Meet Our Board
Paul Griffiths OBE KStJ DL
Prior for Wales (Chair of the Board) and Chair of Honours & Awards Committee
For six years, Paul Griffiths chaired the Gwent Council for St John AmbulanceCymru, whilst also serving as a National Officer for the Police Superintendents’ Association, having previously served as an active senior police officer. Paul has a long history of commitment to voluntary and charitable causes including serving as a trustee for Police Care UK and the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust, and volunteering as a Telephone Friend with the Royal Voluntary Service. Paul was awarded an OBE for ‘services to policing’ in 2021.
Caryn Cox DStJ
Chancellor (Vice Chair of the Board)
Caryn has over 30 years’ experience in health care and social care across the NHS, local government, World Health Organisation, the EU and within the private sector. In her current role as a consultant in public health in the NHS in Wales and England, with a specialism in communicable diseases/health protection, she played a key part in the COVID-19 pandemic response in Wales and England. She has been involved with St John for over 40 years, starting as a member of St John Ambulance in England in childhood. She has been a trustee of St John Ambulance Cymru since 2017 and Chancellor since June 2023.
Emily Bristow OStJ
As Senior Vice President at Blue Prism, Emily has worked with many major customers to help make the most of their digital workforce. Previously, Emily was the UK Head of Intelligent Automation at the global IT consulting firm CGI beforejoining Blue Prism in June 2018. An MSc graduate, Emily has more than 10 years’ experience across a variety of IT and operational roles. Emily’s first encounter with St John Ambulance Cymru was when she joined the charity as a Badger in Gwent in the 90s. Her involvement with the charity has now come full circle as she became a trustee in February 2021 and is board lead on digital and data development andcompliance.
Helen Willson MStJ
Archivist
Helen spent 15 years running the Museums and Heritage Service at Caerphilly County Borough Council where she was Principal Museums & Heritage Officer between 2007 and 2017. There, she was responsible for the successful management, development and delivery of the Museums & Heritage Service, its sites, staff and volunteers. With a passion for volunteering, Helen has given her time to support several charitable causes including the Cub Scouts and her local PTA. In her current role, Helen is responsible for leading on volunteering and participation for the National Trust in Wales and has brought her third sector expertise of volunteer-based charities to the Board since February 2021.
James O'Connor OStJ FCA CEnv MRSC
Bailiff of St Davids and Chair of Audit, Risk and Governance Committee
James joined the not-for-profit sector in 2016 after over a decade with PwC, the world’s largest firm of professional advisors. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, James brings his experience of governance, risk management and stakeholder alignment to St John Ambulance Cymru where he has served as a trustee since early 2021. James is currently Director of Corporate Finance at Pobl Group, Wales’ largest housing association, where he oversees the strategic treasury approach for the loan and capital markets portfolio to fund the development of more homes for people in need. He is also a non-executive board member for other organisations supporting vulnerable people, collaborative development of energy-efficient new homes and effective use of heritage assets. James was installed as Bailiff of St Davids in 2024.
Dr Jean White CBE MStJ, RN, PhD, DSc, MSc, BN, RNT
Chair of Clinical Committee
Dr Jean trained as a general nurse in Swansea and originally practised as a theatre nurse in Wales and London. Jean has held positions in nurse education, at the Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, Health Professions Wales and Welsh Government and was Chief Nursing Officer for Wales and senior adviser to Welsh Government between 2010-2021. She has worked with the ministries of several European countries and is an adviser to the World Health Organisation. Now retired from the civil service, Jean is an Independent Council Member at Bangor University; Panel Judge for the national St David Awards; Trustee of the South Wales Police Youth Awards; and was formerly Visiting Professor of Nursing at University of South Wales and High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan.
Rhys Jenkins LLM OStJ
Rhys has practiced as Barrister at Colleton Chambers since 2019, focusing on Family Law and Civil Law across the South West. Beyond a busy practice and family life, Rhys enjoys giving his time to organisations close to heart. Rhys was a Trustee at Cardiff University and the Cardiff University Students’ Union from 2014- 2015. He also took on the role of Vice President Education during this time. Rhys was an Institutional Reviewer at the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) from 2015-17, reviewing user experience, academic rigour, and good governance. He was appointed on 24 June 2023.
