Our executive team
Each member of our executive team brings extensive experience and expertise in their specialism. Together, they keep the people we support at the heart of all our decisions, developing our high standards of support and ensuring our staff are motivated to be the best they can be.
Rachael Dodgson, Chief Executive (@rachael_dodgson)
Rachael has worked in social care for over 30 years. She is a qualified social worker and has worked in a wide range of roles both in the voluntary and for profit sector. She began her career in social care as a kitchen assistant in an older people’s home and has also worked as a registered manager and as operations director in services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.
She worked for Birmingham People First (the self-advocacy organisation of people with learning disabilities) and then spent 13 years working for the social care regulator in a number of different posts. She began her time there as an inspector but her final post at CQC was as Head of Adult Social Care Policy leading on strategy, regulatory frameworks and policy. She joined Dimensions in 2019 as our Managing Director and in 2022 became our CEO.
Rachael is passionate about ensuring people have choice and control over their lives and delivering high quality support. She is strongly committed to involving and engaging the people we support and their families, to raising the profile of social care across government, and to enabling colleagues to have great careers at Dimensions.
Read Rachael Dodgson’s One Page Profile
Sinéad McHugh-Hicks, Managing Director (@mchugh_hicks)
Sinéad joins us from Advance Housing and Support where she was an Executive Director. However, she began her career as a relief support worker here at Dimensions in 2002, demonstrating just what great career opportunities there are in health and social care and in Dimensions.
In every role Sinéad has had, she has been deeply committed to ensuring that people we support and their families are at the forefront of all that we do, and she is also extremely passionate about recognising and championing the vital role undertaken by front line colleagues across our sector.
Read Sinéad McHugh-Hicks’ One Page Profile
Helen Orford, Managing Director of Discovery
Helen started her career as a nursing auxiliary in the NHS and then spent twenty years working with older people in various roles within the Anchor Trust. She joined Dimensions in 2011 as an assistant operations director. Prior to becoming Managing Director of Discovery, Helen spent four years as the Managing Director for Dimensions’ West Region always considering, with a keen and open mind, how we could support the people we support to live an even better life.
Read Helen Orford’s One Page Profile
Julia Ashley, Chief Housing and Commercial Officer
Julia Ashley brings over 25 years of experience in social care, social housing and development for people who are ageing and has held various operational and strategic roles, including as Chief Executive of London based care and housing provider, Central & Cecil
Julia’s role in Dimensions covers a broad portfolio of housing, marketing, communications, public affairs and new business and she brings Board level experience, and knowledge of person-centred care outcomes, specialist housing, accessible design, care technologies, strategic business planning and management, and mergers and acquisitions.
Julia is passionate about diversity and inclusion, and co-producing homes and services to ensure that people can lead their best lives.
Read Julia Ashley’s One Page Profile
Clive Bassett, Chief Financial Officer
Clive is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years Board experience in commercial, charity and not for profit organisations.
Clive started his career as a trainee accountant straight from school studying evenings and weekends to achieve the AAT qualification and then the Chartered exams. The encouragement and opportunity Clive received to undertake his training is the reason he is so keen to ensure that others also get opportunities to train and flourish in their careers.
Read Clive Bassett’s One Page Profile
Stella Cheetham, Group Director of People and Organisational Development (@StellaCheetham)
Stella Cheetham brings extensive HR experience from the private, public and voluntary sectors to her role of Group Director of People and Organisational Development at Dimensions.
Stella recognises that recruiting, training and engaging people with the right skills and values is essential to ensure that the people we support and their families receive the best possible support and service in line with Dimensions’ vision of achieving better lives for more people.
Read Stella Cheetham’s One Page Profile
Rhoda Iranloye, Group Director of Quality, Governance and Lived Experience (@rhoda_loye)
Rhoda brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of quality governance, quality improvement and regulatory compliance and has over 22 years of experience working in the NHS. She believes in using an improvement mindset as a catalyst for change and to ensure a culture that encourages colleagues to give their best, have joy at work and have a positive impact in the lives of people we support.
In her role, Rhoda has overall responsibility for the Dimensions group’s compliance with all legislative and regulatory requirements. This also includes strategic oversight of governance, safeguarding, policies, risk management, health & safety and the development of a culture of continuous quality improvement.
Read Rhoda Iranloye’s One Page Profile
Ben Sutton, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO)
Having previously worked at Virgin Care in a similar role, Ben brings with him a wealth of relevant experience and ensures we are giving our digital systems and data the right level of prominence and focus.