Meet our 2026 chairs
Rhys Moore
Executive Director of Public Impact, National Housing FederationRhys started with the NHF in October 2018, as Executive Director of Public Impact. Rhys oversees our policy, external affairs and communications work. Previously he was Director of the Living Wage Foundation where he worked with government, business and civil society to build a national movement of responsible employers. Before that, he helped to establish the London Community Foundation, which supports grassroots community groups in the capital. Rhys is a board member of the Carers Trust.
Jeni Harvey
Director of Marketing and Communications, Rochdale Boroughwide HousingJeni is Director of Marketing and Communications at Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and vice-chair of LGComms, the organisation that champions excellence in public sector communications.
With more than two decades’ experience across communications, marketing and journalism, Jeni started her career on newspapers in Greater Manchester, before then moving to the Yorkshire Post where she headed up the newspaper’s South Yorkshire office.
Since making the transition into Communications, Jeni has worked in strategic leadership roles across the full spectrum of public sector organisations, including councils, policing and regional Government.
She has also taught on PR and journalism courses at the University of Sheffield, and is currently a Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) trainer with the BBC.
"We are excited to be chairing the conference as it’s a great opportunity to hear the best of what’s going on in the sector. We look forward to meeting up with other communications and public affairs professionals in the sector, sharing experiences and hearing from experts."
2026 Speakers
Jack Airey
Director of Housing and Infrastructure,, Public FirstJack is a Director of Housing and Infrastructure at the research and strategy consultancy Public First. He was previously a No 10 special adviser, advising two Prime Ministers on housing, planning and levelling up policy for over four years.
Jo Allen
Board Member / Head of Member Relations, Harrogate Flower Fund Homes / National Housing FederationJo has worked at the NHF since 2015. Prior to joining the NHF, she worked in policy and public affairs roles in local government, the banking sector and the British Embassy in Madrid.
Lisa Astle
Chief Reputation Officer, OrbitAs Chief Reputation Officer, Lisa is responsible for Orbit’s communications and reputation strategy. Prior to Orbit Lisa led internal, external, corporate and investor relations communications for Halfords Group, and spent 25 years in communications agency, most notably as Managing Partner at global communications agency McCann, where she advised clients from public, private and not-for-profit sectors, including McCarthy & Stone, David Wilson Homes and Oxfam, to Avis Budget Group, Mitchells & Butlers, Fiat Chrysler and General Motors.
Bethan Buck
@NatFedBethan
External Affairs Manager, National Housing FederationBethan has worked for the NHF for eight years, having previously worked for a social enterprise specialising in community development and placemaking for areas undergoing regeneration. As External Affairs Manager for London, Bethan works closely with housing associations across the capital and is responsible for the NHFs offer for smaller housing associations. With significant programme management experience, Bethan is currently working across various specialisms at the NHF including supply and regeneration, building confidence and trust, the Better Social Housing Review, and community cohesion. Bethan also sits on the Advisory Board for the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge.
Issy Bull
Head of Advocacy, New Economics FoundationIsabel was special adviser to former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner MP, for three and a half years in opposition and government. Isabel headed up policy development and delivery across Rayner’s briefs, specialising in housing and workers’ rights. She drafted the policy detail of Labour’s Employment Rights Act and delivered the Renter’s Rights Act, Planning and Infrastructure Bill, as well as the government’s commitment to a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing. Before this, Isabel was an associate director at political consultancy Hanbury Strategy.
Isabel is now (interim) Head of Advocacy at the New Economics Foundation.
Fiona Capel
Head of Communications, whgFiona is a Chartered PR professional and strategic communications leader with a passion for engagement, culture and creative solutions, who has developed a wealth of marketing communications experience as both a consultant and in-house communications leader. As Head of Communications at whg, one of the West Midlands’ largest housing providers, she leads internal and external comms that bring the organisation’s 2030 plan to life for customers, stakeholders and colleagues. Fiona is known for delivering insight-driven campaigns, embedding change and harnessing digital and AI innovation to drive impact.
