Our trustees
Lyndsey Gallagher, Co-Chair
Lyndsey is CEO of Gallagher Group Ltd, a leading supplier of aggregate and concrete materials across the South East and one of Kent’s largest, most well known and respected family businesses. As well as being Co-Chair of the Trustees, Lyndsey is Chair of the South East Regional Lighthouse Committee.
She is also a member of the Kent Ambassadors, a group of highly successful and experienced business professionals who promote all aspects of life in the area.
Whether working on high-profile building projects, supporting local schools or mentoring women in the industry, her consistent desire to give back where she can, is ever present.
“I’m incredibly honoured to be part of the Lighthouse Charity and knowing the difference they make to the lives of so many people, makes me feel very proud. Leading a 50 year old family run business in construction, I know that our industry is dynamic and rewarding, and I am passionate about the people within it that make it such a unique place to work. Lighthouse’s holistic approach to supporting our industry’s workforce is truly amazing and along with our Board Members I am always looking forward to the next chapter.”
Edward Naylor, Co-Chair
Edward Naylor became a Trustee and member of the Audit and Governance committee in 2016; he became co-Chair (with Lyndsey Gallagher) in March 2020.
Edward is a Cambridge Modern Languages graduate and double-prizewinning Chartered Accountant. He spent the first 8 years of his career in the City with accountants Deloitte, acquiring corporate finance experience and spending time on secondment in Germany. He took over the family business, Naylor Industries plc; a manufacturer of pipes and concrete products on the death of his father in 1993 and has grown it from £12m turnover to its current £60m. The business now has six sites and 400 employees.
“I’ve been involved in supplying construction companies for almost 30 years and am conscious of our responsibility to look after those in our industry in need of support. Since becoming a Trustee, it’s been great to see the extent to which the Lighthouse Charity has been able to support the construction fraternity in so many ways”
Robert Brown
Robert is an experienced business advisor and mentor with a background in engineering, digital technology, and business growth. He currently serves as Non-Executive Chairman at Fulcro Engineering Services and is also a Director at Firefly Online. Over the years, he has supported a wide range of organisations as chief executive officer, helping them navigate challenges and develop practical strategies for success.
Alongside his professional work, Robert is passionate about supporting causes that make a real difference. He has contributed his time and expertise to several charitable initiatives, including serving on the board of Habitat for Humanity Great Britain.
“Having worked closely with the Lighthouse Charity for a number of years, I am now incredibly proud to serve as a trustee and to be part of the drive to improve the wellbeing of those working in the construction industry.”
Ian Carey
Ian Carey boasts an extensive 25-year tenure within the construction industry. In 2009, he started Pulse Consult, a venture that, under his guidance, has progressively expanded to offer a variety of consultancy services across five distinct hubs. The bedrock of this business is in prioritising its personnel over profits.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Ian stands as a dedicated spouse and father to three, albeit not-so-young, children.
“I was deeply impressed with an organisation whose remarkable efforts achieve so much in aiding those in need in the construction industry and was delighted to become a Trustee. Observing the resolute vision and adept leadership at the Lighthouse Charity, along with their ongoing expansion, I am pleased to be able to offer my experience and support, providing synergy with the charity team.”
Ruth Devine MBE
Justin Mendelle
Justin trained and taught as an economist before qualifying as a lawyer. He joined Sharpe Pritchard in 2009 and has been the senior partner since 2020. Justin advises on all aspects of construction law, from major infrastructure and development projects to town centre regenerations. He also advises on all manner of construction disputes, is a recognised adjudication specialist, and is regularly engaged in mediations, arbitrations, expert determinations and litigation. As the head of the construction team at a thriving law firm, he is at the forefront of trends and developments in the construction industry and is always seeking to achieve improvements in the delivery and resolution of construction projects.”
“I have been involved in the construction industry for over 20 years and have seen enormous changes in that period. Whilst there have incredible improvements over the last 2 decades, we still have a long way to go and charities such as Lighthouse are instrumental in getting us there. The core services (emotional, physical and financial wellbeing) Lighthouse provides are absolutely essential for our industry – I was honoured to be given the opportunity to sit as a trustee for the charity and am enormously excited about helping Lighthouse to continue its outstanding work.”
