Hospice team login
Our Board of Governors are volunteers who give their time, adapt their skills and apply their experience to ensure proper governance of our charity. They offer invaluable advice and expertise, and each give significant amounts of time each year to help St Columba’s deliver the best in person-centred, palliative care.
I have been a consultant physician in Medicine of the Elderly and Stroke Medicine at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh for over 20 years and was honoured to be asked to join the Board of Governors of St Columba's Hospice Care.
Having worked alongside staff from the Hospice, I have seen the direct positive impact their compassionate and person-centred care has. I look forward to supporting them in any way I can as they continue to reach out to those in need.
I joined the board in 2017 and have over 30 years experience in business and retail. I recently retired from my role as General Manager at Harvey Nichols, a position I held for 10 years.
It's a privilege to advise on the board of an organisation that does such vital work in our community.
I joined the Board of Governors in 2022 and also serve on the Trading Committee. I have worked in leadership and commercial roles for almost 30 years, beginning my career as a Royal Air Force officer and working in a range of senior business roles across a broad variety of industries and sectors. In addition to general trustee responsibilities, I advise the Board on commercial income generation activities. Like so many people, I have family experience of the incredible work of hospices, and it is my great privilege to be able to support the amazing team at St Columba’s Hospice Care.
I trained in medicine and practised as a consultant haematologist for a number of years before joining the Scottish Office (as was) in 1992. I was Deputy Chief Medical Officer from 1999-2014, Acting Chief Medical Officer from 2014-2015 and carried out a weekly clinic at the Royal Infirmary until 2017. In 2015 I was seconded to the University of Edinburgh to lead a programme ( Innovative Healthcare Delivery Programme) focussed on making the best use of NHS data to improve health outcomes, starting with cancer data - IHDP is now embedded within Public Health Scotland.
I retired in early 2023 and was delighted to be asked to join St Columba’s Board in December 2023. It’s a great privilege to be contributing, in even a small way, to the hospice’s crucial, life enhancing work.
On graduating from St. Andrews University I embarked on a career in Financial Services. For over 30 years I managed investment portfoloios for a range clients including individuals, Trusts and Charities. At the time I retired I was a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.
It is a privilege to have been appointed a Governor in 2024 and I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to assist the charity to ensure that it continues to support the important work it does in the community.
My experience takes in professional practice at CT: Accountants and Advisers, where I acted as Managing and Finance Partner, and the charity sector, where I served as Non-Exec Chair and Board Member of the film charity CMI from 2011-19. I am currently the Chief Operating Officer of the charity the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh.
I joined the Hospice Board of Governors in March 2024 and I am delighted to be part of an organisation that is dedicated to making such a positive impact to peoples lives.
As a Chartered Accountant (ICAS), I also sit on the Audit and Risk and Investment Committees for the Hospice.
I spent my career in the civil service, working primarily on the development of government strategies in the public health sector, with a particular focus on tackling drug misuse in Scotland. Following my retirement, I took on a range of appointments, including serving on the Scottish Medical Research and Ethics Committee.
I am currently a Trustee of the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, reflecting my continued interest in the arts. In my spare time, I pursue long-standing passions for golf and painting, and have recently published my first novel.
I’m the CEO and Co-Founder of Our AI Collective, a not-for-profit community interest company working to build civic power in AI. I’m all about ethics, critical AI literacy, participatory practice and challenging narratives of inevitability. I used to be Head of the Scottish AI Alliance which was the delivery body for Scotland’s first national AI strategy (which I also led the development of) that focussed on trust, ethics and inclusion. I have the most diverse career path through science and the arts before landing in the world of data, digital and AI for the past decade. I am very fortunate to have received awards and recognitions for my work in AI.
At the end of the day, I just want to build a better future for everyone and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to the Board to help the hospice continue the amazing work they do.
After graduating from Edinburgh University in 2013, I pursued a career in finance and investment, and have worked for RBC Brewin Dolphin since 2015. I now specialise in providing advice to a broad range of Scottish charities on investment and reserves management. I also worked as a social care worker for over a decade, working with young adults with complex needs in Orkney and Edinburgh, and have a keen understanding of the value of quality, compassionate care.
I am delighted to be joining the Board of Governors of this amazing charity, which does such important work in our city.
I have worked for the NHS for 33 years across a number of clinical and managerial roles. Having trained originally as a physiotherapist, I am currently the Head of Implementation in Strategic Planning for NHS Lothian.
I am grateful for the opportunity to join the board in 2026 and support our entire Hospice team to continue their incredible work across the community.
It is a true privilege to serve as Chair of the Board of Governors at one of Edinburgh and Scotland’s most respected charities. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated management team and Board to ensure we continue providing compassionate care and support to those who need it most.
Nick Lanzl, Chair of the Board of Governors
Many volunteers may be put off by common assumptions about what a Hospice is like. Everyone who comes to the Hospice says it is bright and airy, welcoming, friendly … and nothing like they expected. Whether in our Hospice, our shops or out in the community, we want everyone to feel welcomed, heard and respected, and we’re looking for volunteers keen to be part of that.
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