Staff

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.

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.