Joanna Mulcahy
Joanna has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, where she has contributed to the success of leading engineering and construction companies. Her expertise in commercial and risk management, along with dispute resolution, has enabled her to effectively enhance operational performance. Joanna serves on several boards, where she shares her diverse knowledge and insights to support the charity’s goals. She graduated from the University of Westminster with a BSc Honours Degree in Quantity Surveying and has gained experience across multiple sectors, including civil, aviation, rail, water, and energy. Joanna is a Fellow of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Adjudication from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators together with a Fellow status. In addition to her professional life, Joanna balances her career with managing a busy household and raising three young children.
“I am deeply passionate about driving positive change within the construction sector. The work that The Lighthouse Charity does in supporting the emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing of our community is vital. It is an honour to join the Board of Trustees and I am eager to contribute to the charity’s mission and make a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of construction workers and their families.”
Amit Oberoi
Amit Oberoi is Group Chief Executive Officer of Considerate Constructors Scheme, a non-profit championing higher safety standards in the construction sector. He was previously Board Director and Executive Chairman from 2022 to 2024 and was appointed to his current role in January 2025.
Amit has a distinguished career in global risk management spanning over 25 years. As the Founder of The Resilience Factor, Amit has utilised psychology and neuroscience techniques to pioneer innovative mental wellbeing tools that improve resilience, productivity and performance. His expertise extends to executive coaching, business strategy, and risk management, with a track record of success in diverse industries, including construction, aviation, and professional sports.
Amit served as Global Head of Risk at Deliveroo, where he developed a comprehensive safety and sustainability strategy. He also held pivotal roles at Deloitte, where he shaped resilience frameworks for major global projects like Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Amit’s commitment to personal and organisational resilience is reflected in his work as a Resident Resilience Coach at Oxford University and his authorship of a bestselling book on peak performance.
Ryan O’Loughlin
Ryan is Director at Sheffield based main contractor, Henry Boot Construction. Having joined the company in 1996 as a trainee, Ryan gained an honours degree in Quantity Surveying and has held a number of commercial & operational leadership roles at Henry Boot. Ryan brings a wealth of experience in corporate governance, risk management and strategic planning. He is also a member of the RICS and is part of their social value awards judging panel. Passionate about nurturing future talent, Ryan still acts as an RICS Councillor at Henry Boot and offers support to schools within the Sheffield City Region as an Enterprise Advisor.
“My dad has been a bricklayer for the past 46 years so I understand the health and wellbeing challenges that construction workers can face. Sarah and the team do an amazing job supporting these workers and their families. My role as a trustee is an opportunity to contribute to this good work and give something back to an industry that has provided me with a fantastic career.”
Joanna Vezey
Joanna leads the people agenda at Laing O’Rourke and is a firm believer that people are central to delivering exceptional built environment outcomes that support thriving local and global communities.
Joanna has worked in the construction industry for two decades having graduated from the University of Southampton with an honours degree in Environmental Engineering. She became a Chartered Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2008 and in 2018 completed a Master of Studies at the University of Cambridge in Construction Engineering where she won the Laing O’Rourke Queens’ College Prize for her research ‘The effect of autonomy on wellbeing in a highly constrained construction environment’.
In Joanna’s career, she has extensive experience delivering large infrastructure projects working for client, consultant and construction organisations both in the UK and Australia.
CEO
Sarah Bolton
Sarah joined the charity in 2018 as Wellbeing Manager, progressing to Director of Charitable Services and COO before being appointed as CEO in April 2024.
Her expertise lies in delivering support services that make a direct impact on the wellbeing of communities and she has been responsible for transforming the charity’s front facing charitable services.
“Leading a charity that delivers so many impactful and positive changes to both individuals and organisations is incredibly rewarding, Our amazing team at the Lighthouse Charity are passionate about the work they do and every day we make a life changing and life saving impact on our community.
We are constantly exploring new pathways to amplify and extend our message of support to meet the needs of our diverse community and to help develop healthy and sustainable futures for this generation and the next.”