Leadership Team

Different experience.Different expertise.One shared way of thinking.

Harris James was deliberately built around different perspectives.

Because the questions surrounding independence, confidence, home, relationships and later life rarely belong to one profession alone.

Stacey Shepherd

Owner & Director

More than twenty-five years of asking whether there might be a better way.

Stacey's experience spans more than 25 years across health and social care, from the NHS through residential care, domiciliary care, supported living, local authorities, quality improvement, consultancy and operational leadership.

That breadth of experience kept bringing her back to one question:

Why do so many people only receive help once independence has already started to disappear?

The story so far

Stacey began her career as an NHS Assistant Practitioner. Along the way, she has worked alongside people from many different professional disciplines, including nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists and other health and social care professionals.

That breadth of experience has given Stacey an unusual view of what happens as people move between different parts of health and social care, and of the gaps that can appear between them.

Over the years, one question kept returning:

Why do so many people only receive help once independence has already started to disappear?

That question became an important part of the thinking behind Harris James.

For Stacey, the opportunity is to think earlier and more broadly, understanding what somebody wants to maintain, what they might want to regain and what could help life continue on their terms.

What Stacey brings to Harris James

Seeing the whole picture.

Stacey brings together practical operational experience with a deep understanding of how health, social care, quality, independence and everyday life intersect.

She is particularly interested in what happens when we stop beginning with:

“What service does this person need?”

and start with:

“What life are they trying to continue living?”

Away from Harris James

Technology, unfinished paintings, good food, and a diva called Mabel.

Stacey's interest in creating things doesn't particularly switch off when the working week ends.

On a Saturday morning, while David is on the golf course, there's a reasonable chance you'll find her sitting at the kitchen island with an iced latte, experimenting with an idea for a new app, system or piece of technology.

Technically, it might still be work. The problem is, she genuinely enjoys it.

That creative streak isn't limited to technology either. Stacey has been known to pick up a paintbrush or sketchbook and disappear into painting or drawing for a while, although, by her own admission, the enthusiasm tends to arrive in waves.

She also loves eating out and good food, despite repeatedly ordering with considerably more ambition than her appetite can actually accommodate.

And then there's Mabel.

Mabel is very much Stacey's “diva”. Given the theory that dogs take after their owners, Stacey accepts this may not reflect particularly well on her.

As for the easiest way to keep her happy?

A Starbucks iced latte is an excellent place to start.

David Shepherd

Director

Interested in what people do. Even more interested in why they do it.

The part of business that has always interested David most is people.

After many years running businesses and leading teams, that interest developed into a deeper fascination with human behaviour: how our experiences, needs, values and decisions influence the way we think, communicate and behave.

Alongside Harris James, David works in business coaching and is also a qualified hypnotherapist.

Usually found at the gym, on the golf course or with his dogs.

The story so far

David has studied extensively how our experiences, needs, values and decision-making can influence the way we think, communicate and behave.

His coaching and hypnotherapy work give him another perspective on how people think, what influences behaviour and why we sometimes do the things we do.

He has a natural tendency to look at something from a different angle and ask:

“Why?”

rather than simply accepting:

“That's just the way it is.”

That fits naturally with Harris James.

What David brings to Harris James

Understanding the person behind the decision.

David brings a different lens to Harris James, one grounded in behaviour, communication, coaching, decision-making and an understanding of what motivates people.

For him, age or circumstance should never become a shortcut for assuming what somebody wants.

The more interesting questions are:

What matters to this person?

What influences the choices they make?

What gives them confidence?

What do they want from life?

And how can we help protect their ability to make those choices for themselves?

That thinking contributes to the Harris James focus on independence, confidence and choice.

Away from Harris James

You'll often find David at the gym, on the golf course or spending time with his dogs.

Andrew Collis

Head of Engagement & Growth

Thirty years of experience. And still interested in listening first.

Andrew brings around 30 years of experience across healthcare and mental health services, spanning NHS, charitable, community, residential and supported-living settings.

