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Board members

Trust Board Members

jon wade.pngJonathan (Jon) Wade joined the Trust as Director of Operations in January 2020. He previously worked at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings’ Lynn where he was Chief Operating Officer. In October 2021, Jonathan became DGT’s Chief Operating Officer.

Subsequently, Jon was appointed CEO of DGT on the 1st September 2022; he is a member of the Executive Team and the Trust Board and believes teamwork throughout the organisation is one of the most important factors in delivering outstanding care for patients. Jon is very committed to supporting staff to ensure the Trust continues to deliver the very best standard of care to our patients.

It was announced in March 2025 that from 1 April 2025, Jon was to become Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust for a six-month period whilst retaining his position as CEO at DGT. The joint Chief Executive appointment represents a significant step towards closer collaboration, and recognises the pathways followed by patients from across north Kent, and the close working of the two organisations.

 

Steve FenlonDr Steve Fenlon first joined the Trust as Medical Director in 2016.

Steve qualified from Nottingham Medical School in 1988 and after working in House Officer posts, pursued a career in General Practice in Medway and Kent, completing the Vocational Training Course in 1993. He returned to hospital medicine training in anaesthesia at Nottingham and South East England. He completed his specialist training at Guys Hospital in 2000 and was appointed Consultant Anaesthetist at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where he also took on the role of Clinical Lead for Paediatrics. Later he became Clinical Director for the Clinical Support Services, an amalgam of specialities and then in 2013, Steve was appointed Medical Director for QVH and continued to work there until 2016 when he moved into the position of Medical Director for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.

Steve has continued to hold a role as consultant anaesthetist at the Trust alongside his Executive Director role and has also acted as Deputy Chief Executive and covered a six-month period as interim Chief Operating Officer in September 2022 to 13 March 2023. He then spent a year working as Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board before being appointed Deputy Chief Executive at DGT in April 2024.

Tom - CMO.JPGTom started as Chief Medical Officer on Thursday 1st September 2022. ​​​​​​​Dr Clark is a Consultant in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine and has held senior medical roles in several NHS Trusts, most recently at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust as Deputy Medical Director.

Dr Clark said: “I am delighted to be appointed as the next Chief Medical Officer of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. It is an organisation that I admire and, as we come out of the pandemic, I am excited to work with the executive team - and all the amazing individuals who make up DGT - to help navigate the Trust towards its Journey to Outstanding.” 

Graham WildeGraham began his career in the NHS in the early 2000s and has since worked across primary care, secondary care, and at a system level. His most recent role involved working with a General Practice Group, helping them adapt to the new ICB environment and introducing continuous improvement methodologies. Previously, he held positions as Director of System Delivery and Director of Improvement for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB. Before that, he served as Chief Operating Officer at North West Anglia NHS FT and James Paget University Hospitals NHS FT.

 

Siobhan CallananSiobhan started her career in nursing as a RGN at the Whittington Hospital in 1984 before going on to work at Moorfields Eye Hospital in 1989. She has worked locally at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust since 1995 becoming Associate Director of Nursing for Surgery and Oncology and Private Patients Unit in 2008.

Siobhan started with the Trust as Deputy Nursing Director on 1st January 2017. Siobhan is now the Trust's Chief Nurse.

Andrea AshmanAndrea joined Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust in September 2024, bringing with her an impressive track record from East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. Since 2017, Andrea had been a pivotal figure there, starting as Deputy Director of Human Resources before stepping up as Chief People Officer in 2019.

Her dedication and passion for her work made her a natural fit for leading our People Directorate. We are excited to have her on board and confident that she will be instrumental in driving our people-focused initiatives forward.

Guy - Chief Finance Officer.JPGGuy joined DGT in September 2022. Previously, he was the Deputy Finance Director at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and last year was announced as Deputy Finance Director of the Year at the HFMA National Healthcare Finance Awards.

Guy said: “I am very proud to be joining DGT at such an important time. My goal as incoming CFO is to support the organisation as they look to deliver its five-year strategy and place the Trust on a sustainable financial footing as it travels through its Journey to Outstanding”.

Non-Executive Directors

Peter ColesJackie Craissati is a Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist by profession, with over 25 years of NHS experience working in mental health services.

