Our Team Executive Team: Adrienne Arthurs (she/her) - Chief Executive Officer In October 2016, Adrienne became a part of The Living Room, bringing with her a diverse and successful background in Hertfordshire's non-profit, commercial, and education sectors. Her overarching goal is to collaborate with others to empower individuals across all age groups to reach their full potential. Adrienne is deeply committed to fostering sustained recovery from various addictions, guiding individuals to become contributing members of society, and breaking the cycle of addiction within families. Her particular passion lies in enhancing positive outcomes for children affected by addiction, aiming to halt the cycle at that point. Beyond her role at The Living Room, Adrienne also conducts training on behalf of the Hertfordshire Community Foundation and serves as the Chair of Directors for Revival (The Living Room) CIC shop. Additionally, she holds the crucial role of Designated Person for Safeguarding, underlining her dedication to ensuring a secure and supportive environment for all involved. ~ [email protected] Rita Cooper - Operations Director and Deputy CEO Rita has project managed teams across the South East of England, specifically supporting people with disabilities. Joining The Living Room in 2017. She line manages the Clinical team of counsellors and the support administrators. Her particular skills are that she liaises with the local community, building partnerships and improving referral pathways for clients. Rita is very passionate about equal opportunities, outcomes for people accessing The Living Room services and celebrating community diversity. [email protected] Mark Wiseman - External Relations Director Mark has a background in publishing, has lived experience of familial addiction and The Living Room services. He has secured funds for The Living Room from grants, trusts, foundations and community events and manages our external communications. Mark is the company secretary for our Charity Shop on the board of Directors, supporting the teams to provide a community resource and raise unrestricted income for The Living Room. He is passionate about ensuring access to free treatment for adults that need it. [email protected] Susan Hudson - Finance Director Susan joined The Living Room in June 2016, having already managed the finances for numerous charities within Hertfordshire. Previously from a Corporate Accounts background, Susan found this move to Charity Finance within the local community highly rewarding. Susan works with the Executive Team to provide up-to-date financial data, analysis, reports and forecasts to assist fundraising, monitoring and business planning. Susan is passionate about Sustainability and is leading on our Sustainability Plan, monitoring and finding solutions to integrate into our working practices. In her spare time she volunteers at a Community Garden, learning about perma-culture, organic food production and the therapeutic benefits of horticulture to the local community. [email protected] Counselling Staff: Treatment services at The Living Room are facilitated by 14 counsellors, all of whom are accredited by FDAP (Federation of Drug & Alcohol Practitioners) or BACP (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy). We are unique as all of our counsellors have their own lived experience of recovery from addiction. Debbie Coote is our Therapeutic Lead supporting each Hub's counselling Manager. Contact via [email protected] Data Protection Officer: Lucy Roe (Business Manager) is our nominated Data Protection Officer contactable via email [email protected] Board Trustees: Daniel Marshall - Chair Daniel grew up in Stevenage and studied Law with a post-graduate qualification in Project Management, studying whilst volunteering at the local Citizens Advice Bureau, before becoming the youngest Chief Executive in the network of Citizens Advice offices. He now works as Director of Business Development for Citizens Advice nationally, responsible for the Finance and Funding strategy of the service comprising more than 240 offices, and £320m of income. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys most sports, particularly running. Daniel joined the Living Room as a Trustee in July 2017, took on the Chair role in 2022, and lives within a short walk of the Stevenage hub. Eddie Mills - Vice Chair After graduating from university with a degree in Business Studies, he has worked in marketing all of his career to date. Sport is a huge passion, and he captains the 1st XI at Hatfield Hyde Cricket Club. Eddie spends his winter weekends on the football terraces at Spurs. Following the death of his younger brother from a brain tumour, he set up the Oli Mills Foundation, which has raised more than £295,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust to date. He joined The Living Room as a trustee in July 2017 after graduating previously from our services. He took on the Vice-Chair role in 2022. Danny McGovern - Treasurer In 2022, Danny brought a burst of youthful energy to the board, stepping into the role of Treasurer with flair. Armed with a degree in Medical Biochemistry, Danny's journey seamlessly navigated the realms of finance and pensions. He now weaves his mathematical magic as an educator in a vibrant Hertfordshire Secondary School, where he doubles as a dedicated tutor for the next generation. Danny's dynamic blend of expertise and passion injects a spirited vibe into the financial intricacies of his trustee responsibilities. Rev'd Charles King - Trustee Charles is the Priest-in-Charge of St Martin’s Church, Knebworth. Having originally studied French and German, Charles worked for over ten years in transport planning, both in consultancy and in university research. Charles is interested in sustainability, and the well-being of staff, volunteers and our clients. He enjoys travel, hill walking, the sea, music – especially playing the piano - and cooking. Charles has been a trustee