Our trustees

Robert Sackville-West DL

CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

Robert spent most of his career in publishing, creating illustrated books for an international market. He is executive chairman of Knole Estates, the property and investment company which – in parallel with the National Trust – cares for Knole, the house and park in Kent that are open to the public. Robert has been involved with education in both the private and state sector, as a governor at Sevenoaks School and Knole Academy, and as a former UK board director of the International Baccalaureate. He has written three critically acclaimed books on aspects of English history and has recently been appointed as a Commissioner of Historic England.

Gail Hall

VICE CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

Gail is a partner at Warners Solictors, a law firm with a long heritage and reputation across the south east. Within her role at Warners, Gail offers advice to clients around inheritance and succession planning. She is a key member of the team advising elderly and vulnerable clients, as well as forming part of the Warners Agricultural team of solicitors. Gail brings experience of charity governance issues and before qualifying as a solicitor, Gail spent 20 years working for fine art valuers and auctioneers having graduated from the Courtauld Institute London University in History of Art and Architecturenes.

Melissa Murdoch DL

TRUSTEE

Melissa has a background in international development including human rights and public health projects in Cambodia and microcredit programmes in Peru. Melissa is also on the Board of the Garfield Weston Foundation and a number of other charitable and philanthropic organisations.

Munya Badze

TRUSTEE

Munya Badze is a driven, enabler, connector, creative and enterprising with a passion to helping people to succeed. Being innovative and forward thinking has led to effective delivery of regional and national projects such as setting up the Enterprise Adviser Network in Kent, Founder Member of Kent and Medway Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony and has been STEM Ambassador for a number of years.

Hugo Fenwick

TRUSTEE

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young, Hugo joined Fenwick Limited, the independent department store group where he is Group Trading Director. He was High Sheriff of Kent 2014-15 and is a Trustee of Canterbury Cathedral. He is Vice-Chairman of Canterbury College, Vice-Chair of Sandwell Academy in the West Midlands and Governor of Spring Grove School.

Emilia Falcetti Boscawen

TRUSTEE

Following her Ph.D. from UCL, Emilia went on to work in equity research for Deutsche Bank and Cantor Fitzgerald in London and Hong Kong. Since moving to Kent, she continues to work as a consultant for healthcare sector investors as well as supporting the family drinks business, Mereworth Wines.

Sam Cooper-Gray

TRUSTEE

Sam is a senior leader at HSBC working closely with small businesses across the world with experience of leading on inclusion and diversity through her work as the global co-chair of HSBC BALANCE, the 50,000 member gender diversity employee resource group. Having worked in financial services for over 20 years, Sam also has experience leading businesses as a Chief Operating Officer and HR experience having lead the learning agenda for a global corporate bank. In addition to this Sam has experience as a non-executive director and is on the board of Women on the Wharf where she leads the cross organisation mentoring programme for over 500 participants. 

Russell Race JP DL

TRUSTEE

Graduating as an economist, Russell spent the majority of his career with a stockbroking firm in the City of London, principally as a director in corporate finance. Since early retirement, he has been a non-executive director with a number of public and private companies. He chairs the foundation Trustees of the Mathematical School at Rochester, is a past Senior Warden of the Rochester Bridge Trust, on which he still sits, and is also a Trustee of Rochester Cathedral Trust and Rochester Cathedral Council. A former Court Chairman at Medway Magistrates' Court, Russell is also President of the Friends of Medway Archives. 

Gearóid Maguire

TRUSTEE

Gearóid, originally from Ireland, has been a Kent local for 5 years and is a big believer in the value of a supportive community spirit.

He works for Wellcome, a large health and research charitable foundation, in their EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion) team with a focus on making it a more inclusive funder and diversifying those who get to participate and benefit from health-based research. He has extensive experience in the voluntary sector and grant-making processes. He is passionate about creating more equal opportunities and embedding more inclusive design and practice into processes, ensuring marginalised voices are centred.

Kruti Shrotri

TRUSTEE

Kruti works in public policy and advocacy. She is currently Head of Policy at Cancer Research UK, working to influence Government and the health system to drive better outcomes for people with cancer. She is passionate about empowering people to have a voice and bringing about equal access of opportunity. She has volunteered with educational charities to help ‘level the playing field’, including most recently being a mentor for ‘The Girls’ Network’.

Trevor Minter OBE DL

TRUSTEE

Trevor is HM Vice Lord Lieutenant of Kent. He has experience of charity governance through Army charities and working for Sir Roger De Haan on the regeneration of Folkestone. Until recent retirement, he chaired The Sports Trust, Three Hills Sports Park and Academy FM Folkstone and was a trustee of Creative Folkestone among several other charities. He was previously a trustee of five Kent schools. His first career was in the Army culminating in command of the South-East Brigade and being Deputy Constable of Dover Castle. He was the partnership director at Kent County Council for six years.

Cheryl Chan

TRUSTEE

A Rochester resident, Cheryl is Head of Finance and Resources at the charity, Gingerbread. She is a Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years experience along with knowledge of operations and grant-making. Cheryl has been a Trustee Director in the creative arts sector before joining Kent Community Foundation's Board of Trustees.