Our Trustees

Iain Deboys

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Iain has worked alongside National Energy Action since 2010, first as Chair of Healthy Ageing Partnership Belfast and then in setting up Warm and Well Belfast supporting local communities to tackle fuel poverty. He's been a trustee of National Energy Action since 2022, becoming chair in May 2025. His professional career was in strategic planning in housing and health. In the 1980s he worked in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, moving to Health and Social Care in 1990 where he was Commissioning Lead for Belfast from 2009 until he retired in 2022. Retirement has been busy as he is also a trustee of the Agewell Partnership in Northern Ireland and trustee of Humanists UK as well as a pastoral support volunteer and a Humanist celebrant for weddings and funerals. He's married with two sons and enjoys travelling, reading and looking after his wellbeing. 

Karen Cherrett

Trustee

Based in Wales, Karen is a proud child of the valleys, growing up lighting coal fires and scraping ice from inside the kitchen windows. Her first home, a stone terrace, gave her firsthand experience of the challenges of retrofitting older properties—shaping her passion for affordable, independent living and her work with National Energy Action and other charities. Karen brings over 30 years’ experience across public, private and third sectors, beginning in operational policing and expanding into government partnerships, local politics and management consulting. She specialises in helping organisations redefine vision and outcomes through insight, intelligence and strong relationships, guided by her belief in polite but direct communication. As an National Energy Action trustee, she has contributed to national initiatives spanning offshore wind, ports investment and innovation funding. Outside work, she enjoys learning Welsh, swimming, cycling, dog walking and fostering, alongside travelling and good food.

Doulton Hall

Trustee

Doulton’s career spans both UK charities and international NGOs. He currently manages a portfolio of international health grants, ensuring funding is allocated effectively and programmes deliver measurable impact. Prior to joining National Energy Action’s Board, he led proposal development for energy efficiency and warm homes programmes across London and the South East, with a focus on supporting households experiencing fuel poverty and living in energy inefficient homes. His work centred on designing and shaping projects with community partners to improve energy resilience for low‑income households. Doulton brings lived experience of fuel poverty to his trusteeship and is committed to ensuring NEA remains grounded in its mission and continues to champion those most affected by the energy crisis. Outside his role as Trustee, he enjoys running and drumming.

Don Haszczyn

Trustee

Don has over 30 years’ experience in leadership roles in both the private and nonprofit sector in the UK and Europe. Don moved to the non-profit sector in 2001 as Habitat for Humanity’s first regional director for Europe and Central Asia, and was responsible for developing affordable housing and shelter programmes. Don then spent almost 10 years as the global fundraising director at both VisionFund International and then SOS Children’s Villages International. In the private sector, Don held various senior finance and administration roles in sectors spanning consulting, audit, textiles, consumer goods, and healthcare systems. Don holds a Masters’ degree in Development Management, a Bachelors’ degree in Engineering, and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant. He is married with four children and now lives in Hampshire.

Sarah Hopkins

Trustee

Sarah is an experienced human resources professional with more than 27 years’ experience in the field, incorporating HR, learning and development, engagement, culture change and colleague/customer communications. She uses that experience to Chair National Energy Action's People and Culture Committee. She is passionate about bringing out the best in people and so in 2022, set up Pathways People Solutions to support clients with people, change and culture development programmes. She works with a range of clients in the charity sector, and in utilities, education, sport and manufacturing. Sarah volunteers as a Board member and mentor of the Womens Utilities Network, and she was previously a Trustee at the Cardiff Rugby Community Foundation,

Rob Howard

Trustee

Rob Howard is Leicester City Council’s Director of Public Health, a post he began in September 2023. Rob has a career long commitment to tackling inequalities within the context of the wider determinants of health. He has worked in the voluntary sector (welfare rights, housing and health), the NHS (Regional Associate Director for NICE, Public Health Registrar), and the Civil Service (Food Standards Agency) and for Local Authorities (Leicestershire County and now Leicester City Council). He is an Honorary Assistant Professor (Consultant) at the University of Nottingham. When not working he might be found riding his bike, playing a guitar, or forlornly following Nottingham Forest Football club.

Ieman Barmaki

Trustee

Nusheen Hussain

Trustee

Nusheen is currently the Executive Director of Customer and Communities at Home Group, a role she has held since 2019. In this position, she leads Home Group’s operational delivery and works closely with regional directors, overseeing customer insight and experience, supported housing services, consumer standards, and leasehold functions. Over the past 30 years, she has held a range of senior marketing roles across a variety of industry sectors, including publishing, broadcasting, energy, financial services, and construction. This breadth of experience has shaped her approach to leadership and customer-focused services. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and keeping up to date with economics and business news. She also loves drawing and painting, and makes time to keep fit and active.

Jonny Mallinson

Trustee

Frazer Scott

Trustee

Frazer is Chief Executive Officer of Energy Action Scotland. He has worked for over 25 years at a senior level with large multi-nationals, public bodies, local business, charities, social enterprise and community bodies. He has developed and secured investments of from public and private sector investors to make a positive impact on communities across Scotland and overseas. He has managed cutting edge policy and research management across a range of social, economic and environmental topics. He has authored and edited innovative work on employability in a greener economy and wellbeing as a measure of social progress. He is a board member of Aberdeen Heat and Power, a trustee of Utilita Giving and a steering group member of Strathclyde University’s Centre for Energy Policy. In his spare time, he can often be found out on the roads, cycling; or poolside, helping out at swimming competitions.

Morgan Vine

Trustee

Morgan Vine is the Director of Policy, Grants and Influencing at national charity Independent Age, working to end financial hardship in later life. As well as professional experience advocating for people of all ages living in fuel poverty, Morgan grew up in a single parent, low income household where every penny mattered and putting the heating on wasn't always possible. Throughout her career in the charity sector Morgan has amplified the voices of people affected by specific issues and worked with them to improve policy, systems and legislation on topics such as social security, high costs, housing, employment and health. She has worked for multiple national charities including Age UK, RNIB, Parkinson’s UK and Versus Arthritis and played a key role in multiple coalitions including on the steering group of the UK Commission on Bereavement, and Chairing the Continuing Healthcare Alliance and the Prescription Charges Coalition. Morgan is also a Trustee for Age UK Bromley and Greenwich and the Centre for Mental Health. Outside work Morgan loves eating dessert, singing in a choir and taking photos of autumn leaves.

Janet Wood

Trustee

Janet Wood is editor of New Power (www.newpower.info), a monthly report and database on UK power sector development and the UK’s evolving energy industry. She has been a journalist covering the power and energy sector for 25 years, covering technology, policy and politics as editor of magazines including Power Engineering, Asian Electricity, Middle East Electricity and Utility Week. Janet is interested in utility supply to consumers and the inter-relation between heat, gas, electricity and water supplies. She has a BSc in Physics and Chemistry and is the author of two books for the IET, on nuclear power and on local heat and power projects in the UK.