Mike Carhart-Harris
Senior Communications Manager, Magna HousingMike Carhart-Harris is Senior Communications Manager at Magna Housing, a community-based housing association based across Dorset and Somerset. Mike is a former magazine journalist with more than 15 years’ experience of strategic communications and PR. Before joining Magna in 2022, Mike worked in various comms roles across local government and the charity sector, including at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), where he was the charity’s first Case Study Manager.
Nick Cullen
Head of Communications, PA HousingNick has worked in social housing for almost 20 years in varying roles from Development to Housing Management. However, for the past 11 years his focus has been communications and how, when done well, they have the power to build relationships, transform brands, and improve customer satisfaction. He is also an experienced board member, recently completing his tenure at Warwickshire Rural Housing Association.
Alex Diner
Head of External Affairs, National Housing FederationAlex is Head of External Affairs and Campaigns at the National Housing Federation. He has previously worked as a solicitor, representing bereaved and survivors from the Grenfell Tower fire at the public inquiry. He has also worked as a political advisor, in the think tank sector, and has been a local councillor and a parliamentary candidate.
Monique Duchen
Head of Customer Delivery, EMHMonique Duchen is the Head of Customer Service at emh, and a passionate advocate for resident-centred services. With a background spanning local government and housing associations, Monique leads service improvement that balances empathy, data, digital inclusion and a strong love for AI-enabled innovation. She is known for translating strategy into meaningful frontline change, strengthening trust with residents, embedding strong governance and supporting teams to do their best work. Alongside her housing career, Monique is a speaker, mentor, and social entrepreneur, using her platform to champion equity, accessibility, better experiences & outcomes for communities.
Joe Dundas
Director of Mayoral Strategy, West Midlands Combined Authority
Claudia Esseen-Jayes
Communications Manager, National Housing FederationClaudia is a communications professional with over ten years of experience in the not-for-profit and social housing sectors. As Communications and Digital Manager at the National Housing Federation, Claudia works across a broad range of technical and political briefs nationally. Claudia takes a keen interest in accessible communications and is passionate about gender equality, mental health and inclusion. Claudia is a board member for Women in Social Housing South West.
Rebecca Fitzgerald
Director of Comms, CuroRebecca is Communications Director at Curo in Bath, responsible for customer, stakeholder and colleague communications as well as reputation management and public affairs. She has more than 20 years’ experience in public relations and communications in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Rebecca is also a non-executive director on the board of CDS Co-operatives housing association in London.
Lindsay Garfitt-Brown
PR and Communications Manager, Vico HomesWith over 18 years of experience in communications, marketing and journalism, Lindsay moved into the housing sector almost three years ago and has since led on transformative internal and external communications for an organisational rebrand. Before that, she spent over a decade shaping communications at one of the UK’s top performing colleges, driving impactful campaigns and building strong stakeholder relationships. Her career also includes roles in communications and policy for the NHS and a national charity.
Kevin Garvey
Head of Member Relations, National Housing FederationPrior to joining NHF Kevin worked in roles in public affairs, Parliament, Shelter and local government.
John Greaves
Chief Impact Officer, Places for PeopleJohn Greaves is Chief Impact Officer at Places for People, the UK's leading social enterprise. During his 35-year career, John has led integrated brand, marketing, communications, public affairs, and social investment programmes across consumer, B2B, and financial sectors in the UK and international markets. John joined PfP in May 2023 and since then has been instrumental in driving impact initiatives that support the Group's mission to change lives by creating and supporting thriving Communities.
Cara Green
External Affairs Manager, National Housing FederationCara Green is External Affairs Manager at the National Housing Federation. With a background in communications, strategy and digital innovations, she works closely with members to drive meaningful change with a powerful mission: ensuring everyone has access to a safe, affordable home.
Kate Hartley
Co-founder, PolpeoKate Hartley is the co-founder of Polpeo, a crisis simulation company that helps some organisations prepare to deal with a crisis. She is a crisis communications consultant and trainer, a visiting lecturer for various universities, and the author of ‘Communicate in a Crisis’, a book that explores the changing way people behave in crisis situations.
