The Commissioner is supported by a small team of staff who work on her behalf to deliver her priorities. Find out more about the roles and responsibilities of the Commissioner’s Team below.
Kelly Davies
Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer, Kelly leads on, and is accountable for, all internal operations of the Commissioner’s office. Her role is to ensure effective planning, reporting and monitoring arrangements to support the smooth running of the organisation and to manage its performance against key strategic objectives, standards and budgets.
Kelly is also responsible for identifying and managing risks and ensuring that the systems, processes, controls and information are in place to comply with the Commissioner’s statutory duties.
As Chief Operating Officer, Kelly is formally designated as the Deputy Commissioner and is designated to undertake the role of Commissioner if the Commissioner so directs or is unable to carry out her statutory duties.
Katie Holliday
Head of Finance and Resources
As Head of Finance and Resources, Katie is responsible for ensuring that the systems, processes, controls and information are effective and in place to enable the Commissioner to fully comply with her statutory duties relating to financial controls and systems, data protection, and health and safety.
Katie has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of all financial accounting and reporting systems, as well as procurement (including tenders and contracts) and ensuring that all key deliverables are met as per agreed contracts.
Katie is also responsible for the preparation of annual accounts and the submission of statutory financial returns.
Rachel Bowen
Director of Policy
As Director of Policy, Rachel is responsible for the quality and impact of policy and research evidence, analysis and outputs. Rachel leads on specific areas of the Commissioner’s work, ensuring excellent working relationships with older people and other stakeholders. Rachel ensures that older people’s views and voices inform the Commissioner’s research and policy work through engagement with the diversity of the older population.
Andrea Cooper
Safeguarding Lead
Andrea leads on the Commissioner’s priority of stopping the abuse of older people in Wales. She works with key organisations (including the Commissioner’s Action Group) to ensure that older people can get the support they need if they are at risk of or experiencing abuse. Andrea works with public services to improve understanding of the nature of abuse faced by older people and ensure that improvements are made in supporting older people across policy, practice, legislation, and resources.
Anna Haf Mihangel
Senior Caseworker
Anna provides information, advice, guidance and support to older people and their families on a range of issues such as adult protection, finance, health, care and housing to challenge poor practice and ensure that their voices are heard and understood by service providers and decision makers.
David McKinney
Ageing Well Lead
David works with individuals, organisations and communities at a local, regional and national level to support, inform and empower local people to develop innovative and practical ways to enable older people to age well. He leads on the development, implementation and evaluation of local and regional events that support and empower people to have their say about what they would like to change in their community and identify the steps that they (and others) could take to help older people to age well in communities across Wales, alongside producing and promoting a range of tools, resources and practical guides to support change within communities across Wales.
David also leads the Commissioner’s priority of enabling all older people to age well.
Dewi John
Policy and Public Affairs Assistant
As the Policy and Public Affairs Assistant, Dewi supports the Director of Policy in ensuring that the Commissioner has an effective political and engagement strategy. Dewi also supports the Director of Policy in identifying emerging policy and political issues, risks and opportunities and supports the development of key policy documents.
Elen Miles
Senior Executive Assistant to the Commissioner
Elin provides a range of administrative assistance to the Commissioner, including managing the Commissioner’s diary, dealing with correspondence, co-ordinating meetings, providing information to the Commissioner and making travel arrangements. Elin also provides secretariat for Business Management and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee meetings.
Elizabeth Carr
Engagement and Events Coordinator
Liz ensures that the Commissioner and her team are engaging effectively and systematically with older people throughout Wales. She is responsible for organising the Commissioner’s engagement events to ensure that the Commissioner and her team have opportunities to meet and speak with a diverse range older people and can hear directly from them about the issues that matter to them. Liz also plans and organises the Commissioner’s external events, including conferences and seminars.
Hayley Bufton
Corporate Services Officer
As the Corporate Services Officer, Hayley supports the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Finance and Resources to ensure that there is effective corporate services management for the organisation by supporting the HR, IT, health and safety and data protection functions.
Helen Benjamin
Executive Assistant
Helen provides a wide range of administrative support to the Deputy Commissioner and Head of Finance and Resources, particularly with regard to governance arrangements, human resources and learning and development. Helen also deals with key contractors related to the office environment and ensures health and safety compliance to promote the well-being of visitors and staff.
Kay Hennessy
Work Programme Support Assistant
Kay supports the delivery of the Commissioner’s work programme through providing a range of administrative support to the Commissioner’s priority leads. Her role includes producing progress reports and updates for colleagues, preparing materials and providing support at meetings at events.
Lauren Cooper
Data and Research Analyst
Lauren ensures that the Commissioner can access and use appropriate data sources for good quality evidence, data and information to underpin her work. She undertakes analysis of data sources, leads on the evidence and data requirements for a ‘state of the nation’ report, develops indicators and measures to assess progress against the work programme priorities and produces detailed research and data briefings for a range of audiences.
Nicola Evans
Rights and Equalities Lead / Head of Advice and Assistance
Nicola leads on the protection, development and promotion of older people’s rights and equality. She ensures that the Commissioner is kept up-to-date with the latest legislation and developments concerning older people’s rights and promotes the ways in which older people’s rights can be upheld and respected, including promoting advocacy and its benefits.
Rhiannon Rees
Senior Caseworker
Rhiannon provides information, advice, guidance and support to older people and their families on a range of issues such as adult protection, finance, health, care and housing to challenge poor practice and ensure that their voices are heard and understood by service providers and decision makers.
Rhys Jackson
Communications Officer
Rhys promotes the work of the Commissioner in Wales through social media, campaigns and digital and marketing activity to build awareness of the role of the Commissioner among older people and key stakeholders. Rhys also writes press releases, maintains the Commissioner’s social media presence, and ensures that the Commissioner’s website is kept up to date.
Richard Jones
Head of Communications
Richard promotes the work of the Commissioner and ensures effective communication and engagement with older people and stakeholders through media coverage, campaigns, social media and marketing activities. He is responsible for managing communications across the organisation, through implementing, monitoring and evaluating the Commissioner’s communication strategy and annual communications plan.
Valerie Billingham
Health and Care Lead
Valerie works with public bodies and other organisations to drive up the quality of, and access to, health and social care services for older people in Wales. She also works with public bodies to increase knowledge and awareness of the issues that matter most to older people to make more rapid progress towards the provision of a joined-up, outcome-focused service that delivers impactful change for older people and has older people at its heart.