Senior Management Team

CEO

David was appointed Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund in October 2021.

Before joining the Fund, David had a varied career in public service. As Director of the Office for Civil Society, he was responsible for government policy on charities, volunteering, young people, philanthropy, dormant assets, impact investment and mission-led business.

Before this, as an international development adviser, he supported governance and public policy reform programmes in more than a dozen countries, particularly in Asia and the Middle East where he lived and worked.

David’s earlier career was in UK Civil Service working in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit (principally on education, health and public services), in the DFID and the Cabinet Office.

His leadership has particularly spanned fields of education, health, civil society and community development, and topics including social mobility, loneliness and culture change. A common thread through his career has been his passion and commitment to community, and the social connections and community activities that are at the heart of creating healthier, happier lives and a flourishing society. This brought him to The National Lottery Community Fund and the development of their 2030 strategy ‘It starts with community’.

He enjoys leading people and organisations in support of social improvement and positive change.

He has two degrees in economics and one degree in Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Northern Ireland Director

Kate Beggs was appointed as The National Lottery Community Fund's director for Northern Ireland in January 2019.

Kate said: “I’m proud to work for The National Lottery Community Fund and have the opportunity to meet a wide range of stakeholders, volunteers and the beneficiaries involved in the projects we fund.

“It’s exciting to see people using National Lottery funding to take control and bring to life their own ideas for strengthening communities in Northern Ireland and across the UK. It’s also wonderful to see the genuine and lasting difference this makes in people's lives.”

Kate leads the Fund’s grant-funding activity, relationship management and operations in Northern Ireland.

Before joining the Fund, Kate was an experienced leader in the public sector, with 17 years in the UK Civil Service. She was previously Deputy Director in the Northern Ireland Office, leading their external political and community engagement.

Before joining the Northern Ireland Office, Kate held a wide-ranging series of roles in the Diplomatic Service, in the UK and abroad.

In 2025, Kate was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours List for services to public and community service in Northern Ireland.

England Director

Phil joined the Fund in June 2022 as England Director (Strategy, Partnerships & Engagement). He is responsible for jointly overseeing our largest funding portfolio and ensuring our new funding strategy is best informed by partnerships and engagement with key stakeholders.

Most recently, Phil was Executive Director for External Engagement at City Lit - the largest adult education college in London. Prior to that he held a number of senior leadership positions at the Youth Sport Trust, Legacy Trust UK and Big Lottery Fund. Phil also spent 10 years within the Civil Service, working on a range of high-profile policy issues and international campaigns, as well as directly within a Minister’s private office.

Phil’s career to date has led to extensive experience in strategy development, corporate communications, political engagement, policy and programme development, funding distribution, strategic leadership, and stakeholder relations. He is a committed and enthusiastic individual, offering both a sense of purpose combined with a sense of humour.

“I am fortunate enough to have been informed by all my experiences, and I am excited to help lead and further champion the work of the National Lottery Community Fund through the delivery of their strategy 'It starts with community', and best support the communities and individuals it serves.”

England Director

Emma joined the National Lottery Community Fund in July 2022. As one of our England Directors, Emma is responsible for the Leadership of Programmes, Operations and English Regions.

With over 20 years’ experience in grant making, Emma was most recently the Head of Design and Delivery at BBC Children in Need, ensuring the successful delivery of the fund across the UK and leading multiple major change programmes for the charity. Prior to that, she worked for a diverse range of funders, including Community Foundations and Housing Associations, gaining significant experience in charity governance and compliance during this time.

Since October 2022 Emma has been a member of the board of Trustees at London Funders, which continues to diversify her knowledge and relationships across the funding sector.

Emma has been a strong advocate for wellbeing and empowerment of staff at all levels of the organisations she has worked at and believes passionately in the need for open and transparent communication.

"I am delighted, as someone whose career has centred around quality grant making, to be able to support work of such scale and breadth. The capacity available to enable communities across the UK is humbling to me, and making time to listen to the wealth of knowledge and expertise of the organisation is key my role to enact positive and meaningful change where it is needed most."

Interim Funding Strategy, Communication and Impact Director

Mel is the Interim Director for Funding Strategy, Communication and Impact and has been at the Fund for over 17 years, working across a range of roles including strategy, governance, performance and estates.

Most recently Mel has led our UK portfolio, awarding UK-wide grants,. This includes the design and delivery of new grant programmes including significant national campaigns and commitments to communities and the environment through the Climate Action Fund, a multi-million pound commitment to investing in community-led climate action, and our UK Fund which focusses on the scaling of projects that demonstrate a UK-wide benefit.

