- About Us
- Meet the Team
- Senior Leadership Team
Senior Leadership Team
Katie Antill
Chief Executive Officer
Katie is proud to be CEO of a charity that she is extremely passionate about. Katie has been at Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Services since 2018. Katie came to Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Services from Alzheimer's Society, where she was a Services Manager. Her career before that was leadership and communications in the retail industry.
Katie grew up and went to school in and around Gravesend and so she is passionate about the local community.
Katie has a real commitment to good leadership throughout the organisation, ability to build strong networks, a desire to ensure the people who use our services get heard and involved and a passion for developing great teams. Her role is not just about being a charity leader but about enabling and empowering people affected by dementia to achieve the rights they are entitled to and the best possible quality of life.
Matt Thurston
Chief Operating Officer
Matt joined the charity as Operations Manager in September 2019 having worked previously in the oil and chemical industry for just over 26 years. During his career, Matt has gained knowledge of most business functions and has over 20 years of management experience in the areas of safety, audit & compliance, and facilities management. In August 2021, he was promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer responsible for the charity’s services and operational functions.
“I am passionate about ensuring we provide the best services for the people we support. Equally, the development of our teams and looking for better & more efficient ways of doing things ensures we can continue to meet the challenges that charities face today”.
Sarah Taylor
Head of Quality & Development
Sarah joined Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Services in 2016 as a Coordinator in the Support at Home team. Being local, we can respond to the needs of the community, an exciting challenge for her as she is passionate about development. Sarah lives in Northfleet so this is a charity that is very close to her heart.
Sarah has an extensive background in health and social care having started out on a youth training scheme training as a care worker and studying for Care NVQs. In working in care she developed a passion for supporting people living with dementia in their own homes, she could see how valuable it is for people to remain in their own home and found the need to adapt to the diverse needs of individuals to be a rewarding challenge. Sarah progressed through the sector into a variety of training and leadership roles, including managing a project for supporting people affected by dementia in hard to reach communities and working for a national dementia charity.
A proud moment for Sarah was achieving a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care with a dementia pathway. When she left school she never dreamed she would go to university, she thoroughly enjoyed the experience and gained so much throughout the course.
Denise Kilshaw
Head of Dementia Coordinator Services
Denise started her career in the health and social care sector back in 1999. Denise was a young mum working part time as a Community Care Coordinator and she became very involved with her clients and their wellbeing. Denise developed skills both in management and care as she provided hands on support in addition to her office role. Within 6 years the business had developed rapidly and she made her way through the ranks to become Assistant Manager of the branch.
To further her career, Denise joined Carers Choice as Registered Manager whereby she gained her management qualifications and led the KCC care contract for over 2 years. Denise then decided to look for a new challenge and so she changed her direction and took up the role of Senior Carer Support Worker with North West Kent Carers. The role consisted of providing support, information advice and guidance to carers, leading a volunteer respite team, facilitating support groups, workshops for carers, and project lead for partnership work with the PCT and GPs. Denise then continued to manage various supported housing and community support teams.
Denise joined Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services in 2016 after losing her father who sadly had Frontotemporal Dementia. His personality slowly changed in addition to other symptoms and at times this presented real challenges but it is important to say they still had our good times too. Denise wanted to put her experience and personal understanding to good use so she joined Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services. Denise is passionate that people living with dementia and their families get the support they need when they need it and she is delighted to be leading the Dementia Support Team.
Andreas Okpere
Head of Finance
Andreas joined Alzheimer & Dementia Support Services in October 2023 as the Finance Manager, bringing with him over 20 years of experience in Financial and Commercial roles across a diverse range of sectors. In his current role, he provides critical financial leadership, helping to shape the strategic direction of this outstanding organization and ensure it meets its long-term objectives. In March 2024, he was promoted to the role of Head of Finance.
Transitioning from the for-profit sector has been an inspiring journey. The impactful work this charity does for individuals, families, and the broader community has truly resonated with him. Every day, he is filled with pride and a deep sense of purpose, knowing that his financial expertise plays a role in enhancing the quality of life for those affected by dementia. It’s incredibly fulfilling to be part of such a dedicated team, working towards making a real difference in people’s lives.
Kelly Clark
Head of Community Care & Wellbeing Services
Having previously worked for 16 years in retail/Community Pharmacy, in 2017 Kelly decided to stop putting off changing jobs and started a career within the Health and Social Care sector. Kelly joined ADSS as a full time Support Worker in April and by October, she applied for the role of a Senior. Kelly knew she could do more to help people; she wanted the opportunity to prove herself behind the scenes, because she knew her passion for being a voice for people and enthusiasm to want to help anyone who needed it, could be invaluable to the people we support.
Since her career began here, she has also performed the role of Service Coordinator and most recently, Deputy Manager and she has worked hard to develop her skills and knowledge throughout her journey with ADSS.
Kelly is immensely proud of the culture that has been created within the organisation and how much ADSS genuinely care about the people we work alongside, as well as the people that we support.
Cathy Assoba
Fundraising and Communications Manager
Cathy’s journey began with a degree in International Business with French, leading her to Paris to explore the dynamic world of marketing. Cathy quickly immersed herself in various communication avenues, including PR, Digital Marketing, Events, and Strategic Communications. This journey of exploration and continuous learning revealed her true passion and potential for impact in the Communications field.
After gaining valuable experience working in national and international markets across diverse sectors, Cathy wanted to contribute to an organisation whose values resonated with her own. This naturally led her to join ADSS in March 2024 as the Fundraising and Communications Manager. This role has been an exhilarating opportunity to further her career in a nurturing environment with room for growth.
Cathy is excited to be part of an outstanding team dedicated to a meaningful mission. She looks forward to growing its strategic efforts in both Fundraising and Communications.