An important thread through that experience has been understanding what happens beyond formal services: the relationships, communities and connections around somebody.

He is particularly passionate about choice, inclusion, friendship and reducing loneliness.

Travel, music, the gym and a quiet devotion to vintage hi-fi.

The story so far

Andrew's career has included senior leadership and the development of multidisciplinary teams, alongside service improvement, quality assurance, safeguarding, compliance, partnership working and budget management.

He has been involved in establishing, developing and improving community-based support including crisis accommodation, telephone helplines, advocacy, carers' services, resource cafés, residential services and supported living.

Andrew has also worked collaboratively with the Care Quality Commission, commissioners, healthcare providers and community organisations.

His experience gives him a broad understanding of both formal services and the communities, relationships and opportunities that exist around them.

What Andrew brings to Harris James

Connection matters too.

Andrew is particularly passionate about choice and inclusion, and about recognising that wellbeing is influenced by far more than formal health or care services.

He is particularly interested in loneliness, friendship and what is sometimes described as social capital: the relationships, connections and sense of belonging that can make life richer.

That perspective feels particularly important at Harris James.

Because continuing to live well isn't only about what somebody can physically do.

It is also about:

who they know.

where they go.

what they're part of.

and what they have to look forward to.

Away from Harris James

Andrew's interests include travel, music, the gym and vintage hi-fi.

Kealie Ashley

Head of Quality & Practice

Sixteen years in social care. And still interested in how we can do things better.

Kealie has spent more than 16 years working across social care, beginning as a Support Worker before progressing through roles including Team Leader, Deputy Manager, Trainer, Quality & Compliance and Service Manager. That journey matters. Because when Kealie talks about quality, she understands it from both perspectives: the standards and expectations that need to be met, and what those standards actually look like in somebody's everyday life.

For Kealie, quality shouldn't simply be something that is checked. It should be something people experience.

The story so far

Kealie began her career as a Support Worker more than 16 years ago. Since then, she has worked as a Team Leader, Deputy Manager, Trainer, within Quality & Compliance, and as a Service Manager.

That breadth of experience has given her an understanding of social care from the frontline through to leadership, and importantly, of the relationship between the two.

Because policies, standards and expectations only really matter when they translate into what happens every day. How somebody is spoken to. Whether people know what matters to them. Whether something changing is noticed. Whether colleagues feel confident enough to make good decisions. And whether the person receiving support experiences something that genuinely feels built around them.

What Kealie brings to Harris James

Quality shouldn't live in a folder. It should live in everyday practice.

As Head of Quality & Practice, Kealie leads our focus on quality, continuous improvement and ensuring the support provided through Harris James is safe, effective and genuinely person-centred.

A significant part of that is supporting people to develop their own knowledge, judgement and confidence. Because quality cannot belong to one person or one department.

Kealie's role is not simply to identify whether standards are being met. It is to help translate those standards into meaningful everyday practice, supporting teams to understand why something matters, not simply telling them that it does.

She believes the strongest services are built around the people they exist for, supported by strong leadership, skilled and confident teams and a willingness to keep asking: “Could we do this better?”

For Harris James, that makes Kealie an important part of ensuring the philosophy we talk about is also the experience people actually receive.

Away from Harris James

Dance. Dogs. And one particular Company Companion.

A lot of Kealie's life outside Harris James currently revolves around her daughter, and particularly her daughter's love of dance. Family commitments mean having a dog of their own isn't quite practical at the moment, despite Kealie being very much a dog person. Fortunately, Harris James comes with two.

Bernard and Mabel are therefore always guaranteed a warm welcome when Kealie is around. Although there may be a slight preference for Bernard.

We haven't told Mabel. And given Mabel's tendency to vocalise her opinions, we're probably going to keep it that way.

Another perspective

No single profession has every answer.

One of the things we value at Harris James is the different knowledge and experience people bring with them. Kealie's own professional experience is rooted in social care, quality, training and practice.

