Senior Leadership Team

Our Senior Leadership Team works alongside our trustees to lead the organisation to achieve its strategic aims and objectives and ensure it remains true to its values. 

 

Andrea Wiggins – Chief Executive

Andrea has spent her career working in not-for-profit organisations supporting people with Learning Disabilities.
Andrea has worked in a number of senior roles focusing on service development and transformation often working with people with more complex needs.
Starting as a support worker and working in various roles, including campaigning and advocacy roles until she took up the post of CEO at Nexus in 2018.
 
Andrea is a Trustee of the British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) and is involved in other initiatives around provider development and transforming care. 
 
Andrea works full-time and can be contacted through our main office. 

 

 

 

Joe Donnellan – Director of Operations

Joe worked with Lewisham Nexus Service since its foundation in 1993, progressing from support worker through a number of roles to the post of Service Manager responsible for managing supported living services. In November 2021, he became Director of Operations for Aurora Nexus.  

He gained a diploma in applied psychology of learning disabilities from the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent in 2002 and his specialism is in setting up and managing services for people with autism or those who display challenging behaviour.

Joe works full-time and can be contacted through our main office.

 

 

 

Mich Jewell – Director of Compliance

Mich started with Lewisham Nexus Services in December 2020.  She previously worked for another learning disability charity as a Project Manager of ew services for seven years. Mich has experience in commissioning and the importance of ensuring compliance across an organisation, with a focus on quality and support.  In November 2021, she became Director of Compliance for Aurora Nexus.
 
Mich believes in equality for all and is always keen to find ways in which people can work together for a better and brighter future. 
 
Mich works full time, however she is currently on maternity leave until November 2022.

 

 

 

Jacqui Shepherd – Director of Practice Development

Jacqui started her career as a care assistant in older adult services over 34 years ago. She then worked in a number of roles from direct support to development and management roles within learning disability services.  In November 2021, she became Director of Practice Development.

Jacqui has always lived and worked locally and is well-connected. Jacqui’s passion is to support people to have the life they want and have a   voice and in-put into issues that affect them, she believes that services should be led by the people that use them.
 
Jacqui works full-time and can be contacted through our main office.
 
 

 

 

Fahmeeda Amode – Director of Finance

Fahmeeda has more than fifteen years of experience working in finance, joining Aurora Options in 2008.  In November 2021, she became Director of Finance.

Fahmeeda ensures that the organisation has strong and robust financial systems in place so that it can adapt and evolve in a changing environment.

Fahmeeda works full-time and can be contacted through our main office.

 

 

 

 

Gail Nicholls – Director of Housing and Development

Gail joined Aurora Options in 2007 as a service manager. She has more than 30 years of experience in social care, starting her career as a student nurse in the NHS in Surrey, where she supported people to move out of hospitals into the community. She has worked in the voluntary sector since 1991. In November 2021, she became the Director of Housing and Development.

At Aurora Nexus, Gail’s responsibilities include developing new initiatives and she is involved in a number of quality groups locally and nationally.

Gail works full-time and can be contacted through our main office.