Community advisory panel
We are committed to putting the infected blood community at the heart of the compensation claim service. To help with this, we have recruited 13 members to our community advisory panel. They provide independent, experience-led advice and guidance to the board of IBCA.
Their role includes:
- advising the Board on concerns, expectations, and lived experience of those impacted by the infected blood scandal
- providing feedback on a range of areas, including emerging policy proposals, engagement activity and operational practices
- highlighting barriers or risks in how the delivery of the scheme may be experienced by the community
We know it's important to hear as many voices as possible across the infected blood community. All panel members bring a range of experiences to reflect the diversity of the infected blood community.
Community advisory panel biographies
Tim Green (Chair)
I bring a combination of lived experience, professional expertise and a strong commitment to public service to my role on the Community Advisory Panel. I have a personal connection to the infected blood scandal through my own lived experience and its long-term impact on my life and family. This experience has shaped my understanding of the complexities, frustrations and emotional toll faced by those affected, particularly around issues of trust, communication and navigating public systems. It has also given me a strong motivation to make sure that the voices of those impacted are listened to, respected and meaningfully reflected in how compensation and support services are designed and delivered.
Professionally, I have spent over 26 years working in IT, digital transformation and programme leadership. My work has focused on improving access to services, simplifying complex processes and making sure that systems are designed around the needs of the people who rely on them. I am a trustee of a local charity, supporting its digital transformation and helping to make sure technology is used ethically, transparently and in ways that genuinely support service users. I am particularly interested in how clear communication, empathy and integrity can be embedded into organisational decision-making.
I joined the Community Advisory Panel because I believe that lived experience must sit at the heart of IBCA's work. I am keen to contribute constructively, to challenge where necessary, and to help make sure that the systems, processes and communications developed by IBCA are fair, accessible and responsive to the needs of those affected. I see the panel as a vital bridge between the community and IBCA, and I am committed to helping build trust through openness, accountability and meaningful engagement.
I am deeply aware that, for many within the infected blood community, compensation alone will not represent closure. I am committed to advocating for approaches that acknowledge this diversity of need and help individuals move forward in the way that feels right for them.
Andrew Jones
I'm a business psychologist, facilitator and coach. I have haemophilia and have lived through the infected blood scandal, with first-hand experience of IBCA, having worked through my own compensation claim. I am passionate about supporting the work of IBCA for the infected and affected families who are yet to work through the claim process.
Professionally, I have worked on a wide range of business assignments in 35 countries spanning five continents. I am married, live in Wiltshire, and when I'm not working I play the saxophone for a rock and roll band.
Aster Abebe
I joined the community advisory panel because I feel a deep responsibility to use the skills and experience I've gained throughout my legal career so far to represent and support others in the infected blood community.
Many people in the community have felt unheard or struggled to access the support they deserve. My experience in advocacy and working collaboratively with others means I can help support IBCA in delivering a compensation scheme that is fair, transparent and compassionate.
Catherine Gadd
My brother Michael, died in 2011. He was a haemophiliac who received contaminated factor VIII in the 1980s. The infected blood scandal has had a profound and lasting impact on my family, and it is this personal experience that motivates my involvement in the panel.
I am a healthcare professional and have worked in accident and emergency care for almost 40 years. I qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1989 and have held a wide range of clinical roles. In 2016, I completed a Master's degree in advanced healthcare practice and now work as an advanced clinical practitioner in the emergency department. I have also undertaken part-time lecturing and assessment work at Liverpool John Moores University and enjoy supporting the development of future healthcare professionals.
It took me many years to speak openly about the scandal, but I now feel able to use both my professional experience and personal insight to support others and help ensure a fair and compassionate compensation process.
Conan McIlwrath
I am a long-standing advocate for people affected by haemophilia and contaminated blood, bringing both lived experience and national leadership to my work. Diagnosed with haemophilia from birth, I was directly impacted by the infected blood scandal and have spent many years representing the voices of those infected and affected.
Based in Northern Ireland, I campaigned for parity of support payments and have served on the infected blood stakeholder panel with the Department of Health NI, and co-chaired Friends and Families of Haemophilia NI.
I am currently chair of The Haemophilia Society, the UK's national charity for people with genetic bleeding disorders, having previously served as vice chair and trustee. I provided evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry, have worked closely with government and compensation bodies, and continue to campaign for fairness, transparency and equal treatment across all UK nations.
Alongside my advocacy, I have a professional background in engineering within the public sector. This informs my structured, evidence-based approach to governance, accountability and decision-making.
Dr Lazarus Karamadoukis
I am dedicated to advancing the delivery of the compensation scheme and supporting those impacted.
I am a consultant nephrologist at Dorset County Hospital, a position held since June 2009. I hold a medical degree and a Bachelor of Science from the University of London, a PGCE from the University of Bristol, and membership of the Royal College of Physicians. I am currently studying a postgraduate degree in law at the University of London.