Jackie has been a Non-Executive Director for Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) since 2016, and Chair from 2020 onwards. As Chair of both KMPT and DGT, Jackie works closely with the local Integrated Care System, and also Chairs the local Health & Care Partnership Board.

Jackie was also appointed the Chair of Crohn’s & Colitis UK in May 2022.

Chris GondeChris Gonde was appointed to the Board in January 2024 and brings clinical expertise to the Board. He is the Non-Executive lead for research and represents the Board as Non Executive lead for Health Inequalities with the Kent and Medway Health Care Partnership.

Chris is currently a Principal Liver Transplant Scientist at the Liver Unit of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where he is also a Workforce Race Equality Standard Expert. He has previously been an Associate Non-Executive Director for South East Coast Ambulance Service, and was previously an elected Councillor for Southwark and a Non-Executive Director for the London Mutual Credit Union.

Stephen CornesStephen Cornes was appointed to the Board in January 2024 and brings technical, operational and innovation expertise to the Board. He will be the Non-Executive Lead for Quality improvement and Maternity.

Stephen was the Interim Blood Supply Main Board Director for NHSBT until June 2022, having previously run his own consultancy business. Prior to this he was a Regional Operations Director for Alliance Healthcare and held a range of roles across P&G including as Supply Network Operations Director, Global Customer Service and Logistics Director and as Integrated Business Planning and Supply Network Design Director, and was the global logistics Director for P&G's business with Tesco.

Lynn Gladwell

Lynn joined the Board in September 2017. Lynn qualified as a Solicitor in 1990 and worked in private practice in Kent for 9 years before moving to in house legal roles. Lynn has worked for Balfour Beatty since 2002 and is currently Associate General Counsel for the Infrastructure business.

Lynn has experience in various director roles on a variety of projects developed by Balfour Beatty.  Lynn has an LLB (Hons) in Law from Kings College London.

Suzanne OBrienSuzanne is an experienced non-executive director with extensive senior leadership experience.  A qualified accountant and tax consultant with over thirty years’ experience in business, primarily Financial Services, she now has a portfolio career.

Currently, she is Vice-Chair of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee at Cross Keys Homes, the largest provider of social housing in Peterborough, and Chairperson of The Fifth Trust, a Kent-based charity that supports adults with learning disabilities.  A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she lectures part-time at Canterbury Christ Church University where she enjoys leading and inspiring the next generation.  She works with Advance HE as a consultant specialising in both leadership and in governance and she is an advisor on Cambridge University’s ESRC DTP Training and Development Group. 

With a proven track record of effective leadership, developing solutions that provide organisation-wide value, supporting growth and sustainability, she leads by example.  An advocate for social justice, she champions equality for all.  
 

David Amhad ImageDavid was appointed to the Board on 1 January 2021, as one of our Non-Executive Directors and Chair of our Audit Committee. 

David is an accomplished Chief Finance Officer having worked in Financial Services, predominately for the UK businesses of large Global Financial Institutions and he brings a wealth of experience and extensive senior leadership qualities to the role. 

David is a qualified accountant and Corporate Treasurer specialising in enhancing financial performance, strategy, and governance, together with empowering and coaching teams.  

Julia WendonJulia Wendon was appointed to the Board in December 2023 and brings her clinical expertise to the Board. She Chairs the Quality and Safety Committee and holds Non-Executive lead responsibility for Maternity

Julia is the Clinical Director for Critical Care at the NHSE London Regional Office, and is currently the Medical Director of the London Clinic. Prior to this she was the Executive Director of Clinical Strategy which was a joint post that worked across King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. The Executive Medical Director for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where she was previously the Clinical Director of Critical Care and their Director of Research and Development.

Julius ChristmasJulius Christmas was appointed to the Board in April 2024 and brings expertise in transformation, innovation and technology to the Board. He Chairs the People and Organisational Development Committee and is the Non-Executive lead for Digital (transformation)

Julius has had a career in technology and change, working across multiple commercial sectors, including financial services, travel and healthcare. Most recently, Julius was Group

Chief Information Officer at Saga PLC where he was a member of the Executive Leadership team and led the technology, cyber and change functions. Additionally he has been a “30% club” mentor, an Industry Board Member and curriculum adviser at the University of Kent and has worked with local companies in Kent to improve student employability in the technology space.

Page last edited: 24 March 2025