Alzheimer's Society spokespeople list

Comments on health and social care, campaigns work, practical advice for people with dementia and their carers, fundraising and scientific research can be organised by contacting the Alzheimer's Society press office.

There are also spokespeople from the charity based throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland for regional media requests.

Alzheimer's Society works with many high profile and celebrity supporters who are part of our vice-presidents, patrons and ambassadors programme. To organise an interview with one of our spokespeople contact our media team by phone or email.

Our spokespeople  

Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer​

​Director of Research and Influencing and part of our Executive Leadership Team, Fiona plays a pivotal role in our vision to create a world without dementia. She has overall responsibility for our Research and Influencing strategy; leading our world-class research programme and our work to strengthen our position as the national charity leader on dementia health, social care policy and societal change.

Fiona is committed to ensuring that we reach every person who has a dementia diagnosis and wants our help. She wants to change the conversation on dementia, mainstream the rights of people affected by dementia and drive the research agenda, working tirelessly to improve care and find a cure.

Previously, Fiona was Deputy Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England, providing leadership for the 50,000 healthcare science professionals and expert advice on science, innovation, and diagnostics. A passionate advocate for women in health, Fiona led the establishment of the first Women in Science and Engineering fellowship programme in the NHS.

Jennifer Keen, Associate Director of Evidence, Policy and Influencing

Jennifer is responsible for Alzheimer’s Society’s evidence, policy, campaigning and public affairs work. She leads a team who build and argue a compelling and evidence-based case for prioritising dementia through better diagnosis, care and treatment.

She is a spokesperson for Alzheimer’s Society, appearing in print and broadcast media including the Today Programme, BBC and Sky News.

She joined the Society in 2023 from a charity and think tank dedicated to advancing the best available evidence in alcohol policy. She was Chair of the Communications and Advocacy Group of the Alcohol Health Alliance, a coalition of more than 60 health organisations.

A long time charity advocate, she has also worked to advance the rights of disabled people and those with health needs, changing laws to protect health and make people’s lives safer.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and lives in London with her young family.

Tim Baverstock, Head of Local Systems Influencing

Tim joined the Alzheimer’s Society in April 2023, tasked with making the case for dementia to be the priority it needs to be locally across health and care systems.

Prior to joining Alzheimer’s Society, Tim was on secondment with NHS England, working in Community Health services with a specific remit on personalised care and held a substantive role of Deputy Director of Adult Social Care in Somerset County Council. He is keen on supporting local solutions, designed by communities and people, that meet the needs of the local population and address health inequality.

Tim also volunteers as a Trustee for a local dementia charity in Somerset, where he lives with his family, just on the edge of Taunton.

Kieran Winterburn, Head of National Influencing

Kieran is responsible for the Alzheimer’s Society’s public affairs and influencing work across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. He leads a team that is striving to make dementia a priority for the governments and health systems in all three nations, in turn helping to drive change for the one million people affected by the UK's biggest killer. 

Kieran is also a spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s Society, regularly appearing in the media - including the New Statesman and BBC News. He joined the Society in 2025, having previously spent 4 years in consultancy working with clients in the life sciences, tech and third sectors. 

He began his career working for two MPs, Liz Kendall (now Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology) and Peter Kyle (now Secretary of State for Business and Trade).

Richard Oakley PhD, Associate Director of Research and Innovation 

Dr Richard Oakley joined Alzheimer’s Society in September 2020. As Associate Director of Research and Innovation, he plays a critical role in the development and implementation of Alzheimer’s Society’s Research Strategy, working with the Chief Policy and Research Officer to lead its growing and ambitious world-class research programme and portfolio.

In particular, Richard heads up the Research Grants, Research Communications, Research Engagement and Innovation teams. Together, they aim to ensure the Society provides essential funding and support to researchers, continues to engage people affected by dementia and communicates key milestones and developments in research across its networks and to the wider population.

Previously, Richard worked for eight years at Cancer Research, latterly as Head of Research Information and Communications, where he led on the implementation of a new communications strategy underpinned by audience insight and focused on delivering the maximum impact for organisational priorities.  

Richard has a PhD in biochemistry (Bristol University) and a post doctorate in Tissue Engineering (EPFL, Switzerland).  

Tim Beanland PhD, Head of Knowledge and Learning 

Tim’s team own the Society’s practical knowledge to help people living with dementia. This knowledge is applied in our online and print dementia content, and in the learning and support we offer our frontline staff. Tim is the author of the puzzle book Mind Games.

He started at the Society in 2010, at a time when his late mother was being diagnosed with vascular dementia.

Tim has a BA in biochemistry and a PhD in evolutionary biology, both from Cambridge. He lives in Winchester with his wife Sarah. They have three sons, two cats and a dog.

Paul Reynolds, Associate Director of Commercial and Partnerships

Paul joined Alzheimer’s Society in 2022. Prior to this he worked for 20 years in health and social care, immersed in services that supported people who chose direct payments and/or personal health budgets to build their own care package. 

He has also worked to develop supportive informal carer services, having personal insight to how essential this is as part of caring for his mum who lived with dementia.

At Alzheimer’s Society, his role is focused on ensuring that service models are co-produced with people living with and affected by dementia, that we engage with partners who have aligned values and will help us expand our reach, and that our external training offer is designed to support those who engage with people living with dementia at key transition points in their lives. 

Paul also supports his service delivery colleagues with change and improvement projects that have a positive impact on the lives of those living with dementia.