Marc Penny MStJ
Chair of People Committee
Marc is Director of Improvement and Innovation for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board as well as holding voluntary roles as Trustee and Board Secretary of Brynawel Rehab. He is a highly experienced and passionate Operational Excellence, Business Transformation and Innovation professional having spent over 25 years leading change and transformation across public and not for profit organisations. Marc’s voluntary roles focus within Health and Care charities supporting the most vulnerable within society. He splits his time between South Wales where he lives and North Wales where his partner lives and works. Before becoming a Trustee, Marc was an Independent Member of St John Ambulance Cymru's People Committee.
Carol Jones F.C.C.A. MStJ
Chair of Finance and Resources Committee
Carol became a St John Ambulance Cymru Trustee in late 2024.FCCA qualified with 36 years’ experience in finance-related senior managerial positions within multinationals. Carol has a background of operating for many yearsas a board director managing financial compliance in global manufacturing and service sectors. She has proven expertise in managing and leading staff through cultural change incorporating lean practices and successful collaborative working with external stakeholders on projects throughout Europe. Carol brings a sound commercial oversight of the charity’s finances.
Nyah Lowe
Nyah became a St John Ambulance Cymru Trustee in late 2024. She is the first youth trustee on the St John Ambulance Cymru Board of Trustees, presenting an opportunity for the Board to gain input from individuals of all ages. Nyah’s background is Student Voice and Advocacy gaining experience as the President of Undeb Bangor (Bangor University Student’s Union). She has experience representing and advocating for students and young people at national and international conferences and engaging with leaders at government level. She also brings experience of developing consultation practices that empower stakeholders to engage and take ownership of policy and strategy development.
Catherine Evans
Chair of Fundraising and Engagement Committee
Catherine Evans brings over three decades of experience in strategic communications across housing, community development, social care, arts, and inclusion. As Head of Communication at Trivallis, she leads on shaping clear, purposeful messaging that supports organisational goals and public trust. Catherine is committed to practical, people-focused approaches that foster transparency and collaboration. Her work reflects a belief in the value of inclusive communication and its role in strengthening relationships between organisations and the communities they serve.
Hadley Newman MStJ
Hadley Newman's career spans senior advisory roles, international engagement, public affairs, strategic communications leadership, and defence-adjacent environments, with work across government, multinational settings, and complex geopolitical contexts. He has advised governments, senior leaders, and international organisations including senior strategic communications leadership linked to the G20, international advisory roles, and authorship of multiple NATO-commissioned research reports. His current academic and professional focus centres on hostile information activity, contested information environments, strategic communication risk, institutional resilience, and the challenges organisations face in understanding and responding effectively in fast-moving information ecosystems.
Rev Canon Alan Pierce-Jones
Priory Dean and Chair of Pro Fide Committee
Alan is originally from Prestatyn in North Wales, he has been an Anglican Priest for 26 years and served in Parishes in both Wales and England before joining HM Prison Service as a Chaplain. Alan served in a number of Prisons in the North West of England, before returning to Wales to open HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, the biggest prison in the country. He also worked for the MOJ Chaplaincy HQ for a number of years overseeing prison and probation chaplaincy across Wales. He now works in a small prison just over the border in Chesire, although still lives in Flintshire. Alan has a lot of experience of Chaplaincy with different organisations and has been serving with St John Ambulance Cymru for the past four years. As Priory Dean, he is responsible for nurturing and sustaining the Christian ethos of the organisation and providing pastoral care to all staff and volunteers through chaplaincy provision. Alan joined the Board in 2026.
Professor Nigel Rees QAM, FCPara, Phd, MSc, BSc hons
Nigel is a Paramedic, Assistant Director of Research and Innovation for the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust and Honorary Professor at Warwick University Medical School Clinical Trials Unit. He has worked in ambulance services in Wales since 1989, and held a wide range of clinical, research and leadership roles including former Wales Council member of the College of Paramedics. Nigel has been Chief and Principal Investigator on large-scale and internationally significant trials in ambulance services. He has led and contributed to many book chapters and over one hundred and twenty-six peer-reviewed articles. Nigel is a Fellow of the Royal College of Paramedics and was awarded the Queens Ambulance Medal in the 2017 New Year’s Honours.
