Meet The Team

Directors

Sarah Westrip

Director of Health

Sarah is a registered learning disability and mental health specialist nurse with many years’ experience in the NHS. She is committed to improving the health of adults with learning disabilities and works closely with families and partner organisations. Sarah also has personal lived experience, having a sister with Williams syndrome, which gives her a strong understanding of the challenges people and their families can face.

At CLBD, Sarah oversees health assessments and interventions, making sure everyone receives the right care at the right time, with appropriate reasonable adjustments in place. She helps to bridge the gap between health and social care, advocates for individuals at appointments, and supports staff to feel more confident in recognising and responding to health needs.

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Dean Hill

Business Director

Dean has worked in the field of learning disabilities for many years, having started his career as a Support Worker. He has both professional and personal experience, having supported his parents with his younger brother, who has a learning disability. This has given Dean a real understanding of the impact and challenges faced by families.

Dean has a strong interest in organisational approaches that help CLBD provide consistently high-quality support and create the right conditions for people to thrive. As Business Director, he helps shape how CLBD is run day to day, making sure systems, structures and resources support good practice rather than get in the way of it.

He is committed to enabling everyone within CLBD both the people we support and the staff teams – to grow and reach their potential. Dean has also studied at the Tizard Centre, further developing his knowledge and reflective approach to supporting people with learning disabilities and complex needs.

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Samantha Cox

Director of Care

Sam has been supporting people in care services for 30 years.
Her journey began on the front line as a Support Worker, and through dedication, experience, and passion, she has progressed into her current role as Director of Care.

Her commitment to this sector is deeply personal. Sam’s passion was inspired by her sister, who has a learning disability and autism, alongside complex health needs. This lived experience has shaped Sam’s values, empathy, and determination to ensure people receive compassionate, high-quality, and empowering support.
Sam studied at the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent, further strengthening her knowledge and understanding of best practice in supporting people with learning disabilities.

She brings not only professional expertise, but also, understanding, and a genuine drive to make a positive difference in people’s lives every day.

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Registered Managers

Chrispin Thomas

Chrispin has been part of CLBD since 2015 and has grown his skills and experience within the organisation over the years. He is now a Registered Manager with experience across several services, supporting individuals with highly complex needs. He has worked with people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health conditions, and is focused on making sure support is consistent, calm and person-centred. He continues to develop his practice through ongoing training and reflective learning.

Chrispin values good teamwork and consistent day-to-day support that genuinely helps people feel safer, more settled and more in control of their lives.

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Debbie Rogers

Debbie has worked in care for over 30 years. She began her career as a community healthcare worker before moving into residential support, helping people to lead fulfilling and happy lives. Her key strengths lie in practice leadership, and she first joined CLBD ten years ago, contributing to the company’s growth and using her skills across multiple services.

Debbie believes strongly in creating opportunities for the people who live in our services to progress, gain new skills and enjoy active, meaningful days with a strong presence in their community. She is equally committed to involving families, ensuring they are part of achieving positive, high-quality outcomes for their loved one.

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Louise Catanach

Lousie began her journey in CLBD as a Support Worker, and growing into the role of Registered Manager has been a real privilege. Having been part of this residential service for so long, Louise knows our people, our team, and what truly matters. Louise also brings a personal perspective, as her son was diagnosed with autism at age four, now an adult and living a great life. Louise is passionate about creating a safe, supportive home where adults with learning disabilities and autism can thrive, and is proud to lead a team that shares that commitment

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Nicola Thomas

Nicola joined CLBD in 2020 as a Team Leader and has since progressed to the role of Registered Manager, working with a variety of client groups and supporting some individuals to transition from residential care into supported living within CLBD. Nicola enjoys working directly with the people we support and being part of their journey as they grow in confidence and independence. What Nicola values most is noticing that daily support is paying off, whether that’s someone feeling more comfortable at home, getting into better routines or becoming more involved in their local area

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Wellbeing team

Netta Goodban

Netta has been supporting people with learning disabilities since the 1970s, starting out as a care assistant in a local hospital before moving into community services during the transition away from long-stay institutions. Over the years she has managed services and worked with a wide range of individuals and families. She holds qualifications in welfare studies and a BSc in Applied Psychology, as well as training in transactional analysis, all of which inform her calm, thoughtful and reflective approach to support.

A PBS Practitioner since 2016, Netta is now part of the wellbeing team at CLBD. She has a strong interest in active support and practice leadership, focusing on increasing everyday opportunities and outcomes for individuals. Netta is particularly keen on helping staff build confident, consistent support around people, and she works from the belief that every moment has potential to make a positive difference.

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David Tsigarides

David began his journey with CLBD in 2015. He has personal lived experience as the brother of a sister with Williams Syndrome. Coming into care later in life, David started as a support worker and progressed through roles including Team Leader, Deputy Manager and Manager. He is a Studio 3 trainer and plays a key role in embedding digital care records across CLBD.

David is also the Restraint Reduction Lead for CLBD and has completed the BTEC Certificate in Reducing Restrictive Practices, provided by the British Institute of Learning Disabilities.

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Chris Ridley

Chris began his career in care as an agency worker in 2019, first coming to CLBD for a run of shifts where he quickly built strong relationships with the people he supported and the staff team. He later joined CLBD permanently, starting as a Support Worker and then becoming a Team Leader, gaining hands-on experience of both direct support and the realities of frontline care work.

In 2024, Chris joined the Wellbeing Team and became a qualified Studio 3 trainer. He helps shape and deliver training, improve inductions and provide follow-up support so learning carries on beyond the classroom. Chris is particularly focused on staff wellbeing and supporting teams to manage stress, so they can feel more confident in their roles and provide the best support possible.

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Wayne Slowther

Wayne has over 25 years’ experience in the care sector and has worked at CLBD since 2017. Wayne has developed a passion for training and delivers sessions across CLBD, including Studio 3’s Managing Signs of Stress and Distress using Low Arousal Approaches.

Wayne has held several roles in his career from support worker to service manager, he now focuses on developing staff confidence and competence in supporting people with complex needs.

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Trustees

The trustees of CLBD play an important role in protecting our values, guiding our future and supporting our Employee Ownership Trust. Through their oversight and shared commitment to what CLBD stands for, they help ensure the organisation remains true to its purpose, people and long-term vision.