Board Members

Steve Woolridge
Chair
Steve is a long-standing commercial banker, heading up Lloyds TSB's corporate markets' team in East Anglia, from a modern office in the centre of Cambridge. Soon he will be moving his job across to Essex, coincidentally a Springboard heartland.

He also has experience in social housing, and has sat on the Boards of Gravesend Churches Housing Association in Kent, Midsummer Housing Association in Milton Keynes and was Chair of Sutherland Housing Association (part of Genesis). Steve is on the main Board of Genesis and he now takes the Chair at Springboard.


Susan Higgins

BA (Hons), PGCE, MA, JP Vice Chair

Susan is a qualified teacher and has been a magistrate since 1992 and completed an MA in Contemporary History in 1999. She has fundraising experience with NSPCC and other locally‑based organisations. Susan is currently Chair of Genesis Community Foundation and Vice Chair of Springboard Board, where she has a particular interest in supported housing.


Mark Gayfer

BSc (Hons) FCA

Managing director of Springboard, co-opted member. Mark joined Springboard as Finance Director in October 2002, was appointed Chief Executive in March 2003 and Managing Director in April 2005. Previously Mark trained with KPMG and gained experience in the social housing sector with East Thames Housing Group as Group Finance Director and Acting Chief Executive and Wandle HA, where he was Finance Director. Mark also sits on the board of MacIntyre HA, a specialist organisation supporting people with learning difficulties.


Richard Barr

AFA, Chartered FCIPD, FlnstLM, MCIM, MIoD, ACIH

Springboard director, co-opted member. Richard joined Springboard as a Director of Business Support in January 2001 before taking over additional responsibility for housing management in March 2003. He spent much of his early career within the Civil Service and was Managing Director of a HR consultancy and training company before joining Springboard. He sits on the Group's Equalities and Diversity Committee.


Alison Clare
BA (Hons), MA, MSc

Alison is an independent Education and Training Consultant specialising in work-based learning and workforce development in health and social care. She is a qualified social worker with a background in community mental health. She joined Springboard in 1999.


Tony Clouting

Tony is a retired Barclays Bank Manager. He worked for Barclays for 37 years, the last seventeen as a Senior Manager. He sits on the Group's Project Committee and the Genesis Audit and Risk Committee.


Alan Tobias
OBE

A qualified solicitor, Alan worked for twelve years as Chief Executive to Waltham Forest London Borough Council, having previously been Solicitor to the Council and Acting Chief Executive at Tower Hamlets Council. Alan is currently the Chairman of Essex Probation Service, and Vice‑Chairman of Supporting People in the Community Strategic Board in Essex. He is also a trustee and board member to two regeneration trusts in East London. Alan recently received an OBE for services to the Probation Service and for services to community relations.


Jon Bailey

Tenant member

Jon has been a professional photographer for over thirty years, working for the Museum of London and English Heritage, retiring in 2005. He continues to work freelance in art and architectural photography. Jon has been a Springboard customer since 1978.


Trevor Shaw

Tenant member

Trevor is an elected customer tenant member of the Board. He is a bricklayer by trade and has worked as a Customer Care Manager for a development Company for the past fourteen years.


Trevor Childs

Observer - Chair of Springboard Customer Association
Trevor has been a Springboard customer since 1996. He has been active in the Springboard Customer Association becoming Chair for a third time in January 2005. Trevor also works with the Society for the Blind.