Charlotte Lee – Chair 

Charlotte has a long and successful history of supporting the development and delivery of independent advocacy across Scotland at both a national and local level. Through her work with the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance and the Stroke Association she provided training, guidance materials and support to help increase the confidence and capacity of advocates helping people to access self-directed support.

She has over 25 years’ experience of evaluating independent advocacy organisations including the development and delivery of SIAA’s Quality Assurance Process. These evaluations have provided useful, objective evidence to assist with planning and development as well as supporting funding applications.

She has a strong commitment to ensuring that people have their voices heard and their rights protected. She is very pleased to have the opportunity to support our local independent advocacy organisation.

Ian Williams – Vice Chair

Ian has over thirty years of experience in the development and delivery of person-centred health and support services both in statutory and voluntary sectors across the United Kingdom. 

He is passionate about change and improving services in partnership with the people who use them, their families, and practitioners from health and social work.

Working from a human right based approach Ian’s work and his role as Trustee of LAAS seeks to ensure good governance  and that Scottish society affords the same rights and access to services to each person within their own community at their time of need.

Charlie Coggrave – CEO

Born and raised a Yorkshireman, Charlie studied at Lancaster University before taking his first role as a care assistant at a College of Further Education for teenagers with Cerebral palsy in the late 1980s. Since then he spent 12 years working for Local Authorities in London, initially as a “care worker” for adults with disabilities and at a Childrens reception centre. Charlie then moved on to manage Adults Residential Services, set up a Social Work mental health team, was part of the senior management team in London Borough of Croydon as service manager for Home Care and as Change manager before moving to Scotland in 2002.

Charlie worked for Glasgow City’s Learning Disability Partnership Commissioning team and completed his Post Grad in Social Work Management at the University of Strathclyde in 2004, and then moved to manage the Disabilities Commissioning team and an active part of the Self Directed Support Pilot team.

In 2013 Charlie went back to the direct provision of services as regional manager for Enable Scotland and then in 2017 to work for Quarriers as Head of Safeguarding and Aftercare, representing Quarriers at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and was invited by the Inquiry Chair to give expert testimony on the future of safeguarding in Childrens services in Scotland.

Since 2021 Charlie has been CEO of Lomond and Argyll Advocacy Service, delivering Advocacy Support across West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute. His passion for person centred services, protection and rights continues to drive his practice.

Niall MacPherson – Treasurer

Niall is an experienced general manager having held senior leadership roles in the public, private and third sectors.

He is currently Chief Operating Officer at Glasgow Clyde College, one of Scotland’s largest further education providers. Prior to this, Niall held the post of Director of Finance & Corporate Services at Quarriers, the social care charity.

Niall who is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and previously completed the General Management Programme at Cranfield University

Terry Sharp 

Terry Sharp is a senior HR professional and consultant with many years’ experience helping organisations and the people within them navigate change, resolve complex challenges, and build fairer workplaces. Throughout her career, she has seen the difference that being listened to, treated with dignity, and having someone to stand alongside you can make.

She became a trustee because she wanted to use her experience to support a cause that reflects those same values. Terry believes everyone deserves to be heard, especially when decisions are being made about their lives and they feel least able to speak for themselves. She also believes everyone should have access to independent advocacy so they have the support, confidence, and information they need to speak up for themselves and make informed choices.

She is proud to contribute her strategic experience, practical judgement, and commitment to good governance to help the charity continue making a positive difference to the people and communities it serves.