Trustees

Our Board of Trustees

We have a variety of people on our Board of Trustees, some are Deaf parents, parents of D/deaf or hard of hearing children, others are from business, education or health sector, all are volunteers who commit their skills and time to the charity. If you have skills that would help develop our charity and would like to get involved please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Current Trustees are:

Valerie Copenhagen – Chair of Trustees

I was born Deaf in both ears into a hearing family with no history of Deafness and wear two hearing aids. I am currently undergoing an assessment for a cochlear implant in my right ear. My experiences of being Deaf growing up are very different to other Deaf people I have met along my life journey to date. I recognise the challenges and opportunities and have a real passion and drive to support others and breaking down barriers. I was drawn to the work carried out by Phoenix Group for Deaf children for a number of reasons including their commitment and passion to support families with deaf children and young people. I applied to join the board as Chair as I felt I could share my expertise, leadership and passion in supporting such a great organisation.
 

My career started at National Deaf Children Society where I spent 11 years delivering a wide range of projects and programmes supporting deaf children, young people and their families. I recently finished a secondment as the Head of Disability at Sport England. Prior to this I held the role of Executive Director at UK Deaf Sport where I led on and worked alongside team members programmes linked with increasing participation of deaf and hard hearing people in sport and physical activity across the UK. I have over ten years of experience within the charity sector. I am a Board director for the Youth Sport Trust and am chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance Youth Advisory Panel.
 

In my spare time I play tennis and like to bake triple chocolate brownies. 

Philip Linnegar   

I’m Philip and I am CEO of Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory. My former appointments include CEO for Middlesex Association for the Blind,

CEO for Hertfordshire Society for the Blind, Interim CEO for the National Association for Patient Participation, NAPP, and Head of Membership & Development at Hearing Concern. I am also Chairman of Friends of Bennetts End Surgery, FOBES, and continue to support the Board of NAPP. In 2022 I retired as Secretary of WFC ENABLES, the official Disabled Supporters Group of the county’s championship side Watford Football Club, and Chairman of Hemel Aces Football Club.

Valerie Reed

I previously worked for Phoenix as their Families Officer as part of the lottery funded program.  I have a long background of working in the disability sector for a variety of charities including Mencap, Scope, Contact (previously Contact a Family) and latterly National Youth Agency Service. I really enjoyed my time with the Phoenix and felt that I could still give support to the group as a trustee. 

Beryl Whyatt

I joined Phoenix in 2013 as a volunteer and still fulfil the role of Finance Officer.  Previously, I worked for the BBC as Assistant to the Executive Editor of BBC London and took early retirement from there to administer a national dance charity.  I am also Treasurer of Welwyn Hatfield U3A  (University of the Third Age) and take part in many of the 

activities they offer, including learning BSL.  

Eleanor Brown

Until my daughter was born deaf I had very little experience of deafness. I have joined the Board of Trustees to get more involved in the D/deaf community and try to help Phoenix support families like ours. I am a Chartered Management Accountant, and all my professional work has been in the charity sector or the NHS.