Meet Our Directors

Sophie Braithwaite

Founder & Executive Director

Sophie smiling towards the camera whilst holding her ginger cat who is also looking at the camera. Sophie is wearing a white patterned dress and black graduation cap.

Sophie's route into this work started with her own experience. After years of fighting to get her needs met in education, she earned a place at university to study Occupational Therapy, wanting to help people like her live meaningful and fulfilling lives. In the final year of her BSc, she focused her studies on disability issues, including performing arts and deafness.

Inspired by her advocate, Abdul, Sophie went on to study an MSc in Disability Studies, Rights and Inclusion. She is due to graduate in 2027.

Alongside her studies, Sophie met many barriers at work because of her disabilities, while watching the political climate grow more hostile towards disabled people. The change she had hoped to make in her career felt close to impossible. Encouraged by her lecturers and their activism, she left traditional employment to build her own solution: DPAN.

Sophie also writes for the National Deaf Children's Society blog. She is a keen hobby photographer and a musical theatre fan.

Cath smiling in sunglasses and a white top at a busy outdoor event.

Cath Bacon

Non-Executive Director

With over a decade of governance experience across housing, finance, local government and the voluntary sector, focused on giving the people most affected a real voice in decisions.

Cath also draws on her own lived experience of disability to volunteer, supporting other disabled people to find their way through the DWP system.

Su smiling, with glasses and hair tied back, in a dark top.

Su Crossland

Non-Executive Director

Su has been a tireless ally to the disabled people's community, in her career and in her personal life.

A retired Occupational Therapist specialising in wheelchairs, seating and neuro rehabilitation, Su founded MESH Movement, a dance school for all ages and abilities, and teaches with the charity We Can Dance.

Angela Brown

Personal Assistant (PA)

Angela smiling, with shoulder-length dark hair.

Angela works as our Executive Director’s ‘right hand woman.’ Angela has extensive experience in supporting disabled people across a range of environments including education and employment. Angela is available to take on additional PA clients, including through the Access to Work scheme.

For further information contact Angela:

pa@thedpan.com