Our chief officers’ group
Our chief officers lead Sense and ensure we are delivering our plan in order to achieve our strategy. The team report to the board of trustees.
Find out more about the leadership of Sense International
James Watson-O’Neill, chief executive
James joined Sense as chief executive in 2025, having previously been chief executive at the deaf health charity SignHealth and held senior roles at Scope and NSPCC.
He is a non executive director and chair of the audit committee at South West London and St George’s mental health NHS Trust and a trustee of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
James is a fellow of the RSA and a leadership fellow at the College of St George at Windsor Castle. James was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in her new year’s honours in 2022.
“I am very proud to work at Sense where there is so much talent and passion for our work in breaking down barriers alongside disabled people with complex needs.
“Sense was founded by Margaret and Peggy in 1955 because their children didn’t have access to the support they needed. Let’s continue their legacy and keep encouraging and creating change until disabled people with complex needs can live their lives without limits.”
Andy Wright, chief operating officer
Andy joined Sense in 2026 as chief operating officer and is responsible for leading operational services across the organisation, ensuring high-quality, safe and person-centred support for disabled people with complex needs.
He works closely with the chief officers’ group to deliver Sense’s strategy through strong operational performance, transformation and inclusive leadership.
Andy brings over 30 years’ experience across the NHS, central government, local authorities and the voluntary sector. He has led large, complex services through periods of significant change, with a focus on improving quality, strengthening financial sustainability and embedding digital innovation to enhance outcomes for the people supported.
Andy is passionate about building empowered leadership teams and creating cultures where colleagues feel valued, supported and able to do their best work.
“I feel incredibly proud to work at Sense, alongside talented and committed colleagues who are driven by a shared purpose.”
Cathy Still, chief finance and commercial officer
Cathy joined Sense in 2017 and is responsible for providing strategic financial and commercial leadership to the organisation, and is responsible for the finance function, supporting the chief officers’ group in commercial decisions and activity, as well as property, procurement and trading.
“I feel privileged to work for an organisation delivering forward thinking services to disabled people with complex needs, and excited to work with the brilliant team we have here at Sense.”
Dave Rutt, chief technology officer
Dave joined Sense in February 2023 and leads Data and Technology Teams across the organisation. Dave is passionate about technology that makes people’s lives better and data that helps people make informed choices, across business and personal lives, and has a broad range of experience, including customer services, central government, innovation, and consultancy.
Dave’s philosophy is that technology must be inclusive, simple to use and reliable, breaking down barriers, rather than creating them.
“Working at Sense is different from many Data and Technology roles: I feel much more closely connected with the people we support. Being part of an organisation that works with people complex needs presents a unique opportunity to develop digital services to help meet those needs. It’s doing what Technology should be great at – helping people to communicate, participate and choose how to live their lives.
“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to lead teams delivering this at Sense. It’s a key time for technology within social care, with technology being called upon to drive efficiency. It’s important when we innovate to keep people at the centre as we develop our approach.”
Emma Evans, chief people officer
Emma joined the Sense team in August 2021 and is responsible for leading our people team comprising of inclusion and wellbeing, internal communications, learning and development, payroll, people data and systems, people partnering and HR advice, people services, talent acquisition and volunteering.
“I was drawn to Sense by the focus of our work in supporting disabled people with complex needs – this is a point of personal pride for me as I thrive on seeing people achieve both personal and professional goals. Working somewhere that makes a clear, tangible difference to so many people is amazing – the people we support are always the key focus in everything we do.
“In the people team, that means how we enable and engage our employees and volunteers to bring their best selves to work. If our people are happy in their work then this will follow through into the care and provision of services we offer.”
Jack Lowman, chief social change officer
Jack joined Sense in 2024, initially leading the marketing and communications function, before becoming Chief Social Change Officer in 2025.
“I’m very proud to be leading Sense’s newly created Social Change function, and to be co-creating the strategy we need to drive long-term, lasting change for disabled people with complex needs.
“That means influencing government policy, shifting public attitudes, and challenging the systems that hold people back; all through a bold mix of evidence, storytelling, campaigning and communications.”
Mary O’Hagan, chief fundraising and marketing officer
Mary joined Sense in 2026 as chief fundraising and marketing officer with experience of working in sales and fundraising environments for around 20 years.
Our Fundraising and Marketing activities are crucial for the delivery of our vision to create a world without limits for disabled people with complex needs. In her previous positions, Mary has transformed voluntary income and is excited to bring this experience to Sense.
“I am proud to work for an organisation that supports disabled people with complex needs through person centred support, community programmes and via social change. This enables us to break down barriers at an individual, community and society level, ensuring we create lasting change.
“Sense is the third disability charity I have worked for, and throughout this time I have developed a deep passion to support disabled people with complex needs. I am very proud to be leading the fundraising and marketing directorate and raise invaluable funds and awareness for the delivery of our strategic ambitions.”
Paul Howes, chief strategy and governance officer
Paul joined Sense in November 2025 and is responsible for leading the strategy and governance directorate comprising of safeguarding, health and safety, planning, performance and risk and project management, as well as governance.
He brings over 25 years experience of working at a senior leadership level in both charities and local government, delivering and implementing complex projects, designing and maintaining performance management and governance systems and managing change.
Paul is passionate about great governance and the essential contribution it makes the effective running of charities.
“I’m very proud to be leading the new strategy and governance directorate, which brings together a number of key functions from across the organisation that will enable us to work as effectively and efficiently as possible. The establishment of this new directorate shows the commitment of Sense to having great governance and consistent systems and a recognition of the essential part that having these plays in our ability to achieve our purpose of breaking down barriers alongside disabled people with complex needs.”