Meet our Trustees
Find out more about our Trustees including their professional and personal backgrounds
Professor Alan Baird
I have had a long connection with social work since qualifying in Social Work in 1980. I worked in Glasgow, Angus, Dundee and Edinburgh in a variety of practitioner and management positions in both local and Scottish Government. Following ‘retirement’ in 2017, I was appointed Honorary professor at the University of Dundee, became President of Scottish Care and was appointed as a Member of the Scottish Social Services Council in 2018.
I am married with one daughter who is a primary school teacher.
I am excited about being appointed as a Trustee, as Dundee Carers Centre is an organisation I admired during my time working in Dundee. I hope to bring both my professional and personal experience to the centre and especially to carers.
Arnot Tippett
I was born in Dundee but spent most of my adult life, until my recent early retirement, working away from the city. I am married with two sons.
I started my career in social care, working in some of the residential children’s homes in the city, then switched to a career in retail logistics. I moved into strategic business consulting with an American software company in the early 90’s. That role took me to live and work on projects in various countries around the world, mainly Chicago, Cape Town, London and Amsterdam. I returned to the city when I joined the NHS as a Programme Manager in 2004 and remained in that position until I took the opportunity to retire early in 2020.
I have been a Trustee for over 5 years and have been fortunate enough to work with staff, managers and other trustees in many of the strategic developments undertaken at the Centre over that time.
Carolyn Johnstone
I joined the Board of Trustees in 2019 after attending an AGM and hearing about the wide range of activities; I was keen to do something to help but being a carer myself my time is limited. This offered me an opportunity to give something back and work with a fantastic group of people.
I am a carer for my son who lives with quadriplegic dystonic cerebral palsy and am also a lecturer in Nursing at the University of Dundee. Equality and fairness is something I am very passionate about, I firmly believe that people living with disability and carers should have the support they need, and are entitled to the same opportunities as everyone else.
At work I am a member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and have been involved in the development of a policy to enhance the support for student carers. Along with this I have used my connections with Dundee Carers Centre and the Alliance of Health and Social Care in Scotland to develop nursing student education around carers and the importance of inclusion at all stages of the patient and carer journey.
Overall being able to speak out and advocate for Carers is something I am privileged to be in a position to do.
Trudy McLeay
I was born and have lived in Dundee for most of my life. I worked for 52 years in the NHS in various roles until my recent retirement.
I hold a master’s degree in Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and have lectured at Glasgow Caledonian, Aberdeen, and Dundee Universities. During that time, I have published in clinical journals and presented at various national seminars, as well as acting as an external examiner for Lancaster University in postgraduate MRI-related courses. I was also a project manager working throughout the east of Scotland with Macmillan.
I am a founding director of a palliative care charity. Towards the end of my career, I was a non-executive director of NHS Tayside Health board, holding many positions which included Chair of Care Governance, Chair of Dundee Integrated Joint Board for Health and Social Care, Joint Chair of Staff Governance, and many other committee roles. I was an equality and diversity champion for the NHS Tayside Board, a role I enjoyed.
I cared for my husband, who had motor neuron disease. I recognised that support and information were the keystones of making that care focused not only on my husband’s needs but also on my own needs during that difficult time. This experience has led me to become actively involved in Dundee Carers Centre.
One of my passions is fairness and recognising the impact of poverty on our population. I was a member of Dundee City Fairness Panel. I am keen to advocate for carers in my role at Dundee Carers Centre.
I enjoy family time with my sons, grandchildren and extended family.
Janet Robertson
I am delighted to be a trustee for the Dundee Carers Centre. I am now retired from working life but was previously employed for 34 years by Dundee City Council, ending my career as Head of Human Resources and Business Support. I was also involved at a national level as part of my professional association, contributing to the development of pay and conditions of service, with regular interactions with trade unions at national and local levels and with the development of the MyJobScotland recruitment, and selection website to name two areas. I understand people and organisations.
I was an advocate for developments at work to support employees with caring roles and an advocate for care experienced young people, regularly attending the Champions Board. I chaired a group which developed access to in-kind support for various voluntary organisations across the city. I believe in fairness.
I have experience as a carer in a few guises and therefore believe I have an empathy and understanding of the challenges faced,
I am married with grown-up twin boys and have two stepdaughters. Recent additions of two grandsons and a granddaughter are a delight and certainly keeping me busy.
Donna Hegarty
I became a trustee for the carers centre in March 2024. Initially, my background was environmental management; however in 2011 I had the opportunity to support a board of trustees fundraise and build a new hospice in Lanarkshire. The hospice cause is close to my heart as my young brother was supported by CHAS for many years and they really supported our whole family and I was keen to give something back. I’ve been in the health and social care sector ever since in development and income generation. Being part of the board of trustees allows me to utilise some of the skills I developed in previous roles, but more importantly allows me to support a great team of staff determined to make a difference to the lives of unpaid carers.
Liana Steven
My career started in hospital laboratories which sparked an interest in societal health. Back to university for a second degree, Environmental Health. Employed with the council structure this was challenging and the role involved a complete cross section of people. Many of the issues were exacerbated by poor housing, poor hygiene and nutrition. I spent several years training staff/ volunteers in Food Hygiene and allergy awareness as well as enforcement action against non compliant food businesses.
Marriage brought two lovely daughters, a family transport business and a huge learning curve. Proud to have been Awarded Scottish Fleet Manager, first time to a female and in a very male dominated industry too. Haulage held no passion for me and I now concentrate on running holiday rentals and a mix of fully furnished mid term and long term rentals. These are let at social rent to give tenants affordable and well maintained homes for life.
Unfortunately both my parents died relatively young, my Dad after significant disabilities relating to an autoimmune condition. His unpredictable ill health was difficult for us as a family.
By being involved with Dundee Carers Centre as Trustee I hope to bring some of my business experience, broad knowledge, empathy and energy to an organisation determined to care.