Home > About > Our people

Our people

Our senior leadership team and board of trustees bring deep experience and genuine passion to their roles. They are dedicated to ensuring we provide the best possible support. Guided by our values, our leaders shape our vision and guide our mission. They work alongside our incredible teams to create a future where everyone can live their full potential.

Our senior leadership team

Lisa Gregory

Chief Executive Officer

Lisa joined the Best Lives family in 2023, bringing extensive leadership experience from the NHS and private sectors to steer our transformation. She drives a strategy focused on sustainable growth, financial stability, and digital innovation to modernise support for individuals with complex needs through to independent living. Lisa is also dedicated to making Best Lives an employer of choice, fostering a culture that delivers service excellence and the highest quality of life for the people we support.

Lisa Gregory

Chief Executive Officer

John Allen

Chief Finance Officer

John joined the team in 2025, having previously worked across manufacturing, local government, and healthcare sectors. John is a strategic leader with over 25 years of experience in financial management. He holds responsibility for the organisation’s finance, IT, and estates functions and has a proven track record of driving operational efficiency within complex care environments.

John Allen

Chief Finance Officer

Claire Horner

Chief People Officer

Claire joined the Best Lives team as Chief People Officer in June 2026. She is passionate about creating a culture where people feel valued, supported, and able to do their best work. With over 25 years of HR experience, she has gained extensive senior leadership experience across large, multi-site organisations across a variety of sectors, Claire focuses on building strong teams, developing managers and shaping people practices that help colleagues, and the people Best Lives supports, to thrive.

Claire Horner

Chief People Officer

Sue Quayle

Director of Transformation

Julie Khan

Communications & Engagement Director

With a background spanning health and social care, Julie began her career as a Learning Disability Nurse in Ireland before moving to Liverpool and working for many years in community-based services. She later moved into Human Resources, progressing to Director of People Services, and more recently became Director of Communications and Engagement, where she combines her passion for people and meaningful communication to strengthen organisational culture and community impact. She is particularly passionate about person-centred care, employee wellbeing, recognition and creating positive workplace cultures where people feel valued and empowered. Outside of work, Julie is a proud mum to two grown-up sons and enjoys reading, strength training and long walks, with the occasional game of tennis, badminton or pickleball.

Julie Khan

Communications & Engagement Director

Darren Orme

Director of Care

Darren is the Director of Care at Best Lives, bringing 35 years of experience within the health and social care sector. Passionate about delivering high-quality care, Darren is dedicated to supporting staff development and ensuring positive outcomes for clients and their families. Known for an approachable and supportive leadership style, Darren is committed to continuous improvement, promoting high standards of care and creating a positive environment for both our teams and those receiving support.

Darren Orme

Director of Care

Hannah Savage

Finance Director

Hannah leads the finance function and is responsible for ensuring that financial strategy, planning and reporting align with the charity’s goals and values. Hannah has been with the charity since 2023 and holds a BA in Business, MSc in Accounting and Finance and is a Chartered Accountant. She is passionate about making finance accessible and meaningful across the organisation, helping to make informed decisions that support long-term sustainability.

Hannah Savage

Finance Director

Justin Smith

Interim Finance Director

Bradford born and bred, the first of his family to go to university and a very proud Yorkshireman, Justin worked up through the ranks from trainee accountant to finance director. He has worked across a wide range of fields, from textiles to food manufacturing and retail to charity, and in organisations ranging from small family owned businesses to multi billion pound public companies. In his spare time, he is a keen mountain biker and enthusiastic cook. He also enjoys walking and watching his local rugby league team whenever he can. He is the father of two boys and the husband of his wonderful wife of twenty-seven years.

Justin Smith

Interim Finance Director

David Holliday

Director of Quality Assurance & Health and Safety

David has spent over a decade at Best Lives, building expertise in quality assurance, compliance, and health and safety. As Director of QA and Health & Safety, David oversees the systems and standards that help keep the people we support and our colleagues safe every day. Outside of work, he’s a committed DIY enthusiast, a Leeds United supporter (through thick and thin), and a man on an ambitious mission to watch test cricket in every country in the world that hosts it. He’s a former marathon runner too – though he’ll tell you himself whether that chapter is still open!

David Holliday

Director of Quality Assurance & Health and Safety

Stephen Cooper

IT Director

Stephen is the Director of IT, bringing over 14 years of experience leading Best Lives’ IT and digital strategy. Before joining the organisation, he built an extensive technical background in the managed service provider industry, giving him the kind of foundation that means he’s usually three steps ahead when it comes to digital challenges. When he’s not keeping Best Lives’ tech running smoothly, Stephen can be found coding for fun, tinkering with home automation, or keeping up with the latest in mobile tech. When he does eventually step away from the screen, you’ll find him cheering on Liverpool, wrangling home gadgets, or being outwitted by his two kids.

Stephen Cooper

IT Director

John Spencer

Director of Property & Assets

With over 17 years’ experience in the housing and social care sector, John has held senior leadership roles up to Chief Executive level within registered provider organisations. He is passionate about delivering high quality housing and services to adults with a learning disability or autism, putting individual choice first through engagement and consultation. John holds a Level 5 Certificate in Housing with Support and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. He is also a Technical Member of the Institution of Fire Safety Managers and a qualified fire risk assessor, bringing specialist knowledge in governance, compliance and building safety. Outside of his professional responsibilities, John can be spotted on the tennis/padel course, or attempting to play golf!

John Spencer

Director of Property & Assets

Helen Humphreys - Head of People at Best Lives

Heather Humphreys

Director of People

Heather joined Best Lives in 2026, bringing 10 years of public and private sector experience to the role. She leads the People Team in developing talent strategies that build leadership capability across the organisation, while helping to shape working practices that are inclusive and empowering. The people and communities we support deserve nothing less than a capable, confident team behind them. That means, ensuring each team member has a genuine sense of belonging, the trust to grow, and the support to be the best version of themselves.

Heather Humphreys

Director of People

Our board of trustees

Stephen Robinson

Chair of Trustees

Andy Hunter

Trustee

After an early career in logistics, Andy successfully completed the Master of Business Administration qualification at Cranfield School of Management, then and now a UK and world-leading Business School. Following Cranfield Andy founded and established Charter UK which became a leading software provider in Customer Services/Customer Experience Management with offices in Surrey and the US, delivering to dozens of world leading brands. Most recently, Andy has been Alumni President at Cranfield. During Andy’s tenure in 2021, The Economist ranked Cranfield number one in the world and first in the UK for the breadth and effectiveness of its alumni network.

Andy Hunter

Trustee

Louise Myers

Trustee

Louise Myers is a trustee at Best Lives and the founder and managing partner of CG, a commercial law firm she established in 2017. Based in the North West, CG has grown into an 80-strong team advising corporate clients across the UK. Louise specialises in employment law and brings particular expertise in restructures, contract variations, mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border arrangements. She is also a trusted adviser to many businesses on the day-to-day employment and operational decisions that shape how organisations work. Founding and running her own firm gives Louise a grounded, commercial perspective that she brings to everything she does.

Louise Myers

Trustee