People
We are a group of management consultants who believe passionately that excellent governance and management are essential for nonprofit organisations to maximise their impact.
We are motivated by a desire to make a substantial contribution to the governance and management of the nonprofit sector. We write and lecture about governance and management and make our knowledge widely available.
Whilst we have backgrounds in the private, public and voluntary sectors, we share a common body of knowledge about the special characteristics of governing and managing nonprofit organisations.
Together we have over 50 years experience working in the sector and over 45 years experience providing consultancy to the sector.
We often work in pairs because we know that strong internal challenge and top quality supervision are essential for delivering high impact results.
On larger projects we work in partnership with other firms to extend our capacity and ensure a multi-disciplinary approach. This can include other consulting firms, lawyers, accountants, HR specialists and policy experts.
Mike Hudson – Founder & Director
Mike has worked as a consultant to the Chairs and Chief Executives of nonprofit organisations for 20 years. He worked for Friends of the Earth and as a business consultant before establishing Compass Partnership.
Debbie Emerson – Business Manager
Debbie is an experienced bookkeeper and part-qualified accountant.
She has worked in an accountancy practice, an international manufacturing company and a large hotel.
Debbie provides research and administrative support for Compass Partnership
Keith Smith – Senior Associate
Keith has 10 years experience working as a management consultant for boards and senior managers in the sector. He was previously the Chief Executive of Broadcasting Support Services and has served as a trustee for a number of charities.
Keith has an MSc (Management Consultancy). He is an Associate with the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at City Business School.
Melinda Letts – Senior Associate
Melinda has 19 years' experience managing and leading of nonprofit organisations.
She has been Chief Executive of the National Asthma Campaign, chaired the Long-term Medical Conditions Alliance and served on various Boards.
She has been a consultant since 1998
Allison Aldred – Senior Associate
Allison has worked as a consultant in the corporate and nonprofit sectors and as a senior manager with VSO and Oxfam. She has also served on a number of boards.
She has a first degree in Political Theory and an MBA from London Business School.
Sue Delafons – Senior Associate
Sue has worked as a strategy and organisational change consultant at board level across all sectors. She has an MBA from London Business School, and a background in advertising and international management consultancy.
Over the last 10 years she has worked with many non-profit organisations, and served as a Trustee and Vice Chair of Sight Savers International.
George Levvy – Senior Associate
George has worked in the voluntary sector as employee, trustee and consultant for 18 years, for ten of those as Chief Executive of the Motor Neurone Disease Association. He has been consulting since 2005.
He is an Associate of the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at the Cass Business School.
Sheila Cahill – Senior Associate
Sheila has over 20 years experience in the community and voluntary sector in Ireland and the UK and has been a volunteer, trustee, employee, senior manager and consultant.
She was Director of Training and Support Services at the Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups and was responsible for the largest management training programme for the community and voluntary sector in Ireland.
She has a
Jacinta Ashworth – Research Consultant
Jacinta has 15 years' experience in the market research industry, specialising in quantitative surveys for the public and voluntary sectors.
Formerly a Senior Associate Director with BMRB International, a top six UK market research agency, Jacinta provides expertise in all aspects of research.
Kavita Deepchand – Research Consultant
Kavita Deepchand has a total of 14 years' research experience and has worked at The National Centre for Social Research.
Kavita has experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methods covering a wide range of topic areas including health, crime, income and lifestyle.
Hilary Herritty – Research Consultant
Hilary Herritty is a Research Consultant with Compass Partnership providing expertise in all aspects of research design. She has more than 10 years' research experience.
Hilary is a member of two local committees of management so has first hand experience of the governance issues.