Our Trustees ensure that the Board has the necessary skills to govern the charity effectively. Many of the Board have or have had ME; the majority of the rest have strong connections with ME, usually through a family member or close friend.
Scroll down for profiles of each candidate, who will be formally appointed subject to the votes of our Supporting Members. You can do this digitally below, as well as by post via InterAction magazine (see pages 10-12, issue 119, Spring 2025)
Please indicate your vote for each candidate here by 5pm on Friday 11 July 2025: https://forms.gle/uuWfPdHLENqnrpQ8A
Only those candidates who receive more ‘yes’ votes than ‘no’ votes will be re-appointed to the Action for ME Board of Trustees.
Results will be announced at our online AGM on Wednesday 17 September 2025. All are welcome to join us to hear about our services, support, campaigns and research.
Wendy Lippmann
Wendy Lippmann is a civil servant who has also worked in the NHS and Adult Social Care developing strategy, implementing national policy and running projects and services. She brings a wealth of insight into these public services due to this range of experience.
Wendy also understands the challenges faced by people who have ME first hand as her daughter was diagnosed with mild ME aged 17 after struggling for several years with unexplained pain and chronic fatigue during secondary school. This experience brought home how empowering it is to have a diagnosis to help explain the condition to others and draw on appropriate support. Wendy is delighted to support Action for ME in its mission to raise awareness about the condition, expand research and improve the quality of life for everyone affected by ME.
Ros Boyle
Ros has 30 years of experience in the voluntary sector in a variety of large and small charities, with services across health and wellbeing, disability, young people, housing for the homeless and overseas development. Her expertise is in fundraising, particularly from Trusts and Statutory Organisations.
Ros became aware of Action for ME whilst looking for information and support for her son, who has had ME for several years. “I found amazing advice and understanding from the charity both for myself as a carer and for my son,” Ros explains. “As a result, I wanted to get involved to support the charity's mission and ensure those living with ME get the care and support that they need, whilst also looking for greater understanding of the disease and a cure.”
Philip Courtney
Philip is Head of Tax (EMEA and APAC) for Cantor Fitzgerald. Philip has specialised in international tax since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in May 1988, first in the profession and, since 1995, in industry with Fiat Group and Clifford Chance – one of the world’s pre-eminent law firms.
Philip has firsthand experience of the challenges faced when doctors and healthcare professionals run out of traditional medical solutions. One of Philip’s best friends at university has had ME for many years and approached Philip to be a founding Trustee of the ME Trust. This merged with Action for ME in 2022.
Julianne Devine
Julianne is a commercial solicitor. “I am delighted to be a Trustee on the Action for ME board,” says Julianne. “I am passionate about making a difference to the health and social care that is available to people living with ME – whether that be as a result of the vital healthcare services the charity provides or by lobbying for action and research.”
Julianne’s brother has ME. “I have seen how difficult the disease is to manage, both in terms of accessing effective care and support, as well as socialising and integrating into society,” she says. Her two young children keep her on her toes – “they inspire me every day to do better for myself and others.”
Dr Nirmala Santiapillai
Nirmala has more than 30 years of global commercial experience in the LifeSciences and MedTech sectors. She is currently Vice President of Global Services at Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT), a company whose mission is to democratise DNA sequencing, so that all human disease can be understood to enable the vision of personalised medicine.
“There is so little understanding of the underlying genetic drivers for ME which in turn is impacting the development of diagnostic and treatment options,” says Nirmala. “I believe that patients with any clinical condition should have the benefit of the best tools at hand to research the condition, making personalised medicine a reality for all.”
Roger Siddle
Roger is standing for an exceptional term. He took up the post of Chair of Trustees in March 2020, bringing with him a broad range of business and charitable experience. Currently non-executive Chairman of a number of private businesses, he also has experience advising the NSPCC on techniques for corporate fundraising and was previously a member of their National Volunteer Board.
“I have been struck and frustrated by the lack of knowledge of ME, and ways to manage the illness, by those who should – and need – to know,” Roger says. “I believe that much more can and must be done on both research and awareness raising."
Notes for your information
Only Supporting and Lifelong Members of Action for ME (known collectively as Supporting Membership) are eligible to vote in the election of new Trustees.
Supporting Membership does not mean membership of Action for ME as a company limited by guarantee. The Trustees of Action for ME have resolved that those candidates who are endorsed by the Supporting Membership will be elected as Trustees by the members of Action for ME as a company law matter. Conversely, the Trustees have undertaken that those candidates who are not endorsed by the Supporting Membership will not be elected as Trustees by the members of Action for ME.
Any votes received from persons who are not part of the Supporting Membership or who cannot be identified by Action for ME as such shall be deemed invalid.
An individual Supporting or Lifelong Member shall only be entitled to one vote for each candidate. Any further votes received from that individual shall be deemed invalid.
All votes must be received by Action for ME on or before 5pm on Friday 11 July 2025. Any votes received after this time will not be counted.
A candidate shall be eligible for appointment or reappointment as a Trustee on and from Action for ME’s Annual General Meeting, Wednesday 17 September 2025, in the event that he or she receives more valid ‘yes’ votes than ‘no’ votes. Any ‘no preference’ votes or non-indicated votes shall be disregarded for these purposes.
In the event of any dispute regarding the ballot or the voting process, the decision of the Board of Trustees of Action for ME shall be final and binding.
