One of the most important roles in any charity is that of Board member; a voluntary position with significant responsibility for overseeing the organisation’s governance, compliance, and performance.
The Mental Health Foundation is delighted to announce that Dr Steve Workman has been appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees, having served on the board for five years and on the Fundraising and Communications Committee for the previous five years.
Dr Workman brings decades of professional experience from senior roles in the energy and technology sectors for organisations including Vodafone, BT and EDF, alongside a longstanding focus on sustainability. Having recently completed a doctorate in sustainability reporting, he has further strengthened his expertise in impact measurement and accountability. These areas will be a key focus during his tenure as Chair.
He takes on the role at a significant moment for the Foundation. A new organisational strategy, A call to act: fighting for prevention in mental health, has just been published, and a new Chief Executive is being recruited over the summer following Mark Rowland’s decision to step down. Together, these mark the start of a new phase focused not on redefining direction, but on delivery of clear outcomes in the public mental health.
"The 2026 to 2031 strategy is strong, built on months of hard work across the organisation to bring together our bold vision of a world where everyone experiences good mental health, with clear and targeted action to help us achieve it.
This is an exciting moment as we move into the implementation phase, focusing on areas where preventative action can have the greatest impact on public mental health: online environments, working lives, and bullying and discrimination.
It feels like the start of a new era for the organisation, but that is not new for us. Over the 75 years of our existence, we have always evolved to ensure we remain relevant, resilient, and impactful. In my role as Chair, I want to make sure that we are not only continuing the great work of recent years but that we are clearer about the difference we are making, which is not easy when you are working in prevention."
The charity’s goal of preventing poor mental health was what first attracted Dr Workman to join the Fundraising and Communications Committee in 2016, and then the Board of Trustees in 2021. Having lived with anxiety since his teenage years and experienced periods of depression that required time away from work, triggered by bereavement and career changes, He recalls the limited understanding and support available at the time, with the idea of prevention largely absent.
"If we had had prevention earlier, my mental health experience could have been very different. At the time, there was not much in the way of support. Certainly, if we had better understood early intervention, particularly in workplaces, it would have made a real difference."
This is why the charity’s commitment to preventing poor mental health in the world of work is of particular interest to him.
Dr Workman said: “Good work and good mental health go hand in hand. Creating healthier workplaces has to be part of the solution, particularly for young people entering the workforce.
“At the same time, there is no one size fits all approach. The needs and capabilities of a small family run business are very different from those of a large multinational. However, there are some core principles that apply to all. Across the years, I have seen people doing a good job being pushed to breaking point, unacceptable bullying, and poor management practices in a range of organisations. Employers need support to better understand and put good practice into action so that everyone can benefit.”
Completing her term as Chair is Aisha Sheik-Anene, who has held the role since 2020. Reflecting on the achievements of his predecessor and colleague, Dr Workman said: “Aisha has done a tremendous job, particularly through challenging times for the third sector as we have navigated the pandemic and cost of living crises, as well as increasingly polarising political rhetoric, racism and discrimination. Aisha was central to strengthening the Mental Health Foundation’s focus on equality and inclusion as it continues its work to be an anti-racist organisation.”
Looking ahead, Dr Workman’s priority is clear. With a strong team and a defined strategy in place, the next step is to deliver measurable change.
He said: “We have done the thinking, now it is about making it count.”