Meet the Team
Our Trustees
HBA Support is registered in the UK. We are committed to open and transparent practice and are governed by a Board of Trustees. Steered by our dedicated Trustees, our small core executive team helps to deliver against our strategic priorities and supports our community’s needs.
Rebecca Middleton
Founder and Chair
HBA Support Founder - see more about Rebecca's Story here
Rebecca is a brain aneurysm patient with hereditary brain aneurysm syndrome diagnosis.
She is experienced patient advocate and founding member of the Genomics England Participant Panel (2016 - 2024). Previous Vice Chair of the Rare Conditions Panel and Vice Chair of the Communications Working Group for Genomics England.
Currently, she is a member of the NHS Strategic Implementation Group for the Generation Study. She is also a
founding member of the East of England PPV Panel and contributes to several patient advisory groups and research groups within the rare condition’s ecosystem and is the founder of the Vascular Voice Network.
Formerly a journalist, Rebecca has more than 20 years of experience as an award-winning PR and communications specialist, with expertise in international corporate communications, community affairs, and reputation management.
Prof. Diederik Bulters
Trustee and Medical Advisor
Professor Diederik Bulters is a Consultant Neurosurgeon and Professor of Neurosurgery at University Hospital Southampton. He brings extensive experience in neurosurgery and healthcare to HBA Support, strengthening the board’s medical and research expertise.
Professor Bulters specialises in aneurysms and other vascular conditions affecting the brain. He leads a large research team dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with these disorders. He is the most widely published surgeon in this domain active in the UK. He is the chief investigator for the ROAR Study, a long-term, multi-centre study to improve prediction of brain aneurysm rupture risk and related studies of the genetics of aneurysms.
Lee Judson
Trustee and Treasurer
Lee is a Chartered Management Accountant who has spent the last 15 years working in senior finance roles leading private equity backed and US listed organisations. His approach of fostering strong working relationships across Executive teams has successfully allowed him to drive strategic direction, secure funding and enable a strong environment of financial control and compliance.
Lee is excited to be part of the HBA Support's journey and to work closely with a fantastic, talented team and to see first hand the impact HBA Support has on individuals, families and organisations.
Emma Middleton
Trustee
Emma Middleton is a trustee of Hereditary Brain Aneurysm Support, bringing personal experience with hereditary rare vascular disease. She advises the charity on patient and family care.
A former further education teacher of nearly 20 years and now a business owner, Emma offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by families affected by vascular conditions.
Bethany Lumborg
Trustee
Bethany Lumborg is a Genetics Associate at NT GMSA and co-chair of the GenPAN Network.
She is currently pursuing an MSc in Genetic and Genomic Counselling at Cardiff University, contributing her expertise to the HBA Support board.
Dawn Roberts
Trustee
Dawn is an Optometrist and the UK Clinical Director for Specsavers' domiciliary service (BSc (Hons) MSc MCOptom). She has worked in the field since 1995 and currently serves as Professional Advisor in Optometry for NHS England in the North East and Yorkshire.
Dawn has a personal connection to hereditary brain aneurysms, having been diagnosed herself alongside her daughter and brother.
Read about Dawns story here
Mark Boulding
Trustee
Mark Boulding has over 20 years of experience in international pharmaceutical marketing, including stroke prevention. He served as Strategy Director at Sudler & Hennessey and has held senior positions in the not-for-profit sector.
Since retiring, Mark has mentored charity leaders and is a trustee for EOS Network, in addition to his role with HBA Support.
Our Executive Team
We’re a small core team of experienced professionals working hard to develop and deliver HBA Support’s strategy.
Work with us
We’re always on the lookout for skilled volunteers, patient advisors, fundraisers and supporters. We need more people to help us support our community, our strategy and our fundraising efforts. Please do get in touch if you would like to explore how you could help and the exciting opportunities we have available.
David Salmon
Community and Engagement
David is an expert in his field, having spent more than ten years working in the charity sector. Prior to joining HBA Support, David ran communications and marketing campaigns for the likes of Parkinson's UK and Volunteering Matters.
He brings to the role a passion for putting communities at the heart of any organisation, together with a fundamental belief that not-for-profits should act as collaborators to blur the lines between beneficiaries, supporters and partners.
David works to ensure that the future of HBA Support is shaped and defined by its community. He builds opportunities for collaboration between stakeholders, clinicians, patients and the wider industry, building engagement to ensure the organisation is able to deliver on its vision of providing much-needed advice and support for those affected by Hereditary Brain Aneurysms.
Sarah Dagley
Community and Partnership Manager
Sarah brings decades of experience in the third sector, specialising in strategic planning, service development, and income generation. She is passionate about empowering charities to make a meaningful impact through effective fundraising strategies and collaborative knowledge-sharing.
Sarah is excited to be part of the HBAS journey, ensuring that individuals and families affected by hereditary brain aneurysms receive the support and awareness they need. Her commitment to enhancing organisational capacity and diversifying funding streams helps create sustainable growth for charities, enabling them to fulfil their missions effectively.
Nikki Davies
Communications and Marketing
Nikki is an award-winning strategic communication and marketing consultant with over 15 years’ experience and a strong track record of creating holistic, effective brand and communication strategies and delivering PR and marketing campaigns that drive reputation and awareness.
Her passion is rooted in strategic thinking, enabling brands to see the bigger picture whilst her project management and tactical marketing and communication skills ensure the highest quality delivery from start to finish.
Catherine Farmer
Copywriter and Content
Cathy is a communications consultant and copywriter who has worked for large and small companies across multiple sectors for the past twenty years.
She helps the team at HBA Support write compelling blogs, articles and more, helping people understand who we are and what we do.
Volunteer with us
To help more patients and families, we need more volunteers. If you’re interested in helping our charity, please get in touch to find out how you could help. We have opportunities to suit all experiences and time available.
Please get in touch