Meet Our 4 New Board Members

We caught up with our 4 new Board Members Carol Kirk, Kevin Timlin, Ruth Wallace and Sarah Blackmore

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On the 27th February Who Cares? Scotland held the second annual Members’ Assembly, and the first using a digital platform. The Members’ Assembly is a summit for members to meaningfully engage with the organisation, to understand and appraise our work, and to exercise their right to vote on key areas. The Members’ Assembly also encompasses our Annual General Meeting. Prior to the AGM our members voted to elect 4 new Board members.

Now’s your chance to meet them!

Carol Kirk

I grew up in Drumchapel, Glasgow. I trained as a teacher and had a career in education and children’s services, most recently as Director of Education and Skills in North Ayrshire. I have chaired national groups on education of looked after children and educational leadership. Throughout my career I always had a strong focus on promoting equality of opportunity and representation of all young people particularly those who face the greatest challenges. I’m now semi-retired but provide consultancy to the public sector and coaching and mentoring to CEOs in the public and third sector. I have recently retired as the Chair of the Board of the Donaldson’s Trust. The ethos of Who Cares is a good fit with my long term commitment to young people’s rights and ensuring their voices are heard. I live in Glasgow and love dancing, painting and going to the cinema.

Kevin Timlin

I’m originally from Paisley but moved to Edinburgh to study law. At present, I work as a corporate lawyer at the world’s largest law firm, Dentons. I have been fortunate enough to complete an international secondment in China, corporate finance experience in the City of London and a secondment to the legal team of a large energy company in Scotland. I completed my legal training at the University of Edinburgh. Following graduation, I undertook a period of teaching at the Université de Montpellier in France and completed internships at the European Parliament in Brussels. As a Care Experienced individual I fully recognise how fortunate I have been and how much help I have been given along the way!  I know that not everyone is afforded the same opportunities. I want to join the board to continue the great work of Who Cares? Scotland and strive to ensure that being Care Experienced does not have to define an individual for life. I want to make change and will work hard to do whatever I can to help improve outcomes for all Care Experienced people across Scotland.

Ruth Wallace

I live in Glasgow with my husband Darren and our 3 year old son Edan. I’m a chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor, and a director at KPMG, where I’ve worked for the last 13 years after joining as a graduate. I got my degree in accountancy and marketing at Strathclyde University. As a chartered accountant, I’ve got experience of managing and interpreting financial information. I also spend a lot of my time managing people and really love this aspect of my job. I care about the inequalities care experienced people face and understand the impact that this experience can have on someone’s life. I feel passionately about helping Who Cares? Scotland address some of these challenges and supporting others to achieve their potential.

Sarah Blackmore

I’m a mum of 3, a bad runner and I drink too much coffee! I live in Edinburgh and work south of the border in Sheffield as an Executive Director with Social Work England, the regulator for social workers. I am a qualified social worker and have worked in a variety of places, including frontline practice in Dublin, working with street children and ex-child soldiers in Sierra Leone during the civil war, and managing services for children and families in the UK. I’ve worked across statutory, voluntary and regulatory services. I am passionate about ensuring that Care Experienced people have the same rights, love and support as anyone else in our society, and proud to work with Who Cares? Scotland to help make that happen.