Chief Finance and Resources Officer

Stuart joined the Fund in January 2022 as Finance Director where he is responsible for ensuring strong financial management alongside the oversight of internal audit services, procurement and risk management. Stuart also has strategic oversight for the Fund’s counter fraud, controls assurance, strategic planning, and the Fund’s technology and cyber security arrangements.

In addition to ensuring compliance with the relevant standards, codes and regulations; the finance and resources directorate plays an important role in adding value through the provision of reliable management information, enabling support services, and risk analysis to support strategic decision-making across the Fund.

Stuart previously spent time working in accountancy, audit and professional services with KPMG’s public sector division and prior to joining more recently has spent over a decade working in social housing as a Finance and Corporate Services Director.

“I feel privileged and proud to be able to work for The National Lottery Community Fund, an organisation which helps to improve peoples’ life chances and facilitates change and impact leaving a legacy of sustainable and inclusive communities. I strongly believe in the importance of developing and maintaining thriving communities; and I’m looking forward to working with colleagues to ensure supporting communities across the whole of the UK is at the heart of everything we do”.

Stuart also supports the Fund’s Chief Executive as Deputy Accounting Officer and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants with over 20 year’s post qualification experience across the public and commercial sectors. Stuart has also held various non-executive roles.

Scotland Director

Neil was appointed as The National Lottery Community Fund’s director for Scotland in July 2019.

Neil is responsible for the development, delivery, administration and communication of The National Lottery Community Fund’s grant programmes in Scotland and is ultimately responsible for The National Lottery Community Fund’s work and reputation in the country.

Neil first joined The National Lottery Community Fund in 2000 to set up the Scottish Land Fund and has since gone on to progress through a number of positions, from Funding Officer through to Deputy Director.

Prior to joining the Fund, Neil started his career as a community worker in Shetland and worked as a Scottish Civil Servant in community care policy, both of which gave him his thorough grounding in community led action and the importance of putting local people in the lead.

Wales Director

John is accountable for the development, delivery, and communication of The National Lottery Community Fund’s operations in Wales, as well as leading the Fund’s UK wide environmental strategy.

“The projects we fund really touch the lives of the people and communities they support. I enjoy seeing people and communities take the lead and helping that continue to happen, ensuring that the National Lottery pound is well spent and celebrating the positive impact National Lottery Funding has on communities.”

John has enjoyed an eclectic career. Having trained as a chef before travelling internationally, John went on to study a BA in Environmental Systems and MSc in Applied Hydrobiology at the University of Wales, before working for an Environmental Charity. He spent five years working on the Landfill Tax Community Fund, managing operations in Wales, the Midlands and South West England before joining The National Lottery Community Fund in 2003.

In 2022, John was awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours List in recognition of his contribution to civil society.

“I am humbled to receive this award. It’s been an honour to work for The National Lottery Community Fund since 2003 and in that time witness the remarkable work undertaken by communities, thanks to National Lottery funding.”

Senior Adviser to the CEO

Shane Ryan is the Senior Advisor to the CEO at The National Lottery Community Fund. He was appointed for his extensive expertise in social justice, community engagement, and strategic philanthropy. Shane plays a pivotal role in driving the Fund’s mission to support and empower communities across the UK.

Before joining the Fund, Shane served as the Global Executive Director of The Avast Foundation. There, he successfully expanded its initiatives to 27 countries, focusing on digital inclusion and citizenship. At The National Lottery Community Fund, Shane’s leadership has been instrumental in creating our initial Youth Voice strategy, which ensures young leaders are integral to decision-making processes, and our Partnership strategy. He also initiated and developed the Phoenix Fund, an initiative dedicated to supporting black and minoritized communities, and more recently, The National Lottery Innovation Unit.

Shane’s career spans significant roles across the public, private, and charity sectors in both national and international contexts. This includes time at DCMS as a strategy advisor and significant time as a Chief Executive Officer in the charity sector. He has collaborated with global organizations and business from Sony Columbia and Unilever to UNESCO and ITU, leveraging his expertise to address critical social issues and promote sustainable development worldwide.

A dedicated community advocate, Shane is also a trustee for various organizations and remains active in his own community. His contributions to the charitable sector were recognized with an MBE in 2023 for services to charity and young people. Shane’s executive education at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, supports the organization’s current and future work around sustainability. His MBA studies focused on Leadership and Sustainability at the University of Cumbria, which supports his strategic approach to philanthropy and community development.

“Throughout my career to date, I have been driven by a commitment to social equity and community well-being. My leadership at The National Lottery Community Fund reflects my passion for creating inclusive, resilient communities and fostering positive change.”