Chair of the HENRY Board
Tracey Chong has been Head of Boys’ Prep at Surbiton High School since 2020, where she leads the learning and development of over 200 boys aged 4–11, supported by a team of 35 staff. With a background in education and a passion for nurturing potential, Tracey is driven by the belief that every child matters, a principle that continues to guide her work and leadership.
As Chair of the Board at HENRY, Tracey brings her deep understanding of childhood development, education and inclusive leadership to support our mission of giving every child the best possible start in life.
Tracey lives in Hampton Hill with her husband and two grown-up children. She enjoys reading, watching films and travelling.
Dr Anne Coufopoulos is a highly experienced senior academic with over two decades of leadership in higher education, specialising in nutrition and public health. She has held several senior roles, most recently as Executive Dean at University College Birmingham, where she led the School of Health, Sport and Food. Prior to this, Anne was Associate Dean (Enterprise & Commercial) at Coventry University’s Faculty of Health & Life Sciences.
Anne is a registered dietitian and an accredited workplace dietitian with the British Dietetic Association. Alongside her academic work, she has championed workplace health, particularly in male-dominated industries. Her collaboration with the rail sector in the North-West of England to improve nutrition-related health has been recognised by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) as a model of good practice.
Anne brings a wealth of knowledge, strategic insight and a strong belief in the power of applied research to improve people’s health and wellbeing across all stages of life.
Dawn Wright brings a wealth of financial expertise to the HENRY Board, with over 20 years’ experience across the finance sector. After sixteen years in the finance industry, she transitioned into consultancy, spending four years as a senior finance consultant, including supporting HENRY during that time.
Dawn is now Chief Finance Officer at The Bell Foundation and has returned to HENRY as a Trustee, continuing her commitment to making a meaningful impact in the charity sector.
Elizabeth Smith is the Operations Director at EdPlace, an education technology company that supports children who are home-schooled or not currently attending school. With a strong background in curriculum design for children of all ages and a particular passion for early years, Elizabeth brings a wealth of experience in creating engaging, accessible learning experiences for families.
She is especially passionate about using technology to make education and support services more inclusive, flexible and responsive to the individual needs of families.
Elizabeth lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and their two young children, both of whom have severe food allergies and are very fussy eaters! Her lived experience as a parent further fuels her commitment to supporting children’s wellbeing in practical, family-centred ways. Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys travelling, reading and keeping fit.
Treasurer
Nigel Alcock is a qualified accountant with broad experience across financial, commercial and operational roles in both the public and private sectors. Over the past 11 years, he has held board-level positions, including six years with two large charities.
Nigel brings a strong understanding of strategic leadership, financial governance and operational efficiency, alongside a deep commitment to supporting organisations that make a real difference in people’s lives.
Nilushka Perera is a passionate public health professional with over 15 years’ experience working across research, practice and digital innovation. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to reducing health and social inequalities for children and families, particularly in low-resource settings. She is dedicated to making evidence accessible, inclusive and practical, ensuring it reaches the families and professionals who need it most.
Nilushka’s career spans the non-profit, academic, corporate and education sectors in both the UK and Sri Lanka. She currently leads as Head of Research and Impact at Babyzone, where she guides the development of the award-winning Baby Buddy app and wider community services, helping to scale evidence-based support for families across the UK.
She also serves as a Senior Fellow for Race Equity at Foundations, the What Works Centre for Children and Families, and is a Director at People Street, a community research organisation working to centre minoritised voices across complex systems.
Previously, Nilushka was Chief Operating Officer at Best Beginnings, where she led a multidisciplinary team to design, deliver and evaluate digital health tools focused on maternity and early years. In Sri Lanka, she has played a key role in strengthening mental health and psychosocial support services, leading crisis-response projects after the Easter Sunday attacks and co-developing digital resources for frontline professionals.
Pinki Sahota is Emeritus Professor of Nutrition and Childhood Obesity at Leeds Beckett University, with a career dedicated to improving child nutrition and reducing health inequalities. With over 20 years’ experience as a Registered Dietitian (RD), Pinki brings deep expertise in designing, delivering and evaluating interventions that make a difference to children and families.
Her work has shaped national guidance and local action, from contributing to NICE guidance on managing childhood obesity, to leading the Nutrition and Obesity theme within Better Start Bradford and co-developing the HAPPY early years obesity prevention programme. Pinki also played a key role in the Whole Systems Obesity programme funded by Public Health England, helping to create a practical toolkit for local authorities.
A former Chair of the Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO), Pinki combines academic leadership with a practical drive to support healthier futures. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking at home with music playing in the background, always something from her eclectic collection!