Meet the team

Catharine joined St John’s Foundation in July 2024 as interim CEO and was appointed permanently to the role in January 2025. She is deeply committed to ensuring access to opportunities for all—principles that guide her leadership at St John’s. Within her role as CEO, Catharine provides strategic and operational management, working closely with the board, staff, and partners to ensure St John’s delivers its charitable mission effectively and drives meaningful impact.

Catharine’s career began in marketing leadership roles with major organisations, including Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, and The Economist group, where she served as Global Marketing Director. After relocating from London to Bath with her family 20 years ago, she transitioned into the charity sector, initially focusing on marketing and fundraising before moving into senior leadership. She has since held interim leadership positions at five national charities across the South West and founded a consultancy business supporting boards and leadership teams in driving impact and meaningful change.

Before joining St John’s, Catharine was Chief Executive of Designability, a charity dedicated to developing innovative products and services that empower disabled people to live more independently. Her extensive experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors brings a strategic and purpose-driven approach to her leadership at St John’s.

Laura joined St John’s in 2023 as Managing Director of the St John’s Hospital Trading Company, where she oversees its commercial ventures, including the House of St John’s – a co-working and events space in Queen Square – and St Catherine’s, a luxury apartment complex.

In addition to this role, Laura also serves as Director of Operations for the charity, where she manages commercial interests and explores new opportunities for growth. She leads the Communications team, the Estates department, and oversees Good Living, further strengthening St John’s mission.

Bringing a wealth of experience, Laura spent over a decade at Nomad, a travel health organisation, where she most recently led their UK business as Operations Director.

Passionate about supporting her local community, Laura is also a Trustee for Frome Birth Talk, a charity dedicated to providing mental health support for new and expectant parents. She has also previously served as a trustee for two multi-academy trusts.

Jo is an experienced Interim Finance Director, most recently at Together for Short Lives, the charity that campaigns for and supports families with terminally ill children, and before that Teach First, the national charity which trains high potential teachers to work in schools with high proportions of disadvantaged children.

She began her career as a serving officer in the Army before specialising as a military Chartered Management Accountant and then completing a Master’s in Charity Accounting and Financial Management to transition to the charity sector.