Senior Leadership Team

Dr Michele Afif – CEO

As a former Consultant Paediatrician with a special interest in Paediatric Oncology, I have a long experience of looking after children diagnosed with all forms of cancer, including brain tumours. Whilst I witnessed improvements in the care and outcomes for other tumour types, no amount of training can prepare you for the realities of looking after a child with a brain tumour or the profound impact this diagnosis has on each affected person and those around them. I came to The Brain Tumour Charity because, mirrored in The Charity’s ceaseless quest towards finding a cure and reducing the harms associated with this cruel set of diseases, I could see my own passion to overturn the entrenched narrative around brain tumours and fundamentally improve outcomes. A skilled communicator, I intend to use my particular combination of leadership, legal and clinical expertise to add momentum to The Charity’s drive towards the unashamedly ambitious goals of doubling survival and halving the harm, and in so doing, pay lasting and meaningful tribute to the courage and fortitude of all those who have lived with that diagnosis, or been lost to it.  

Cameron Miller – Director of External Affairs & Strategy

I re-joined the organisation in 2023 because it was such an exciting time in its history and I wanted to help drive forward our ambitious goals towards 2030. I have spent nearly 20 years working in politics, life sciences and influencing. After initially getting involved in the Labour Party at university, I went on to volunteer for Helen Clark and the New Zealand Labour Party during the 2008 General Election, before coming back to the UK work for a backbench Labour MP and on Ed Miliband’s leadership election campaign. Following this I decided to hear first-hand what people were experiencing within the NHS and worked in support for The Patients Association and then directly with the brain tumour community at the newly merged The Brain Tumour Charity. Having spent many years listening to those issues, I moved back into policy and advocacy roles, using the insights that I gained during my time working with the community on the challenges that they faced. I have since spent four years working in industry, working in-house and at an agency, helping to bring new treatments to market and working alongside patient organisations, government bodies and other key stakeholders. There is still so much work to do to ensure that those diagnosed with a brain tumour live longer and better lives.  

Simon Newman – Chief Scientific Officer

Throughout my career I have always been passionate about translating discovery science into clinical benefit. As scientists we are privileged to be working at the cutting edge of research. However, what really matters is delivering improved outcomes for patients and their families.

I have spent 30 years working in life sciences research, from my PhD in Biochemistry to my most recent role at UCL developing research strategies and securing funding to drive research towards clinical benefit. As an academic at Imperial College London, I contributed to more than 60 peer-reviewed papers which have been cited over 3,000 times. This work led to the formation of Sterix Ltd which took a drug (Irosustat) from bench to bedside and progressed additional compounds (STX140, STX681) through pre-clinical studies before the company was sold on to Ipsen.

Having experienced academia and biotech I moved onto a new challenge of founding Target Ovarian Cancer’s research programme as their first Director of Research. While funding new research was exciting, the real inspiration was working closely with women living with ovarian cancer and their families and putting them at the heart of our research programme. Prior to joining UCL, I was CSO at Nanogenics a biotechnology company developing novel platforms for gene therapy delivery: during my time with Nanogenics we raised over £12.5M of private capital.

I am now inspired to be part of the team tasked with delivering The Brain Tumour Charity’s ambitious goals and I look forward to working with the whole community to deliver this.

Clare Horwood – Director of Fundraising & CX

I am honoured to be part of The Brain Tumour Charity team and help to raise the money needed for us to achieve our ambition to double survival and improve treatment and support for people with a brain tumour diagnosis. Throughout my career a key motivation has been to make things better; for individuals, their families and community, and society. And the way I have done this is by raising money for brilliant charities. With a background in advertising and marketing, I have been using these skills for the past 20 years to inspire and support people to donate and raise money. I have a passion for, and extensive experience of fundraising for health charities. I helped to establish fundraising at Target Ovarian Cancer, and have led fundraising teams at the Eve Appeal, Diabetes UK, Mind and the MS Society as well as several other charities and causes. I have created many impactful fundraising campaigns, developed brilliant partnerships and worked with philanthropists and funders across the sector to help charities achieve their mission.    

Beatrice St Matthew‑Daniel – Interim Director of Finance & Governance

I’m Beatrice St Matthew‑Daniel, a finance and operations leader who has spent more than three decades helping charities strengthen their foundations, modernise how they work, and use their resources wisely.

Throughout my career, I’ve led Finance, IT, Governance and organisational performance functions, always with a focus on clarity, collaboration and doing what’s right for the people we serve.

I have always worked with charities that support the most vulnerable and under‑represented in society. From my years at Choice Support to my time at the Royal Society for Blind Children, this commitment has shaped everything I do and continues to motivate me.

As a qualified accountant with deep experience in mission‑driven organisations, I’m passionate about creating financial stability, improving digital systems, strengthening governance and helping teams thrive. I enjoy turning complex issues into simple, confident decisions and building strong, supportive environments where people feel empowered.

I’m really happy to be here, working alongside such a dedicated team and supporting the goals and mission of the charity. Being part of an organisation that puts people first and strives for meaningful impact is why I do this work, and I look forward to contributing to its continued success.