Who we are The team Senior Management Brian Carlin, CEO Brian has been working for Aspire since 1998 and was appointed as CEO in 2001. He formerly worked in the Contract Leisure Management Sector and brought his business pedigree to support the Charity through a successful expansion of its services throughout the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. An Executive MBA Graduate from Anglia Ruskin University, Brian was also a part-time post-graduate lecturer in business and now uses his academic experience to support the Aspire Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology and has an Honorary Contract as an Associate Professor, Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Sciences, UCL. Brian has extensive Third Sector experience and was the former Chairman of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Charity and during this time was also the Chairman (2017) of the Charity Chairs Group at the Association of NHS Charities. He is a founding Partner of Aspire Law LLP, Trustee of the British Triathlon Foundation Trust and a Longford Mentor whereby he supports former prisoners through higher education. He has led Aspire to be ranked 18th in the Sunday Times top 100 Best Not for Profit Organisations to work for and was ranked 10th Most Inspirational Leader in 2018. A keen cyclist and triathlete Brian has been representing Great Britain as a GB Age Group Long Distance Triathlete in the World and European Teams since 2010. Email Brian Alex Rankin, Director of Services Alex did an MA in the History of Cinema and Popular Culture at Exeter University, specialising in pre-1918 films. He has singularly failed to use any of the knowledge gleaned from this course in his career to date. A very short stint in the world of corporate IT convinced him that he'd rather be elsewhere and Alex has worked for not-for-profit organisations ever since. Alex joined Aspire in 2005 to launch their Campaigning work before moving across to manage the Services Team; the department has grown significantly since then, expanding core programmes and adding new services for spinally injured people. Outside of Aspire, Alex is the founding trustee of a charity supporting education projects in The Gambia, and is a Trustee of the PSA at his children's school. Email Alex Olivia Fox, Director of Fundraising Olivia brings over a decade of successes developing strategic partnerships and driving sustainable income growth across the charity sector. She has a strong track record of building and managing impactful relationships with corporates, trusts and foundations, and individuals, while leading collaborative teams and delivering innovative fundraising strategies that support long-term organisational impact. Before joining Aspire, Olivia was Senior Development Manager at Money Ready, where she led corporate and philanthropic partnerships, launched a successful patronage programme, and contributed to the organisation’s long-term strategy with a focus on income diversification and sustainability. Olivia’s connection to Aspire is also deeply personal. After her father incurred a spinal cord injury in 2024, he underwent rehabilitation at the Spinal Injury Centre in Stanmore. Olivia experienced first-hand the life-changing support Aspire provides to people with spinal cord injuries and their families. This experience continues to drive her passion for helping ensure more people have access to the independence, confidence and community that Aspire makes possible. Email Olivia Tasha Webster, Director of Operations After a two week stint of work experience at the Mike Heaffey Centre, Tasha worked part time for Aspire as a receptionist and children’s party host whilst at College. She then went on to work in the leisure industry as a swimming teacher and children’s holiday camp manager before returning as Assistant Manager of the Mike Heaffey Centre in 1997. She was part of the management team overseeing the build of the Aspire National Training Centre and in 2002 she became General Manager. Tasha is now Director of Operations responsible for operational systems, quality and personnel management of Aspire with specific responsibility for the day to day management and strategic development. Tasha has a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies from Hertfordshire University and the CIPD Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management. Tasha is married with four children and plays hockey for Harrow Hockey Club. Email Tasha Ky-ling Gavigan, Finance Manager Ky-ling came from a private leisure operator within the office administration department. She joined Aspire's Customer Service Team in October 2003. A year later moved into the Finance team and undertook her Level 4 AAT Diploma in Accountancy. Now Aspire's Finance Manager she is responsible for managing the finance team, the monthly processes and reporting of the accounts to the various teams and Finance committee. A mother of two, she has a passion for health, fitness and wellness. Email Ky-Ling The team Manage Cookie Preferences