With expertise in research, fundraising, policy and more, our staff are dedicated to making breakthroughs possible.
Hilary Evans-Newton CBE
Hilary joined Alzheimer’s Research UK in 2013 and has been instrumental in driving a period of transformative growth. Under her leadership, the charity has significantly increased its income, strengthening its ability to invest in groundbreaking, innovative research with the power to change lives.
Before joining Alzheimer’s Research UK, Hilary led the campaigning work at Age UK, championing improvements to the lives of people in later life across the UK and internationally.
In March 2023, Hilary was appointed to co-chair the UK government’s national dementia initiative, The Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme. This programme draws on the lessons of the Covid-19 vaccine taskforce to accelerate progress in dementia research and innovation.
Hilary holds an honorary doctorate in medicine from the University of Exeter, is a Trustee of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), and serves as a Member of the World Dementia Council.
In recognition of her leadership and impact, Hilary was awarded a CBE for services to charity in the 2026 King’s New Year Honours.
Emma Whitcombe
Emma is Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Fundraising and Marketing. She joined the Alzheimer's Research UK team in 2023.
Alongside having overall responsibility for our fundraising and marketing team, Emma deputies for Hilary, and leads on our organisation transformation programme as we grow.
Emma brings more than twenty years' experience in leadership roles across the charity sector. She has worked for charities spanning health, disability and international development, establishing highly-successful engagement and income generation teams and campaigns. Before joining Alzheimer's Research UK she worked as a consultant, and prior to this, led the marketing and fundraising team at the MS Society.
Emma holds a PhD in cognition from the University of Birmingham and has worked as a care assistant supporting people living with dementia.
Samantha Benham-Hermetz
Sam leads the Policy, Communications and Involvement directorate at Alzheimer’s Research UK.
She joined Alzheimer’s Research UK in 2019 and leads our strategy on political and media engagement and the involvement of people with lived experience of dementia. Her teams cover policy, public affairs and campaigns, communications, information and involvement.
Sam sits on the Government’s Dementia Programme Board, and the Join Dementia Research Partnership Board. Her role involves advocating for greater focus and investment in dementia research to achieve better outcomes for people affected by dementia.
Debbie Clark
Debbie leads our Individual Giving and Legacy directorate, who deliver engagement with supporters through Regular Giving, Prize Led Fundraising, Gifts in Wills and In-Memory Giving.
This directorate inspires long-term support and create opportunities for meaningful engagement by putting supporters at the heart of everything we do. Data, analytics, CRM and Supporter Care are all critical to delivering our fundraising aims and sit within this directorate.
With over 22 years in the sector, Debbie brings fundraising and leadership experience at Dogs Trust and National Trust, as well as working across a wide range of charities at a leading Fundraising and Charity Marketing agency, where she worked with Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation, RSPCA, Save the Children, Age UK, RNLI and many more.
Carolyne Coupel
Carolyne leads the charity's Digital, Brand, Insight and Strategic Development and Marketing Planning functions.
The Strategic Marketing team lead collaboration across the charity to ensure a cohesive public facing narrative and marketing plan that will drive customer engagement and action.
We do this through growing brand awareness, delivering excellence in digital capability and marketing, providing outstanding fundraising and marketing insight, and creating a single source of truth for marketing performance.
With over 15 years sector experience, Carolyne has been Head of Individual Giving at both The Children’s Society and The National Autistic Society. Prior to her time in the charity sector, Carolyne held a number of roles in the telecoms and media sector – most recently as Head of Telephony Marketing at Telewest Broadband (now Virgin Media).
Philip Dunn
Delivering effective and efficient support functions as well as driving good governance and compliance across the Charity is essential in underpinning core activities taking place in other Directorates.
Lynnette Gray
Peter Halewood
Peter joined Alzheimer’s Research UK in 2014 and has overseen the significant growth of our work with individual philanthropists, trusts and foundations.
He leads on our fundraising for our strategic priorities such as our Drug Discovery Alliance, and has recently taken on responsibility for our team that work with our corporate partners.
Peter has extensive experience in philanthropy and joined Alzheimer’s Research UK having established a new Major Donor function at The Salvation Army. Prior to this, he worked for both Cancer Research UK and World Vision UK.
Susan Kohlhaas
She also oversees Alzheimer’s Research UK partnerships with organisations such as Gates Ventures, the Dementia Discovery Fund and the UK Dementia Research Institute.
Sheona Scales
Sheona oversees the charity’s research programme, including its response mode funding, strategic initiatives like our Drug Discovery Institutes, and our approach to clinical research in dementia.
She has a PhD in Developmental Neuroscience from Kings College London and completed postdoctoral work at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research and the Francis Crick Institute, London.
Before Sheona came to the organisation, she was at Cancer Research UK where she held numerous roles including Head of Research for the Cancer Grand Challenges initiative and Head of Experimental Cancer Medicines Centres (ECMC) programme and Paediatric Research Lead.
Jessica Taylor-Khan
Jess leads the charity’s Supporter Led Fundraising directorate, who have a strong track record of driving income growth for Alzheimer's Research UK through public fundraising, mass participation events, and developing innovative fundraising activities.
She oversees Sporting Events & Volunteering, Regional Fundraising and Marketing & Engagement teams who empower our supporters, unlocking their potential to fundraise.
With over 20 years in the sector, Jess brings with her fundraising and leadership experience at British Red Cross and Action for Children, as well as having worked at Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Nina Ziaullah
Nina leads the Chief Executive’s Office, with responsibility for Strategy, Project Management Governance, Internal Communications and Executive Support. She also leads the charity’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programme.
The Chief Executive’s Office work with all teams to help Alzheimer’s Research UK to deliver its mission to accelerate progress towards a cure. They also support our senior volunteers, including Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Board of Trustees, Vice-Presidents and Ambassadors.
Nina joined the charity in 2017, with a background working in the public and voluntary sector, including leadership roles at the Electoral Commission and the Dementia Revolution, a partnership between Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Nina supported her grandfather following his dementia diagnosis and is hugely motivated in the power of research to change lives.
Geitee Janjua
Andrew McLean
Andrew McLean joined Alzheimer’s Research UK in 2026 and is the Chief Information Officer.
He is responsible for a newly combined part of the charity which covers Data, IT and Digital Technology. The role focusses on maturing the technology function and using technology to increase capability and enable the efficient growth and scaling of the organisation.
Andrew has worked in consulting, corporate and scaling digital and SaaS technology businesses in senior technology and change leadership roles.