Meet Our Trustees and Team » Dyslexia North East England

MEET THE TEAM

June Renaldi
Assessment and Support Officer

I joined Dyslexia North East as a volunteer in July 2017 and became a member of the team in May 2018. I have a background in community work and pride myself on being able to communicate and connect with people from all walks of life. I have worked for Citizens Advice and studied Community and Voluntary Organisations at Durham University. I have learned a great deal about Dyslexia and strive to help people get the support which they need by performing screenings and organising assessments.

Maria Conaty
Head administrator

I joined the team in May 2017 and have developed the administration systems and procedures to fit with the growth of the Charity. I have worked in the public and private sector and use this experience in my role.

Trustees:

Lyn Brown

Chair of Trustees

I was elected as a New Trustee at the AGM in January 2019 having been a Member of Dyslexia North East for a number of years. I am dyslexic myself and have 3 children with dyslexia, so have had a lot of personal experience. I am a NE Regional Representative for Parent Carer Forums and have been on the steering group for Families United in Newcastle for some years. I am keen to help families with dyslexia.

Mary Kendall

Treasurer

I have been involved with the Charity since 2012 and am a retired teacher. I began my career teaching secondary aged children and then children with special educational needs. I trained as a coach for IDL (Indirect Dyslexia Learning) in 2000 and in 2018 completed a course to coach Dyscalculia with IDL, both are computer based programmes. In 2016 I trained to use another computer based programme, Cogmed which helps to improve short term memory. All of these programmes are ideal for distance learning. I have been a Trustee for over 6 years,

Karen Tait

Vice Chair

I have been a teacher for more than 30 years and in that time have taught both children and adults with a range of additional needs, both here and in America. I have been a senior lecturer at the University of Sunderland since 2008, and in that time developed and set up the Multi-Agency Continuing Professional Development modules in Dyslexia (SpLD) at the university.

Patricia Custance

Trustee

I was elected to the board of trustees in January 2019. I have 2 sons and a husband with Dyslexia which is where my interest in Dyslexia originates. I have a background in Sales, Marketing and Contract Negotiations, also worked in the Pharmaceutical Industry for several years. I am keen to learn more about Dyslexia and how it impacts on the lives of those who are Dyslexic.