Our team
Surgeons, business leaders and a great many volunteers.
Luma is run by a small team and a board of volunteer trustees who give their time freely. No trustee is paid. Every one of them is here because of what Yorkshire's hospitals have done for children they know.
Leadership
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Chief Executive Officer
Zoë Metcalfe
Zoë leads the Foundation day to day: building partnerships with Yorkshire's hospitals and businesses, running the fundraising programme and making sure every project delivers measurable improvements for children. She joined in October 2025 as Luma's first Chief Executive.
“This achievement shows the power of partnership between business, medicine and the wider community.”
Board of trustees
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Chair of Trustees
Alex Duckett
Managing Director, Gilbanks
Alex leads Gilbanks, the premium workspace provider with sites across Leeds and Manchester. His involvement is personal: his daughter received life-saving surgery at Leeds Children's Hospital. He took over as Chair from Jo Ropner in 2024, led the relaunch of the charity as Luma Foundation and set its ambition to bring world-class surgical and diagnostic technology to Yorkshire's children.
“We owe so much to the Leeds hospitals and medics, and I felt compelled to get involved.”
Trustee and Clinical Lead
Mr Naved Alizai
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, Leeds Children's Hospital
Naved is a Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at Leeds Children's Hospital with a specialism in gastrointestinal and liver surgery. An experienced keyhole surgeon and a proctor of robotic surgery for the UK and Europe, he is part of one of only three supra-regional paediatric liver services in the country. Naved identifies the equipment that will make the biggest difference and makes sure every pound Luma raises is spent where clinicians need it most.
“Robotic equipment allows more complex surgeries than keyhole procedures, and when coupled with AI, progress can be made at unprecedented rates.”
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Trustee and Secretary
Clementine Duckett
Corporate lawyer
Clementine is a corporate lawyer and the Foundation's Secretary. She oversees the charity's governance, grant agreements and the due diligence that sits behind every purchase, so that supporters can be confident their money is well spent.
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Trustee
Edward Marsden
Investment Manager, Titan Wealth
Ed is an investment manager at Titan Wealth. He brings financial oversight to the board and is a driving force behind the Charity Clay Day, helping bring Yorkshire's business community together in support of the region's children.
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Trustee and former Chair
Jo Ropner
His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
Jo has served as His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire since 2018. She chaired the charity for many years as the Yorkshire Children's Hospital Fund, overseeing grants to hospitals, hospices and children's services across the county, and remains a trustee today.
Join us
Could you help us do more?
We are always glad to hear from people who can offer time, expertise or introductions, as well as businesses that want to partner with us.
