Four Trustees appointed following member election
Four trustees have been appointed following a member vote, marking an important step as the Society prepares to launch new initiatives and services.
We are delighted to announce the appointment of four trustees to the Board, following a recent election voted on by UK Evaluation Society (UKES) members.
This year’s election saw a strong and diverse field of candidates, reflecting the depth of expertise, experience and commitment across our community. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who stood for election. The calibre of candidates made this an exceptionally competitive process, and we are grateful to each individual who put themselves forward to support the Society.
We are delighted to announce the following appointments to the Board:
- Dr Andi Fugard, Director at IFF Research
- Dr Sarah Parks, Deputy Director of Planning, Performance and Evaluation at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
- Cormac Quinn (re-elected) Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Lead, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
- Charlotte Turner, Founder & Director of Bean Research
Together, they bring a breadth of experience and perspectives that will add to the Board’s strength and help guide the Society at an important moment in its development. Speaking about the election results, Jose Argudo, Secretary and Trustee of the UK Evaluation Society, said, “We’re very pleased with the level of engagement across our membership and the strength of candidates who put themselves forward. I’m delighted that we will be welcoming a new group of trustees to build on the Society’s momentum to extend the reach and impact of evaluation.”
Reflections from recently appointed trustees
"Evaluation has the potential to help us all understand how well public services and other programmes are working and how they could be improved, whether we are policymakers or people who rely on those services. I’m excited to join the UKES trustee board and support our members in strengthening evaluation’s impact, so that evidence plays a more central role in discussions and decisions about which services best support people’s needs."
‘I am delighted to become a Trustee of the UK Evaluation Society. UKES provides a crucial space where evaluators can learn from each other, challenge assumptions and develop practice together. I am very much looking forward to working with UKES in continuing to grow as an open, diverse and forward-looking professional community.’
"Evidence has rarely been under greater pressure from misinformation and ideology, while advances in AI are creating the possibility of evidence abundance. I feel that the UK Evaluation Society (UKES) has a vital role in helping its members navigate these challenges and opportunities responsibly, ethically and with confidence. As a trustee, I am particularly motivated to advocate for evidence-based policymaking, support early‑career evaluators (our future!), and help UKES provide leadership on how AI can be harnessed to strengthen the evaluation profession.”
"I’ve long believed in the power of evaluation to shape deeper social change and joining the UK Evaluation Society's board felt like the right moment to contribute to that from the inside. I’m particularly excited about the professionalisation agenda and the Society's potential to strengthen its role as a convening authority. Most of all, I hope to continue to help ensure evaluation is seen, and increasingly used, as an effective tool for better decisions. Thank you to the membership for entrusting me to represent and serve this community. I am genuinely honoured."
Looking ahead
These appointments come at a pivotal moment in the Society’s journey. As we continue to grow and evolve, we are preparing to share a number of important developments in the coming months.
This includes new opportunities and initiatives designed to strengthen professional learning, support our members, and extend the reach and impact of evaluation. Together with our trustees, members and wider community, we are building on strong foundations to shape what comes next.
We would also like to thank our members for taking part in the election. Your engagement plays a vital role in ensuring the Society remains representative, inclusive and member-led.