagement, income generation and achieving our growth…
Leanne Dodd
Visiting Services Manager
Leanne’s been with Wag from the early days, she is a specialist in our visiting services, particularly…
Jackie Handley
Home Visiting Advisor
Jackie specialises in our home placements and works with Leanne and Jo across the team to make…
Jo Jobling
Visiting Services Advisor
Jo specialises in recruitment and supporting our applicants, volunteers and care and medical placements too working closely…
Samantha Langrish
Senior Administrator
Sam focusses on our fundraising events and income generation activities, our Friends of Wag supporters scheme and our…
Penny Bland
Grants Specialist
Penny leads our work on fundraising grants remotely from Shrewsbury part time. Penny is ‘mummy’ to labradors…
Nicky Jeffrey
Finance Specialist
Nicky manages our financial accounting and reporting process remotely, part time. She is also a Wag volunteer,…
Our patron
Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, became our Patron in 2018.
Best known for redeveloping The Alnwick Garden, the Duchess of Northumberland has served as Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland since 2009. An avid dog lover, the Duchess has also been key to the development of the Elderberries Programme at Alnwick, a social project bringing people together to socialise and build friendships.
Her Grace told us:
“Being a lover of dogs, I understand and appreciate how they can enhance life for their owners and elderly friends. Loneliness is a killer and if dogs can help to address this scourge of the 21st century then I am fully supportive and I am honoured to be a Patron of such a worthy initiative.”
Our trustee board
Diane Morton
Chair & Operations Director
Chair & Operations Director, Diane, retired in 2010 from her role as Group HR Director for Northumbrian…
Alison Hall
Director and Company Secretary
Alison is a solicitor working for Hay & Kilner in Newcastle.
Doug Morton
Trustee Director - Risk
Doug’s career began in 1976 as an engineering apprentice in the public sector
Suzanne Tait
Trustee Director - Finance
Suzanne Tait is Head of Finance at BW Medical Accountants Limited, a Newcastle based specialist accountancy, tax…
Rob Boville
Trustee Director - Digital
Rob Boville is Chief Technology Officer at Purple, a software company based in Manchester that specialties in WiFi analytics…
Sean Churchill
Trustee Director
Sean Churchill is Regional Sales Manager for Arco Ltd, has worked for Arco since 1984 and has…
Mike Madine
Trustee Director
Mike Madine is Head of Wastewater Service Planning, Quality and Performance at NWL, based at Head Office…
Sophie Carvin
Trustee Director
I’ve always been motivated by making a difference to people. I’m Founder and Principal Coach at Deror,…
Richard Blackett
Member
I have worked in the financial planning industry since I left University with a BSc (Hons) in…
Our ambassadors
John Mowbray
Chair University of Sunderland Board of Governors
John Mowbray OBE is Chairman of the University of Sunderland’s Board of Governors and Co-Chairman of the North East Cultural Partnership.
James Ramsbotham
Chair of Newcastle Buidling Society and recently retired Chief Executive of the North East of England Chamber of Commerce, James is very highly regarded in our region.
Our advisors
Dr Tim Nuttall
Animal Health & Wellbeing Expert Advisor
Tim is Head of Dermatology and a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Veterinary Dermatology at The Royal…
Vicky Welsh
Animal Behaviour Expert Advisor
Vicky is a Clinical Animal Behaviouralist specialising in dog behaviour problems. She has a Master’s Degree in…
Our assessors
Caroline Penistone
Leeming, North Allerton
I am a dog trainer with over 20 years experience. I offer training in Leeming, Northallerton. I…
Claire McCrae
Whickham, Gateshead
My interest in dog training began over 20 years ago, when I adopted a deaf rescue dog…
Charlotte Husband
Washington, Tyne & Wear
I hold a Masters Degree in Animal Behaviour and Training, I’m also a qualified Dog Groomer and…
Cris Brown
North Shields
I am a dog trainer with over ten years experience. I offer training classes in Walker and…
Georgie Smith
Newcastle Upon Tyne
I’m an avid dog lover that recognises the benefits the company of a dog can offer –…
Heather Stevens
Richmond, North Yorkshire
For around 40 years, I have been a trainer and behaviourist and specialise in all forms of…
Karen Gibson
Brandon, Durham
I have been lucky enough to share my life and love with many dogs and also to…
Louise Birkett
I’m Louise Birkett and I started dog training 10 years ago after achieving my BSc (Hons) degree in…
Mechelle Jacques
Consett, County Durham
I have run training classes for the last eight years, ranging from pet obedience to fun agility…
Stephen Bell
Crook, County Durham
I am a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP). Karen Pryor revolutionised training through…
Vicky Welsh
Chester le Street
I am a clinical animal behaviourist specialising in dog behaviour problems, and I also run pet dog…