Leadership team

Michelle Dyson CB, Chief Executive Officer

Michelle Dyson CB was appointed in 2025 as the new Chief Executive Officer of Alzheimer’s Society. From 2020 to 2025 Michelle was the Director General of Adult Social Care at the Department of Health and Social Care. As the top civil servant leading on adult social care, she was responsible for advising ministers on policy and for operational oversight and reform of the adult social care system. 

Prior to this, Michelle worked as a senior civil servant in different roles in the Ministry of Justice, Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Education, always with a focus on social policy and delivery, particularly as regards disadvantaged groups. Michelle is a qualified solicitor and spent the first part of her Civil Service career as a government lawyer.

Michelle was awarded a CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath) for services to health and social care in the New Year's Honours List 2025.

Three of Michelle’s grandparents had dementia, so she has personal experience of the devastation that the disease can cause.

Corrine Mills, Chief Operating Officer

Corinne Mills has been leading the work to support, develop, enable and engage Alzheimer’s Society employees and volunteers for four years as the Chief People Officer and more recently as Interim Chief Executive Officer.

With a career spanning more than 30 years, working with organisations such as Marks & Spencer, Ofsted and RNIB, she has delivered outstanding results in organisational development, employee relations, employee engagement and large-scale transformation. Her achievements have been recognised through industry awards including Best HR Strategy in Line with Business and Excellence in Recruitment Innovation. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD).

Under her leadership, Alzheimer’s Society has introduced a leadership coaching programme, a comprehensive apprenticeship scheme, and a new pay and grading framework. She is currently spearheading an ambitious culture development programme designed to help employees and volunteers thrive and deliver their best in support of people affected by dementia.

Her impact has extended beyond internal transformation. She led the organisation to significant cultural improvements, resulting in national recognition.

Driven by personal experience, her grandad lived with dementia, she brings deep empathy and unwavering commitment to her work.

Outside of her professional life, she continues to challenge herself and give back, having completed the London Marathon in both 2023 and 2024, raising funds for Alzheimer’s Society.

Katherine Sargent, Chief People Officer

Katherine Sargent has worked for the Alzheimer’s Society for three years, bringing with her deep cross-sector experience spanning corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors. 

Katherine started her career straight from her A levels, joining the Marks & Spencer young management training programme, progressing to various leadership positions. She subsequently ran her own HR Consultancy business for 14 years, supporting a wide range of organisations across all sectors with her first Chief People Officer being for the Whiteley Homes Trust.  

Katherine brings strong expertise and experience in leading complex cultural and organisational change, embedding equity and inclusion and driving high-performing, values-led environments. Katherine is our Chief People Officer, leading a broad spectrum of people-focused teams dedicated to delivering our mission of ending the devastation of dementia.

Alex Hyde-Smith, Chief Marketing Officer

Alex joined Alzheimer's Society in June 2019. The focus of his role is to ensure both fundraising and our supporters are at the heart of the organisation.  

Alex started his working life in market research for one of the UK’s largest research agencies, moving then into direct response marketing. Here, he worked with corporate and charity clients, including The Prince's Trust, Save the Children and FilmFour.  

The interest and respect Alex developed for the art and science of direct response prompted a move into the charity sector (they were far nicer clients!), where he later joined Marie Curie.

Alex worked here for 9 years - latterly as the Director of Fundraising. Here, he learned the true power of collaboration and influencing across diverse stakeholder groups within large complex organisations.

Now, he leads a dedicated, unified team across a strong portfolio of fundraising activities, with a clear ‘one team, one target’ strategy.