Each of the Cerebra management team oversees their own department within the charity.
Ralph Nicholls
CEO (Interim)
Ralph joined Cerebra in December 2007 in the position of Head of Finance. He completed a graduate management training scheme with BT in London and it was during this time that he decided to direct his career towards becoming an accountant. After his time at BT he became a lecturer teaching accounting and business studies before following a career path of being an internal auditor. This allowed him the opportunity to travel across the UK gaining considerable experience not just of accounting but meeting and developing people where he could. He has since held a number of positions from financial controller, hospital accountant, corporate accounting analyst, finance director and even managing director. In his limited free time he has many interests and hobbies, his family and two daughters being number one, then watching sport and staying active by going to the gym and running outdoors.
David Irish
Head of ITC
Father of two sons, David has extensive computing experience in the aerospace, medical, oil exploration and educational worlds. His formal qualifications include a BA(Hons) and MA in Philosophy.
Following an extensive period of work abroad, David joined the charity in a consultancy capacity in 1998; before Cerebra itself was formally constituted. He has helped guide the charity from a time when none of its computers were networked to the current national network of Researchers and Sleep Practitioners.
His main professional interest is not surprisingly, perhaps, in making computers work for non-technical people. He is passionate about enlisting technology in the service of the children and families cared for by Cerebra.
Beverley Hitchcock
Head of Research & Information
Beverley graduated with a degree in Law, and qualified as a solicitor, working in private practice for a number of years. Following a change of career, Beverley worked as a teaching assistant at a local secondary school. This allowed her to gain an invaluable insight into supporting children with learning difficulties, helping and supporting many children to learn how to navigate the education system.
Beverley joined Cerebra in 2014 and became an invaluable member of the Research team being responsible for a number of areas, including managing the charity’s flagship Legal Entitlements and Problem-Solving (LEaP) Project and Legal Rights Service. She is delighted to now take up the challenge of heading the Research and Information Department with the help of her outstanding and dedicated team.
During her free time, Beverley enjoys getting out and about in the beautiful Welsh countryside with her golden Labrador, as well as spending time with her family and friends, watching rugby, and reading a good book.
