CLAPA Appoints New CEO
The Cleft Lip and Palate Association, the only national UK charity dedicated to supporting people affected by clefts, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr David Stokes as its new Chief Executive. This comes after a rigorous recruitment process using Russam recruitment agency, which saw superb candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds participating.
It’s a crucial time for CLAPA as we look to the next 5 years and beyond, evolving our strategy but always continuing to involve and support the cleft community, and move, over time, to be more actively seeking improvements to cleft care and outcomes for people affected by clefts.
CLAPA has been supported greatly by the current CEO, Rosanna Preston, who has helped in the recruitment process and who will work alongside the Board of Trustees and the CLAPA team to provide an effective handover to David, who is due to begin his new role with CLAPA on 3rd May.
David is currently Programme Manager (in health research) at Imperial College, London, and has a PhD in Molecular Biology and an Executive Diploma in Management.
In the interview process, and subsequently, David has demonstrated a tremendous passion and energy for CLAPA’s cause and the needs of the cleft community, and brings a wealth of experience across charities, research, fundraising and grant programme management. He’s the founder and chair of the Medway Science Centre Partnership and also lectures at Imperial College. He is active in supporting children at many levels, and is currently participating in a programme helping children from Chernobyl.
About CLAPA
The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA) is the representative organisation for all those in the UK affected by cleft lip and/or palate. Our vision is a world where having a cleft is no barrier to achieving your desires and ambitions.
CLAPA was set up in 1979 as a partnership between parents and health professionals, and this remains a core value. The charity works to provide non-medical services that complement the medical care provided by the specialist Cleft Teams, and aims to support people with cleft and their families from infancy through to adulthood.
CLAPA’s National Office is based in London with a network of volunteer-run Branches all across the UK.