Michelle Vickers is the CEO of The Head and Neck Cancer Foundation (HNCF)
HNCF is a charity dedicated to reducing the aesthetical impacts of head and neck cancer surgeries as well as improving surgical outcomes for patients by supporting and providing ground-breaking new technologies. Michelle has worked in the not for profit sector for over 20 years, and in 2017 she was named as the new CEO of HNCF.
Michelle provides leadership and is responsible for the organisation’s administration and financial management. Working closely with the board of trustees, she develops the charities’ long-term strategy, budget and business plan. Additionally, Michelle is an ambassador for HNCF providing a public face, building relationships with media and business stakeholders, fundraisers, sponsors and prospective donors.
Michelle is inspired by the words of Maya Angelou:
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
She began her career in the third sector in 2006, as Strategic Communications Manager at Sport England. In 2012 she was the Olympic Legacy Venues Manager, progressing through other roles, reaching Head of Executive Office in January 2010 and directly supported the CEO and managed the CEO Office. She remained in this role until June 2013 and continued to work in the sports industry for a further two years.
Having given up her prosperous career in sports in 2014 with an ambition to work within the animal rescue sector, Michelle was appointed CEO of Stokenchurch Dog Rescue where she ran the charity on a day-to-day basis; managing its finances, growing the charity and overseeing the team of staff. In November 2016, Michelle assumed the role of Head of Fundraising at the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society where she managed the charities fundraising strategy.
In late 2017 she became the Chief Executive Officer of HNCF where she now remains. Michelle manages the organisation and its resources, ensuring that trustees’ vision and objectives are met to the highest standards. She manages income generation as well as planning the future development of the Foundation. To date HNCF has trained 43 UK cancer units and 21 overseas cancer units.
Throughout her career, Michelle has continuously shown her goodwill and has been a keen volunteer for over 25 years. The high of this was volunteering at the 2012 Paralympics as part of Team GB where she managed front of house for the friends and family of team GB. She is also a Trustee for Wycombe Women’s Aid, a registered charity working with women and children experiencing domestic violence and its lasting effects. Michelle is also a keen and busy mentor for women in business.
The advice she would give to her 16-year-old self is: “Explore your natural empathy, listen hard to your intuition, action it and realise that you can depend on you. You alone are responsible for your own peace and happiness.”
Michelle spends her spare time with her family, friends and beloved rescue dogs. She lives with her husband in Berkshire and has two adult children and a grandson.
For more information, please contact info@hncf.org.uk / hncf@wearemandate.co.uk
