Senior Management

Louise Clarke: Interim CEO

I am delighted to be joining Challengers, having followed and admired the charity for a number of years. I am passionate about delivering the best outcomes for disabled people and promoting inclusion within the local community. I look forward to working with the Challengers Board and Senior Leadership Team to explore funding models that are financially sustainable whilst building on the strength and culture of Team Orange.

Laura Baxter: Head of Quality

I started working for Challengers as a volunteer Playworker in 1996, since then I managed both play and youth schemes gaining a huge amount of hands on experience. More recently I have been concentrating on developing good quality practice for the whole organisation. Working at Challengers keeps me busy and challenged at all times, surrounded by a fabulous team of people I enjoy it immensely! My guilty pleasure is fabulous pieces of jewellery, I could spend… no I lie, I have spent a fortune on it!

Paul Wilson: Head of Operations

I have worked at Challengers for over 18 years and absolutely love the charity. I am passionate about the non-exclusion of children and young people and very proud to work for a charity that has this at the heart of its ethos. I started work as a volunteer Play Worker and soon realised Challengers was where I need to be. Over the last 18 years I have worked as Play and Youth Worker, Leader, Leisure Development Officer, Farnham Centre Manger, Service Manager and now Head of Operations West. I love music and spend a lot my spare time singing and playing guitar. My guilty pleasure is Coke Zero, it is my fuel!

Carla Gill: Head of Fundraising & Communications

Having worked at Challengers as a Playworker in my teens, over a decade later I find myself back at Team Orange, heading up the Fundraising and Communications team, and I could not be happier!

Like every child, young person and family know, from the moment you walk through the doors of Challengers you are part of the wonderful Team Orange. I am honoured and excited to give our amazing supporters (new, old and yet to know us) the opportunity to connect with such a vital cause. As together we can make lives that little bit easier for families of disabled children and have fun whilst doing so.

Andrew Kendall: Head of Finance

I joined Challengers early in 2021 as Head of Finance. After graduating from the University of York with a degree in Mathematics and Economics, I gained my professional accountancy qualification and then spent more than two decades working in the financial services sector, in a variety of senior financial positions. I recently decided to transition to the not-for-profit sector and I am thrilled to be joining Challengers at an exciting time for the charity. I am enjoying the challenge of supporting the aims and vision of Challengers and I am really proud to be part of the fantastic Challengers team.

Away from work, I am a keen rugby league fan, supporting the London Broncos as a season ticket holder for many years. I have also enjoyed taking part in a wide variety of martial arts over the years.