Paula joined the charity in May 2008 having previously worked in businesses management roles in a variety of industries, as diverse as building surveying, accountancy, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy technologies.
Her career background is founded in people, project and finance management, delivered through charitable organisations, NGO’s and European funded projects.
Her work in leadership has included overseeing extensive change and organisation, people and cultural development at the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, where she works closely with the Board of Trustees and senior leadership team on strategic development and planning focussed on continuous service delivery improvements and the patient.
Since appointing a Chief Operating Officer alongside the Director of Fundraising, Paula now spends some of her time supporting a team of specialist fundraisers, building networks and connections in corporate, major donor and influencer circles, including in London, building upon strong grass roots and traditional income generation for the Trust as a local Cornish charity with 32 years of history.
She is a member of the Institute of Directors, Institute of Fundraising, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and in 2019 won the IoD SW Region Award for Third Sector Directors, subsequently shortlisted for the National Awards in London.
For the past three years Paula has been a Director of the national trade body for the air ambulance sector and stepped down from the role of Chair of the Board of Directors for the Association of Air Ambulances in summer 2019. She has facilitated and spoken at several sector events, and works with a teacher training network as a mentor, helping the next succession generation of aspiring women head teachers through their leadership journey.
In her spare time she likes to travel, preferably on a cruise ship, and create her own knitted garments. Walking and cycling are two of her favourite activities as well as visiting National Trust properties. Paula is also a Rotarian, and is the Youth lead for Rotary District 1175 Devon and Cornwall. She has one daughter who lives and works in London for an international Language and Translation company, and a Siamese cat at home in Bodmin.