Staff
Chief Executive: Emer O’Neill
Emer O'Neill is the Chief Executive of Depression Alliance. She has over 20 year's experience of working with people with mental health problems. After qualifying as a social worker in 1990, she spent many years working with homeless people with mental health problems. She developed a strong interest in employment issues and mental health and set up and developed 'Resource for mental health' an award winning project in Berkshire for 7 years. Before starting with Depression Alliance she was managing mental health services in Bracknell, Berkshire and was employed by the Berkshire Health Care Trust.
She is a passionate about developing services that promote recovery for people who experience mental health issues. Her career has spanned years of working in the voluntary sector, and the statutory health and social services.
Employment & Well being Team Leader: Hannah Proto
Hannah Proto works as the Employment and Well Being Project Leader, and started working with Depression Alliance when this scheme started in June 2008. The Employment and Well Being Project is progressing well. Its aim is to support people with depression in maintaining well being, employment, exercise and a supportive network of friends. We use a 'time bank' to help project members build confidence, achievement and social interaction through exchanging skills - it's a friendly and flexible way to feel a sense of belonging. Hannah has a background in psychology and has worked in both the not-for-profit and private sector supporting people with cognitive and emotional difficulties to achieve sustainable and meaningful employment.
Employment and Well being Team: Emily Wheeler
Emily Wheeler joined the Employment and Wellbeing Project in March 2009 as the project co-ordinator. She is a qualified counsellor and believes in taking a holistic approach to maintaining mental wellbeing. Having worked in the media sector for a number of years, Emily always had a strong interest in mental health and worked in a number of voluntary roles within this field. These posts included two counselling agencies supporting people with depression, anxiety, self esteem issues and bereavement and in the art department of a London hospice. She has a particular interest in using creativity and sport to help members of the Employment and Wellbeing project and believes in promoting the Recovery Model within the project. She aims to support others to feel empowered and find happiness and meaning in their life.
Finance Coordinator: Michael Beaven
Michael Beaven has worked in the voluntary sector for over 20 years, in finance, fundraising and as a Trustee. After working with development charities, he joined Resource for Mental Health in 2000, managing statutory, lottery and ESF funding. He joined Depression Alliance in 2007 and works part time.
Membership services coordinator:
We are currently recruiting to this post
Fundraising Coordinator: Andrew Shepherd
Andrew has spent the last 7 years fundraising predominantly for the creative arts. He has also worked as a freelance copywriter and in a marketing capacity for a number of organisations. In his spare time Andrew trained as an actor after completing his law degree, and has written a number of plays that have been performed around the world, as well as an award winning short film. He is thrilled to bring his experience to Depression Alliance, as depression has a particularly personal resonance for him.
Julia Cosby
Julia Cosby has been associated with Depression Alliance variously as member, staff member and volunteer since 1994, and was DA's first paid member of staff. She is currently in the office for two days a week, keeping the supporter database up to date, overseeing the penfriend scheme and online service DATalk, dealing with general correspondence and orders for publications, watering the plants, making tea and trying to keep the place reasonably tidy.
David Mark
David Mark started work for Depression Alliance in 1996 as a volunteer, and then in 2000 became a fulltime member of staff as Groups Support Officer, responsible for our network of self-help groups. He had to give this up in 2004 following the onset of depression, but returned in 2006 as a volunteer. He currently works one day a week, answering e-mail requests for information and enquiries about our groups.
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