Kate is a Fellow of the PRCA and a member of the CIPR and was named in PRovoke Media’s Innovator 25 EMEA list in 2021 and 2024 (alongside her co-founder, Tamara Littleton). She is also the co-host of the crisis podcast 'What Just Happened'.
Jeni Harvey
Director of Marketing and Communications, Rochdale Boroughwide HousingJeni is Director of Marketing and Communications at Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and vice-chair of LGComms, the organisation that champions excellence in public sector communications.
With more than two decades’ experience across communications, marketing and journalism, Jeni started her career on newspapers in Greater Manchester, before then moving to the Yorkshire Post where she headed up the newspaper’s South Yorkshire office.
Since making the transition into Communications, Jeni has worked in strategic leadership roles across the full spectrum of public sector organisations, including councils, policing and regional Government.
She has also taught on PR and journalism courses at the University of Sheffield, and is currently a Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) trainer with the BBC.
Steve Hayes
Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications, GreenSquareAccordSteve has more than a decade of experience leading the communications functions at housing organisations. After moving into communications and PR after a career as a newspaper journalist he led communications for the Chartered Institute of Housing and has subsequently overseen award-winning transformations of the communications functions at Citizen and GSA. Steve has become a leading voice on communication within the social housing and not-for-profit sectors and regularly speaks on national platforms to share his insight and experience. He is a non-executive director at Creative Bridge, one of the leading creative agencies in the housing sector.
Kate Henderson
@KateNHF
Chief Executive, National Housing FederationKate is Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation (NHF), the voice of housing associations in England. Kate is passionate about tackling the housing crisis, inequality and climate change. She is a member of several government panels including the Rough Sleeping Advisory Panel and the Social Housing White Paper Expert Challenge Panel. Kate become a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2021. Prior to joining the NHF in 2018, Kate was Chief Executive of the Town and Country Planning Association.
Simon Henig
Head of Government Affairs, Stephenson MohlSimon has over 30 years of experience in UK politics, including serving as Leader of Durham County Council (2008–2021) and as the inaugural Chair of the North East Combined Authority. A long-standing member of Labour’s national policy forum and Gordon Brown’s Commission on the UK’s Future, Simon combines deep academic expertise in UK government with frontline political insight to lead SMG’s government relations and policy work
Charlotte Humble
Internal Communications Manager, Karbon HomesCharlotte is a Chartered Marketer with 10+ of experience leading communications, marketing and engagement in the public sector. Covering the North of England, she is currently responsible for internal communications and engagement at Karbon Homes and has previously led brand development and communications in children’s social services and for a number of independent organisations. Charlotte is also a Board Member at North Tyneside VODA, and Board sponsor for culture and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Sonia Johal Squires
Head of Communication, CitizenSonia Squires is Head of Communications at Citizen Housing who have 30,000 homes across the West Midlands. A Fellow of the institute of Internal Communication, Sonia is an esteemed leader in the comms profession whose passion is in supporting leaders to drive greater connection. Sonia has worked across the education sector, NHS and now in social housing leading teams to deliver impactful comms that are truly centred on the audience.
Hannah Jowett
Head of Communications and Brand, Yorkshire HousingHannah is head of communications and brand for Yorkshire Housing where she leads a full-service communications team including public affairs and external policy. Since joining, Hannah has led a reinvention of the Yorkshire Housing brand and its approach to communications. She is passionate about building teams where people can thrive and bring their ideas and creativity to life.
Hannah also leads communications for three housing partnerships across the devolved areas of South, West and North Yorkshire - working alongside housing CEOs, Local and Combined Authorities to deliver PR and influencing strategies to support the delivery of shared housing ambitions across the regions.
She is Vice Chair of the NHF’s National Influencing and Communications Committee.
Emma Kiddle
Head of Communications and Marketing, SettleEmma is Head of Communications and Marketing at settle. The organisation supports over 23,000 residents in more than 10,000 homes across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and South Cambridgeshire, and Emma is responsible for all resident, colleague and stakeholder communications. Prior to joining settle, Emma worked as Head of Marketing Communications at Young Lives vs Cancer, the UK’s leading charity for young cancer patients and their families and led high profile campaigns in central government departments. Emma is co-chair of the National Housing Federation’s National Communications and Influencing Group, and a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Nicki Kirkup
Marketing and Communications Manager, NCHANicki Kirkup leads Communications and Engagement at NCHA, with a passion for connecting people to messages that matter. Always looking for innovative ways to communicate, Nicki champions creative approaches that make information clear, accessible, and impactful.