But interestingly, another professional perspective is never particularly far away. Her husband is a qualified Pharmacy Technician, which means conversations at home can occasionally include a pharmaceutical perspective too.

It is another small example of something we believe strongly at Harris James: Sometimes another perspective helps you ask a better question.

Company Companions

And then there are two members of the Leadership Team who approach things rather differently.

Bernard and Mabel may not contribute much to strategy meetings, but they contribute something else rather well.

Happy moments. Company. Kindness. And the occasional interruption.

Around Harris James, that makes them very much part of the team.

Bernard

Company Companion

Six years old.
Somehow looks about sixteen.

Bernard has spent most of his life sitting back and looking quietly wise.

Whether this is genuine wisdom or simply Bernard being Bernard remains open to debate.

He is an ambler rather than a sprinter, and within Harris James is affectionately known as our teddy bear woofler.

Most of the time, Bernard is a gentleman.

Calm.

Unhurried.

Selective about when he feels something needs saying.

He doesn't waste his voice unnecessarily.

Although, like all gentlemen, he does have the occasional moment.

The practical reality of Bernard

Bernard also sheds. A lot.

Spend approximately thirty seconds near him and there is every possibility you will leave wearing part of Bernard yourself.

He is also an enthusiastic drooler and can occasionally achieve what can only really be described as:

the walrus look.

What Bernard brings to Harris James

A calmer pace.

Bernard has a way of reminding everybody that not everything needs to happen quickly.

Sometimes you can simply sit. Be there. And keep someone company.

That might not appear on many organisational charts.

We still think it matters.

Mabel

Company Companion

Slightly less interested in quiet contemplation.
Considerably more interested in being involved.

Mabel approaches life with rather more enthusiasm than Bernard.

She gets excited. She likes to talk. She likes other animals to know that she is there.

Volume control has never really been one of her strongest qualities.

Mabel is something of a diva.

She also has a tendency to skip-dance when particularly pleased with life, which makes it difficult not to smile when she's around.

The practical reality of Mabel

Mabel snores with impressive commitment. At times, approximately like a small aeroplane preparing for take-off.

She also has a remarkable ability to become scruffy. Her ears have a particular habit of dangling into dinner, creating what are now commonly referred to as:

crispy ears.

What Mabel brings to Harris James

A little more joy than strictly necessary.

Mabel brings energy, enthusiasm and absolutely no concern whatsoever about maintaining a professional poker face.

She reminds us that happiness can be noisy. Excitement is allowed. And sometimes a skip-dance is an entirely reasonable response to a good day.

We could probably all learn something from that.

Different personalities. Same job.

Bernard ambles.

Mabel announces her arrival.

Bernard looks permanently philosophical.

Mabel would quite like everybody to know exactly how she feels.

One sheds.

One develops crispy ears.

Both somehow make ordinary days a little better.

A laugh. Some company. A dog asleep nearby. A ridiculous amount of fur on your trousers.

Life isn't only made better by big things.

Different lenses

No single profession has every answer.

Each perspective notices something different. Explore what each lens might ask.

The important thing isn't deciding which perspective is right.

It's knowing when another perspective could help.

Harris James

Perhaps the best way to get to know us is to talk to us.

Start the Conversation Back to Meet the Team

Different experience.Different expertise.One shared way of thinking.

More than twenty-five years of asking whether there might be a better way.

Interested in what people do. Even more interested in why they do it.

Thirty years of experience. And still interested in listening first.

Sixteen years in social care. And still interested in how we can do things better.

And then there are two members of the Leadership Team who approach things rather differently.

Six years old.Somehow looks about sixteen.

Slightly less interested in quiet contemplation.Considerably more interested in being involved.

Different personalities. Same job.

No single profession has every answer.

Perhaps the best way to get to know us is to talk to us.

Six years old.
Somehow looks about sixteen.

Slightly less interested in quiet contemplation.
Considerably more interested in being involved.