Throughout my career, I have held various clinical and leadership roles, including clinical lead of the Dorset nephrology service and chair of the drugs and therapeutic committee for Dorset County Hospital. I have also served as the non-surgical transplant renal units' representative on the NHS Blood and Transplant Kidney Advisory Group.
I have participated as a site investigator in several clinical trials focused on vasculitis and chronic kidney disease, reflecting a commitment to advancing nephrology through both clinical practice and research.
Hannah Truman
I began my career working in law firms in a business development capacity, and then went on to train and qualify as a corporate lawyer in a large city firm.
After having children, I undertook a non-legal role, managing the phone-hacking scandal legal team within a law firm. Most recently, I have been working as a legal consultant.
I represent my grandfather's estate, as he was a victim of an infected blood transfer in the 1980s. I have been through the process of applying for an interim compensation payment via IBCA, and a secondary interim compensation payment via IBIEPS.
I aim to positively support the delivery of the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, helping to make the process quicker and easier for those infected and affected.
Justine Gordon-Smith
I was a family carer for my late father, Peter, who died as a result of being given infected blood products. I promised I would represent my father after he died. Peter was a caring, moral man who would have supported my efforts to campaign for better palliative care for those still suffering.
Before caring for my father, I was building my career as a documentary filmmaker. In 2001, I won the BBC Newcomers Award and was nominated for a Royal Television Society award for my master's degree film the Block.
I am committed to community cohesion and spent several years chairing and campaigning with community groups and small projects.
I have campaigned on behalf of all infected and affected people, with a focus on protecting the rights of those who have died and carers' rights. I have also conducted research into what happened to my father and other victims in Scotland, and submitted significant evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry. I have been treated as an individual campaigner and representative by the UK government since 2022 and regularly submit research papers and submissions on the behalf of victims to the UK government.
Laurence Woollard
I bring lived experience of severe haemophilia and family loss resulting from contaminated blood. I have followed the Infected Blood Inquiry closely, attending hearings in person and contributing to wider awareness and reflection in different stakeholder settings.
Alongside this, I have 10 years' experience in patient advocacy, health policy and public involvement, contributing to advisory and governance roles across sectors. This includes serving as a current member of NHS England's Specialised Blood Disorders Clinical Reference Group.
I am motivated to work collaboratively to make sure that the voices and experiences of those infected and affected remain central to IBCA's decision making.
Lester Membe
I have direct lived experience of the infected blood scandal, alongside a strong commitment to representing the wider affected community with integrity and care.
My late wife was infected through contaminated blood. As a result, my daughter and I were infected. We have lived for many years with the lasting medical, emotional and social consequences for our family. On top of long-term health concerns, we have experienced loss, uncertainty, stigma and ongoing challenges in everyday life. For my daughter, this has also influenced aspects of her personal and social life, reflecting the wider, often unseen effects of living with infection and its associated stigma.
Following my wife's passing, I have continued to support my daughter while managing my own health and advocating for fairness, transparency and dignity for those infected and affected. Professionally, I bring experience from complex, regulated environments and offer a calm, compassionate and balanced voice, firmly grounded in lived experience.
Louise McCormick
I am an experienced educator and pastoral leader, having spent over 23 years in classroom teaching and strategic support for children and families. My professional expertise is strengthened by my lived experience of being directly affected by the infected blood scandal.
In 2025, I supported a relative to publicly share their story of receiving infected blood. This was an important milestone that reinforced the need for recognition and justice for affected and unregistered people.
Alongside my role as a Religious Education teacher and Head of Year 8 in Belfast, I contribute to the Scottish Infected Blood Forum, the Hepatitis B Trust charities, and IBCA roundtables, making sure community perspectives are represented with accuracy and compassion.
Guided by integrity, empathy and fairness, I am committed to supporting the development of a transparent and just compensation framework for all those impacted by the infected blood scandal.
Mohammad El-Gendi
I am committed to making sure that the delivery of the compensation scheme is not only efficient, but also compassionate and inclusive.
My background in internal audit has taught me how systems and processes can either empower or alienate people. I've led audits across banking and insurance, covering regulatory compliance, governance and risk management. This experience has given me a strong understanding of how to assess controls, identify gaps and recommend improvements.
I'll use these skills to help make sure IBCA operates in a way that is fair, transparent and accountable.
Owen McLaughlin
I am a senior business leader with extensive experience shaping strategy and leading transformation across complex, multi-site organisations. I have strong analytical capability, sound judgement under pressure, and a collaborative, values-led approach to leadership.
I have lived experience of the infected blood scandal. In 1989, my father died after contracting infections through contaminated blood products. More recently, I have been involved in representing bereaved family members and the estates of people who have died. I have been engaging constructively with IBCA and the government, seeking to support the fair, transparent and compassionate delivery of the compensation scheme. I bring a balanced perspective to the panel, grounded in integrity, empathy and public accountability.