since January 2018. Jenny Brace - Trustee Jenny has worked within the charity and public sectors since 1999. Having worked with a range of charitable organisations, she has experience in strategic planning, project management, change management, stakeholder management and communications. Since 2012, she has focused more specifically on working with vulnerable people, in particular those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and has managed the setting up and implementation of a number of new addiction treatment services. Jenny holds a Masters of Research in Public Policy and Management and lives in St Albans with her husband, 3 children and dog. She joined as a trustee in March 2018. Ramesh Summan - Trustee Ramesh, an educator in mathematics, business studies, and computer science, has enriched the lives of a diverse group of students and parents, including diplomats, fashion designers, business owners, and athletes, enhancing his ability to connect and communicate. He extends his expertise beyond the classroom, coaching and mentoring in areas such as mindfulness, neuro-linguistic programming, life coaching, cognitive behavioural therapy, and wellness. Motivated to create a positive difference, Ramesh launched two groups, Pathway With Stuttering and the North Hertfordshire Stammering Support Group, to support those with stutters. Outside his professional and volunteer activities, he enjoys traveling, nature, cooking, and music. In 2022, his dedication to making a positive community impact was recognised when he became a trustee, affirming his role as a catalyst for change. Elizabeth Fisher - Trustee Liz joined TLR in January 2023, having retired as Head of Public Health Services for Hertfordshire County Council in 2021. Liz formerly trained as a nurse, midwife and health visitor and has worked across Hertfordshire in various clinical and strategic roles. She has an OU degree in psychology and health studies and a Masters Degree in Public Health. She is committed to providing exceptional customer service and has maintained a part time clinical role despite retiring from her full time post. Liz is of the philosophy that a healthy work/life balance is important to our physical and mental health and wellbeing. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her partner and family as well as theatre, music, travel and keeping fit (sailing, gym, cycling and long distance walking). As a trustee, she hopes her clinical and managerial expertise will help support the organisation’s objectives. Akhilesh Nair - Trustee Akhilesh, with a commerce degree and an MBA in Human Resources, recently completed an Executive Program at Wharton Business School. He's now a member of the Forbes Global HR Council, recognised for his thought leadership in shaping human-machine collaboration. With over 25 years of global corporate experience across 50+ countries, he's championed diversity and equal opportunities. Akhilesh loves exploring cultures through travel and joined as a trustee in May 2023 to support his community. Richard Crofton - Trustee Richard serves as a Partner at PwC, specialising in guiding organizations through transformative changes in their business operations. He excels in assembling powerful teams, known for propelling significant performance enhancements for globally recognized brands. Renowned for his collaborative ethos, Richard creates a nurturing environment that allows teams to flourish. With two decades of experience, he has adeptly motivated teams towards achieving remarkable results by rallying them around a shared vision and equipping them with the necessary structure, leadership, tools, and motivation for success. Before embarking on his corporate journey, Richard dedicated eight years of service to the British Army, achieving the rank of Captain in the King's Royal Hussars. Now residing in Hertfordshire with his wife and two daughters, he maintains his quest for adventure, embracing any opportunity for sport or new experiences with an enthusiastic 'yes'. Richard joined TLR in 2024. We are looking to expand our Board of Trustees. If you are interested in joining our Board, we are looking for people who have clinical knowledge, counselling knowledge or experience, or legal, in particular. However, if you feel you have skills that would benefit the charity, we would love to hear from you. Please contact our CEO Adrienne [email protected] The Board of Trustees meets quarterly, both in person in Stevenage, and online. Plus, any additional sub-committees to support projects and in-depth discussion - these are usually every other month, via video conferencing. The essential trustee guidance. The Living Room Founder: Founder and Honorary Life President: Mrs Janis Feely MBE In the late nineties Janis Feely, worked as an addiction worker at a residential rehab project. It was during this time that Janis had a vision for a unique new day recovery treatment centre. In May 2000 after a year of fundraising and lobbying Janis achieved her vision and established The Living Room; supporting many people to achieve recovery from their addictions. Janis retired in 2016 but has remained passionate about the work we do. Since her retirement the Trustee Board, the CEO, staff, volunteers, partners, clients and supporters in the community have worked hard to ensure her vision remains a reality. Patrons Dr Sally Burton DL became Patron of The Living Room in June 2023. Sally became our Patron following her year as High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 2022-2023. Her focus as High Sheriff was on the impact of drug and alcohol addiction in Hertfordshire. As Patron of The Living Room and a Deputy Lieutenant, she will continue to raise awareness of the impact, bringing relevant agencies together and encourage collaboration and support for vulnerable people. We are proud that she will also promote the valuable work and contribution of The Living Room to the Hertfordshire community. Manage Cookie Preferences