Our Trustees include people with axial SpA and health professionals
Hannah Bruce (Chair)
Hannah was diagnosed with axial Spa (AS) in 2018, and elected as Chair in 2025, having previously served as a trustee. As someone who experienced long delays to diagnosis, Hannah is a passionate advocate for NASS’ work in reducing diagnosis times and uses her influencing skills from her role as Head of Public Policy at the England and Wales Cricket Board to support NASS’ policy work with Government Ministers and MPs.
Mike Frankl (Treasurer)
Mike has been involved in the charity sector for thirty years, as a professional as well as a trustee. He has many years’ experience of being chairman and Treasurer in the education, homelessness and faith sectors. After twenty-five years working in the specialty chemical business as an engineer, finance director and general manager, he changed to work in the charity sector as Chief Operating Officer of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain. He was diagnosed in 2024 and has since become a NASS member and interested in supporting our work.
Dr. Raj Amarnani
Raj is a specialist in musculoskeletal, sport, and exercise medicine based in London. He holds an MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences from the University of Oxford, where his research on fatigue and physical activity in axial SpA earned him the prestigious Kellogg College Research Support Grant. Raj has also received multiple education bursaries from both EULAR and the British Society for Rheumatology. Currently, he serves as President of the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Section at the Royal Society of Medicine and teaches on the postgraduate medical programmes at UCL and Queen Mary University of London. A long-standing advocate for NASS, Raj is dedicated to raising awareness and campaigning to support patients living with axial SpA.
Prof. Antoni Chan
Antoni is a Consultant Rheumatologist at the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust and a long-term supporter of NASS. He is the lead clinician for the Aspiring to Excellence team in Reading, which aims to encourage and recognise service improvement in axial SpA (AS) care. In 2018 he won the NASS Patient Choice Award for best care by a rheumatologist a gold Changemaker award in 2023 and in January 2020 he spoke at the All Party Parliamentary Group on axial SpA. He is also a member of the NASS Medical Advisory Board.
Paul Curry
Paul has been an active member of NASS since his diagnosis in 2008. From representing NASS at conferences to speaking in the media and at the Houses of Parliament, Paul has been a strong spokesperson for NASS since he joined the organisation. He has also organised fundraising events and helped many times at Members Day ‘Friends & Family’ sessions. Paul lives in Durham with his wife and three children and is a Director of a Garden Centre & Landscape Company.
Jo Davies
Jo has lived with axSpA for over 30 years and has been a member of NASS since 1999 and Chair of NASS Euston since 2016. Jo has a background in charity, membership organisation and grant management. She currently works for Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation, the global organisation supporting a network of patient organisations around the world.
Rachel Davis
Rachel was elected as a trustee in September 2023. She has over 20 years experience working in the charity sector as a professional fundraiser, Senior Development Manager and Company Secretary. She has also raised significant funds for various causes and is responsible for governance as Company Secretary for a charity.
Gillian Eames
Gillian has lived with axial SpA (AS) for over 30 years. With the support of NASS and the RNHRD in Bath she has stayed in control of her AS. She was medically retired from Local Government in 1999 which had a huge impact on her life. Gillian spends a lot of time helping others with axial SpA (AS) find the right help and support. She also holds regular fundraising events for NASS and volunteers in the office when needed.
Dr Jane Freeston
Jane is a consultant rheumatologist in the Spondyloarthritis Service at The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. She has 15 years’ experience of caring for individuals with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Janeis on the steering group for both the NASS Time to Diagnosis Patient Survey, and the Gold Standard in Treatment and Care, as well as being part of the first Aspiring to Excellence cohort.
Claire Jeffries
Claire is a Specialist Physiotherapist at Solent NHS Trust and the Chair of AStretch. She has worked with NASS on numerous projects, including 11 exercise videos that were launched by the charity in 2019 and in 2018 she won the NASS Patient Choice Award for You Changed My Life. Claire is also a member of the NASS Medical Advisory Board.
Dr. Lesley Kay
Lesley is a consultant rheumatologist in Newcastle upon Tyne and set up their specialist spondyloarthritis clinic in 1995. Her team were delighted to be part of the first cohort of our Aspiring to Excellence programme and gave the most patients the opportunity to participate in the British Society of Rheumatology (BSR) AS register.
Lesley bring a wide knowledge of the NHS, and was appointed National Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal Conditions with NHS England in 2024. She is co-lead for rheumatology in the NHS’s biggest quality improvement programme (GIRFT) and a former trustee of the BSR.
Raj Mahapatra
Raj has served as a trustee and Chair of NASS since 2014, having stood down as Chair in 2025. Raj was diagnosed with axial SpA (AS) in 1994. As someone who now lives well with axial SpA (AS), he continues to champion those living with chronic pain and supporting NASS in its mission to raise awareness of the condition and in doing so reduce the significant delay to diagnosis. Raj plays an active part in numerous national and international programmes connected with the condition.