Get To Know Us Trustees Our Trustees bring a wealth of experience, passion and oversight to guide our mission. United by a shared commitment, they ensure Medical Detection Dogs remains ethical, effective and visionary Robert Wilson - Chair of Trustees Robert Wilson brings extensive leadership experience across the commercial, philanthropic, and charitable sectors. He is co-owner of Nelsons, one of the UK’s leading natural medicine companies, and has chaired a wide range of organisations, including Creative Scotland (formerly the Scottish Arts Council), Prostate Scotland—Scotland's largest prostate charity—and the Barcapel Foundation. He has also served as a trustee for many cultural and philanthropic institutions, among them the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Art Festival. A long-standing supporter of Medical Detection Dogs, Robert is deeply committed to their pioneering work and its impact on health and wellbeing. He believes strongly in the transformative power of the human–animal bond. At home, he and his family share life with five dogs, who provide daily joy and inspiration. Beyond his professional and charitable commitments, Robert has a passion for contemporary art and a love of travel, pursuits that continue to enrich and broaden his perspective. Dr Alan Makepeace Dr Alan Makepeace is a senior consultant at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood and specialises solely in the treatment of breast cancer. Having graduated with a first class degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, Dr Makepeace received his undergraduate medical education at Kings College Hospital London before undergoing specialist training in surgery leading the The Fellowship of both the Royal College of Surgeons England and Edinburgh. After a period working in the Regional Plastic Centre for the West of England, Dr Makepeace became interested in clinical oncology and was appointed specialist trainee in oncology at Mount Vernon and the Middlesex Hospitals. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (Oncology) in 1986 joining the consultant staff at Mount Vernon, where he practices today. Dr Makepeace is also the charity’s Medical Adviser. Dr Siobhan Dennis Dr Siobhan Dennis is an experienced Alliance and Partnership Manager having worked in a variety of settings including academic research, HEI, pharma, health tec and healthcare industries. Having studied for a doctorate in Neuroscience she then continued her research within the drug discovery industry before stepping out of the lab to support pharmaceutical and health technology portfolios from a strategic alliance management point of view. Siobhan’s career has included roles within the life sciences sector specialising in industry and academic partnering at the University of Oxford, GE Healthcare as VP for Strategic Alliance Management at Evotec and at Cancer Research UK as Head of Strategic Partnerships. Currently Siobhan works to support early deep tech innovation at Oxford University Science Park. Siobhan’s passion for science and animals and wish to support activities with the potential to make a difference led her to MDD. She is an avid horse rider partaking in horse back archery, side saddle and polocrosse as well as a keen archer, pianist, and volunteer with Riding for the Disabled. Julia Mckechnie-BurkeMA (Oxon), MBA and MInstF Julia has considerable experience of working at senior leadership level with a focus on marketing, communications, and income generation for a number of national and international organisations in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. In her current role, she is the director of Fundraising, Communicatons and Engagement for Blue Cross, a leading UK pet welfare charity. Her responsibilities include raising awareness of its work, building engagement and support, and generating voluntary income for the charity. Julia believes that our lives are immeasurably enriched by contact with animals, but we have yet to tap into the full potential of many species. This led to her finding out about MDD and she became a trustee in the summer of 2022. In her spare time, Julia enjoys the Arts and travelling when not at home with her family, including their adored cat, Piper. Kelly Stafford Kelly is an experienced HR director and has been Chief Human Resources Officer at UPP Ltd, the UK’s leading provider of on-campus student accommodation, since 2016. In this role, she has overall responsibility for people strategies across the Group and is passionate about creating a workplace culture where everyone can thrive and perform at their best. Kelly is a Fellow of the CIPD and has extensive experience in senior HR positions across a range of sectors and businesses including Balfour Beatty plc, Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc (UK), MJ Gleeson Group plc and Crest Nicholson plc. Kelly has been a volunteer with Guide Dogs for several years, which introduced her to the world of assistance dogs. She has also acted as a consultant for the charity Age UK (Southampton), on a voluntary basis. When not at work Kelly spends her time supporting her local community and enjoys countryside walks (and pub lunches!) with her husband and dogs Tessa, Tilly and Bertie. Andrew Whelan Andrew Whelan is a senior health and care leader with over 25 years’ experience spanning charity leadership, healthcare strategy, investment, and governance. He is the founder of Westcott Care (owner of a group of care homes under the Brancaster and Cinnabar brands) and a former healthcare investment banker at Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, where he advised healthcare providers, investors and institutions across the UK and internationally. Andrew has extensive board-level experience as a Chair, Trustee and Non-Executive Director, including serving for almost a decade as the Founding Chair of Future Care Capital, a national charity focused on transforming health and care through innovation, research and ethical investment. He has led organisations through strategic reviews, growth phases and founder transitions, and has worked closely with Government, the NHS, universities and the voluntary sector. He brings particular expertise in strategy, financial stewardship and stakeholder engagement, alongside a deep commitment to purpose-led organisations that combine innovation with real-world impact. Andrew is passionate about Medical Detection Dogs’ unique mission and the life-changing role dogs can play in both medical research and patient support. Dr Fiona Tsang-Wright Dr Fiona Tsang-Wright is a Consultant Breast and Reconstructive Surgeon at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. She specialises in oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgery and holds committee roles with the Association of Breast Surgery in education and international training. She served as Trust Cancer Clinical Director from 2021 to 2025, leading cancer pathway improvement, early diagnosis, and multidisciplinary care across the Trust. She has contributed to multi-centre research cited in national guidance and brings experience in clinical governance, workforce development, and public engagement on cancer awareness. Fiona joined the Board in 2026. She is motivated by Medical Detection Dogs’ mission to save and enhance lives through canine scent detection, from bio-detection research into conditions including cancer, to Medical Alert Assistance Dogs supporting people with life-threatening conditions. She hopes to support the Board’s oversight of research quality, patient safety, and the charity’s 2025–2030 strategy, complementing the clinical perspective already represented on the Board. In her spare time, she supports community outreach on early detection and health equity, and enjoys countryside walks and time at home with her family and their giant schnauzer, Finn, a daily reminder of the bond between people and dogs that sits at the heart of Medical Detection Dogs’ work. Manage Cookie Preferences