Recently taking on the role of lead for Customer Engagement, Nicki is extending this ethos to customers - ensuring they have the right information when they need it along with meaningful ways to be heard.
Amanda Leonard
Associate Director, HousemarkAmanda has worked extensively across the sector with Boards and Executive teams, improving organisation strategic planning and performance. She has led resident led co designed governance structure changes and multiple mergers. She also led on the Clarion merger and works with organisations on transformation and growth. Leading the first post Grenfell resident engagement event to consult on the Social Housing White Paper, working with the Cabinet Office and Housing Minister, Amanda is an influential thought leader.
Mairi MacRae
Director of Campaigns, Policy and Communications, ShelterMairi MacRae is the Director of Communications, Policy and Campaigns at Shelter UK. Mairi first joined Shelter as an Assistant Director of Advocacy and Activism in 2022. She previously held several leadership roles in the humanitarian sector including at the Asia Development Bank, Action Aid UK and the International Rescue Committee.
Emma Midgley
Director of Business Services, Golden LaneEmma joined Golden Lane Housing in April 2025 as Director of Business Services, leading Marketing and Communications, IT, Data and Digital, Governance and Risk, and People and Culture. She brings 11 years of housing experience within the not-for-profit sector, having held a range of operational and strategic leadership roles. Before joining Golden Lane Housing, she served as Director of Integration and Transformation at Johnnie Johnson Housing, guiding its successful merger with Sanctuary. Emma is passionate about creating strong communities and quality homes, using evolving regulation and data-driven insight to enhance tenant engagement, satisfaction, and positive organisational change.
Rhys Moore
Executive Director of Public Impact, National Housing FederationRhys started with the NHF in October 2018, as Executive Director of Public Impact. Rhys oversees our policy, external affairs and communications work. Previously he was Director of the Living Wage Foundation where he worked with government, business and civil society to build a national movement of responsible employers. Before that, he helped to establish the London Community Foundation, which supports grassroots community groups in the capital. Rhys is a board member of the Carers Trust.
Jess Mullins
Head of Member Relations, National Housing FederationJess has worked at the NHF since 2017. She has worked in our public affairs team and has been Head of Member relations since 2021 leading on equality, diversity and inclusion; general election work and larger housing association members. Prior to joining the NHF Jess worked in Parliament.
Lorna Parsons
Deputy Director Communications and Public Affairs, PoplarLorna leads external and internal communications at Poplar HARCA, an award-winning housing and regeneration community association in east London. She brings over 17 years experience in corporate communications and PR across housing, regeneration, arts and third sector organisations, both in-house and agency-side, leading cross-functional teams and creating compelling content that resonates with diverse audiences.
Theo Plowman
Head of Policy and Campaigns, AbriTheo Plowman is Head of Policy and Campaigns at Abri, a housing association working across the South of England. He leads Abri’s work on housing policy, campaigns, and political engagement, with a particular focus on resident voice, planning policy and the future of social housing funding. Theo has previously held national housing roles at the British Property Federation and the Landscape Institute and regularly contributes to sector debates on the links between housing, place and politics.
Jon Reeves
Director of Communications, Amplius
Matt Rhodes
Director of Communications and Public Affairs, The Hyde GroupMatt is a communications and public affairs leader, with a background across party politics, local government, and social housing. As Director of Communications and Public Affairs for The Hyde Group, a not-for-profit provider of 50,000 affordable homes across London and the South East, he works with national and trade media, builds relationships to influence stakeholders, and develops the group’s policy positions. During his time at MTVH, another social housing provider, Matt coordinated the activities of the G15 group of leading housing associations that collectively provide over 770,000 homes across the country, working across the political spectrum and with senior government officials. Before moving into social housing, Matt worked for the Labour Party in various roles over more than 12 years.
