MATTY LEWIS
Head of Foundation

Matty's charity journey started with the creation of Menfulness, a men’s mental health charity based in York, run by 5 volunteer trustees. 6 years of experience with Menfulness allowed Matty to create a strategy for the Fortus Foundation to address those challenges, remove the barriers for volunteers to access funding, and ensure that the hard working volunteers behind these small charities and community groups can focus their time and energy where it’s needed – not on long convoluted funding applications and impact reporting.

Outside of the Fortus Foundation and Menfulness, Matty has a son, George, who is his best friend. He loves Rugby League and football and also supports the York Knights with player welfare. Matty's current music playlists include Sam Fender and Noah Kahan.

CRAIG HERBERT
Trustee

Craig is the driving force behind Fortus and its mission to modernise traditional accountancy. With 25 years in professional services, he co-founded Fortus in 2020, championing innovation and collaboration to deliver exceptional results.

Passionate about giving back, Craig founded the Fortus Foundation, focusing on education, employment, and equality. Through collaboration with businesses and charities, the Foundation drives meaningful social impact and empowers change.

As a trustee, Craig’s leadership ensures the Foundation’s initiatives leave a lasting legacy, reflecting his commitment to creating positive change for communities and businesses alike.

SHARON CLIPPERTON
Trustee

Since retiring as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor, Sharon has embraced the opportunity to dedicate more time to voluntary work. Supporting a local hospice and two almshouse charities has deepened her passion for giving back to the community, which is why she was thrilled to join the Fortus Foundation as a trustee.

Being part of the Foundation allows Sharon to make a meaningful impact, helping drive positive change in local communities. Outside of this, Sharon enjoys playing golf - though her skills on the course are modest, she's determined to excel in her role as a trustee!

TOM FRANK
Trustee

As the founder and Managing Director of Ice Cubed Group, Tom has built a full-service consultancy supporting property developers and investors across finance, land, and real estate. With over 25 years of experience in the sector, he recently partnered with Fortus to launch Fortus Business Finance, providing tailored financial solutions to businesses.

Beyond his professional work, Tom is a passionate advocate for York and North Yorkshire, actively supporting local initiatives and the region’s rugby clubs. As a non-executive board member of Inclusion Housing, he plays a key role in providing housing solutions for vulnerable adults. His involvement in the Fortus Foundation allows him to further support charities, causes, and community ventures across the county—helping to drive meaningful impact where it’s needed most.

RICH BURNETT
Head of Brand & Impact

Rich is the driving force behind the Foundation's brand and communication strategy. With a deep commitment to community-driven initiatives, Rich focuses on amplifying the Foundation’s mission to empower health and wellbeing for all. He is particularly passionate about supporting grassroots charities that face challenges in securing funding but are making a profound impact on society.

With years of experience in communications and branding, Rich is dedicated to ensuring that the Foundation’s story is told authentically and effectively. By building strong, strategic relationships and leveraging innovative communication approaches, he works to create lasting awareness and engagement for causes that matter most.

Rich believes in the transformative power of community, and his work is centred around creating meaningful connections between organisations and the people they serve. Whether through targeted messaging, collaborative partnerships, or advocacy campaigns, Rich strives to elevate voices that have the potential to drive real, positive change in the world.

In his role, Rich is continually inspired by the Foundation’s vision and the incredible impact of its partners, working tirelessly to help create a healthier, more equitable future for all. 

JESS CHAMBERS
Brand & Campaign Delivery Lead

Jess is responsible for the delivery of the Foundation’s brand and campaigns, ensuring projects are planned, executed and delivered effectively across all channels. She owns the full lifecycle of marketing projects, events and engagement activities, working to increase awareness, engage supporters and help generate income in support of the Foundation’s mission.

With a strong focus on organisation, consistency and outcomes, Jess oversees the coordination of campaigns and initiatives from concept through to delivery, ensuring they are delivered on time, on budget and in line with the Foundation’s objectives. She plays a key role in turning strategy into action, making sure activity is well-managed, impactful and reaches the right audiences.

Outside of her professional role, Jess has a love for travel and live music, drawing energy and inspiration from new experiences. This curiosity and enthusiasm underpin her commitment to delivering high-quality work that supports the Foundation’s goals and helps drive meaningful impact.

LOUISE SWANN
Design & Visual Identity Lead

Louise is responsible for shaping the Foundation’s look and feel, ensuring its visual identity aligns with the mission and values at the heart of everything we do. Passionate about creating meaningful and impactful work, Louise brings a thoughtful, artistic approach to every design, striving to craft visuals that resonate and inspire.

A dedicated advocate for animal welfare, when she’s not refining the Foundation’s design elements, you can find her exploring the Lake District with her dogs or looking after her horse.

With a keen eye for detail and a strong sense of purpose, Louise ensures that the Foundation’s visual presence communicates its commitment to positive change and compassionate causes, creating a lasting impact through every piece of work she touches. 

SIAN BARNETT WIKE
Strategic Communications and Content Lead

Sian leads the strategic direction of the Foundation’s communications, shaping its reputation and ensuring a clear, consistent brand identity across all channels. She develops and oversees the Foundation’s communications and engagement strategy, ensuring campaigns reach, engage and resonate with the audiences that matter most.

Responsible for content, storytelling and media management, Sian ensures communications activity supports awareness, engagement and income generation, and that campaigns are effectively targeted and amplified. She works closely with teams to align communications with organisational priorities, ensuring clarity, consistency and impact.

With a background in ESG and impact investing, Sian brings a strong understanding of purpose-led work and long-term impact. Outside of work, she enjoys learning practical skills such as DIY, renovating and furniture upcycling - a hands-on mindset that mirrors her structured, outcome-focused approach to communications.