Meet the board

David is Chair of the Association.

David worked for the Church of England in Sheffield as a community worker for fifteen years. His housing experience began in the public sector when, as a Sheffield City councillor, he chaired the Housing Management Committee, which administered the city's extensive housing stock.

After a massive mid-life crisis he retrained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has worked as a professional actor ever since using his stage name David Frederickson (he's also known as David Skinner).

He is a member of Youlgrave Community Land Trust which, in partnership with PDRHA, has built eight affordable houses for local need in the village.

Philip is Vice Chair of the Association.

Philip studied Economics and then qualified as an accountant whilst employed in London. After working at a number of London Boroughs he moved to Derbyshire in 1982.

He worked as the External Auditor of a range of local authorities, including Derbyshire and Staffordshire County Councils, Police Authorities, District Councils and health bodies.

He served on the board of Aspire Housing (Newcastle under Lyme) for over ten years. Philip is also a member of the Derby City Council Standards Committee, and an independent person for the Peak District National Park. He watches local football, enjoys walking and watching Yorkshire cricket.

Fiona joined the Board in June 2019.

Ian worked as a Policy Planner for the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). After qualifying, he first worked as a Minerals Enforcement Planner before moving into practical environmental work with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). After 18 months voluntary work for BTCV and the National Trust in Leeds and West Cumbria he managed a community environmental project in Hull and a countrywide environmental project in Leicestershire (both for BTCV).

Ian moved to the Peak District in 1997 and worked freelance as a drystone waller and general landscape contractor before joining the PDNPA as a Village Planner in 2001.

Ian is married and lives in Bradwell. His interests include hiking, running, cycling, trekking, cricket, theatre and live music, and learning to play the drums.

A Chartered Engineer by background, Ian began his career with East Midlands Electricity in Nottingham before going on to hold a number of senior management positions and directorships with UK and US utility companies. He worked for twenty years in the City of London, where he founded a business that develops and manages power transmission infrastructure. Prior to this, he worked for an Australian financial institution.

Now retired, he and his wife live in Bakewell where Ian is also Chair of Trustees of the Almshouses of St John's Hospital. His interests include sport and walking.

Jim studied English Literature at Kent University but started an accidental career in housing by taking a temporary clerical job with Manchester City Council.  This led to a variety of positions with local authorities and housing associations in Hampshire and Cheshire, and the acquisition of professional qualifications in Housing.

He is currently a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing.  He held Chief Executive positions with housing associations for 25 years until taking early retirement in 2013.

He lives in Peak Forest where he helps out as a volunteer at the local school.  His other interests revolve around theatre, including as a reviewer, and as a Trustee of Buxton Drama League.  He first came across the work of PDRHA many years ago, when he provided development agency services for two developments.  He joined the Board to re-engage with its work on behalf of the rural communities of the Peak District.

Mary has spent most of the last 30 years working in the financial services sector, primarily in sales and client management roles. Three years ago she moved to head up the client relationship function, and more recently the operations function, for the business arm of a charity, helping disabled and seriously ill children.

Her clients include many housing associations and local authorities, so she has a keen interest in supporting this sector.

Mary lives in Tideswell with her husband and dog. She enjoys walking in the Peak District and spending time with her grown up children and grandchildren.

Mary joined the PDRHA board in November 2024.

Paul Newman has worked in journalism and PR for more than 40 years.

As a television news reporter for the BBC, ITV and Sky, he covered the first Gulf War, the death of Princess Diana in Paris and the civil conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

Paul spent three years as a Sports Correspondent for BBC News, reporting on the Olympic Games in Sydney, the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. He was appointed Director of Communications at The Football Association in 2000.

He also led communications for The Peel Group's MediaCityUK; Liverpool's award-winning year as European Capital of Culture in 2008 and for the NHS in Cheshire.

Paul joined the PDRHA board in November 2024.

Paul is currently a Non-Executive Director with the Lancashire FA and a freelance communications adviser.

Simon has worked in Local Government since 1987 when he commenced work on a Youth Training Scheme with his local council.

He has enjoyed working for a number of local authorities up to his current employment.  From 2002 he has worked for Derbyshire Dales District Council as a Housing Strategy Officer (Homelessness and Inclusion) managing the Homelessness and Housing Advice Team.

Will's career encompasses time spent in management consultancy, where he was a partner of a global consulting firm, and in banking, where he was Chief Risk Officer for a UK challenger bank.  More recently he led the UK Government's homeownership programmes as Director of Help to Buy at Homes England.

Will lives in Leicestershire with his two teenage children and spends his time supporting their busy sporting and social calendars.

Will joined the PDRHA board in November 2024.