Sarauniya Shehu
Cabinet External Affairs Manager Leader’s Office & Cabinet Office, Southwark CouncilSarauniya is Cabinet External Affairs Manager at Southwark Council, managing the Leader’s political office and advising on external and strategic affairs. A former Public Affairs Manager at the National Housing Federation, she has extensive experience influencing housing policy and building partnerships across central and local government and the housing sector. She’s passionate about using communications and political strategy to create meaningful, lasting change in communities.
Emma Slade Edmondson
Co-founder, Good FormEmma Slade Edmondson is a TedX speaker, author, podcaster, marketing strategist, and Forbes 100 Environmentalist renowned for her transformational approach to marketing and behaviour change. She is co-founder of Good Form, a purpose-driven marketing consultancy and production house.
Emma has over fifteen years experience working in Advertising, Marketing and Sustainability for the UK’s favourite brands. Her specialism is working to elevate brands, initiatives and organisations looking to make a positive impact in the world, rooted in real insight.
An advocate for equity and inclusion, Emma has authored books exploring diversity, heritage and representation and has coached major organisations on authentically engaging and supporting diverse voices.
Serial upskiller alert: Emma is always keen to keep learning – she recently went back to school to study Governance for a Sustainable Future in Business at Cambridge!
Follow Emma’s work on Instagram @beongoodform
Paul Smith
Group Chief Executive, Elim HousingPaul Smith is Chief Executive of Elim Housing and a social historian, whose book Hartcliffe betrayed recently won a national award. Prior to working at Elim Paul was active in politics, as a councillor in Bristol from 1988-1999 and again as Cabinet member for housing from 2016-2020, Paul was also a parliamentary candidate in 2010. Paul is currently a Board member and Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Andrews Charitable Trust.
Jennifer Sproul
Chief Executive, Institute of Internal CommunicationsJennifer Sproul is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC), the only professional body solely dedicated to internal communication. She leads IoIC's efforts in setting standards and advancing the profession through qualifications, career development, thought leadership, and best practices.
A passionate advocate for the value of internal communication, Jennifer is a regular speaker and co-hosts the podcast ‘The Future of Internal Communication’.
Lydia Stockdale
Director of Comms and External Affairs, Eastlight HomesLydia Stockdale is Communications & External Affairs Director at Eastlight Community Homes, leading engagement with residents, colleagues and external stakeholders. A former award-winning journalist and Assistant Editor at Inside Housing, she moved into specialist housing communications with consultancy See Media. CIPR Chartered, Lydia is committed to clear, inclusive practice and has supported community services as a trustee of Citizens Advice Birmingham.
Natalie Tate
Strategic project lead for Talking about Homes project, Joseph Rowntree FoundationNatalie is mobilising the Talking about Homes project for Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Nationwide Foundation. Talking about Homes helps communicators build public support for more decent and affordable homes by sharing tested framing recommendations to tell a powerful story.
Natalie engages with sector colleagues to share effective ways of framing to talk about homes. She explains insights into how the public thinks about homes, and how we can tell our stories more effectively to help us shift mindsets.
Ed Thomas
DirectorCommunications, Marketing and Public Affairs, Housing Plus GroupA professional communicator for almost two decades, Ed has held a number of public affairs and corporate communications leadership roles in business associations, renewable energy, higher education and now housing. Ed leads the strategic communications and engagement function at Housing Plus Group, a social housing and care provider that creates places that people are proud to call home across Shropshire and Staffordshire.
Danny Thorpe
Director of Communications & External Affairs, Clarion Housing GroupDanny Thorpe is Director of Communications & External Affairs at Clarion Housing Group, the UK's largest housing association, where he leads strategic communications, public affairs, and crisis management across the Group. A former elected Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Danny oversaw major regeneration projects including a £250 million council house building programme. He brings over two decades of experience spanning housing, local government, and event management, including the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A Chartered Fellow (CMgr FCMI) with expertise in stakeholder engagement and political communications, Danny is passionate about using communication to drive social impact and build inclusive communities.
