About
Dr Nicky Shaw
Nicky is a motivated, competent, and driven organisational thought leader with a unique blend of experience in leading national organisations in strategic development, operational delivery, and service transition. She is a mentor to established and emerging leaders, a scholarly researcher and academic supervisor.
Motivated to improve social justice and outcomes, for nearly three decades, she has dedicated her time to the voluntary sector commencing as a frontline Social Worker through to executive leadership within two leading social care national charities. Throughout this time, she has pioneered new models and approaches for improving impact and social outcomes, with achievements in the fields of crime prevention, children’s social care and adult services.
Over the last decade, she has led national operations for a large disability charity, delivering on growth and strategic development, and overseeing complex transformational change. It is here that she has led on strategic design and exploration programmes to advance innovation in services, an approach based on concept development using data and insight to inform future strategy.
As a third sector leader, Nicky has led collaboration with national and international organisations, created partnerships with Government agencies such as NHSE, as well as advising on ministerial policy. Her recent academic doctoral research on organisational ambidexterity within the charity sector, represents important new knowledge for the sector and beyond, and is significant for those organisations managing the competing challenges of maintaining efficiency in the short term, and undergoing transformational change for long-term sustainability.
Nicky was appointed to Chester Business School as a Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Professional Development in 2024. Her areas of supervision include Doctorate and Masters Level Business Administration Post-graduate research and she teaches strategic management and third sector education. Nicky is working towards gaining fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
Nicky co-founded Birch Tree Associates Ltd. in May 2024 to support social outcome organisations to transform into tangible opportunities for growth. In collaboration with Matthew Lee, their approach is grounded in core values of people-first, innovation, inclusivity, and reflexivity. Clients include those seeking strategic development, operational efficiency, and leadership development.
Nicky lives in Chester, Cheshire and outside of her professional roles enjoys rural living with her beloved Bernese Mountain dog; spending time with friends; caring for family; and enjoying the great outdoors.
Fiona Sandford
Unlock Your Leadership Potential with Fiona Sandford MBA
Fiona brings over 20 years of first-hand experience as a charity CEO, so she understands the realities of leadership - juggling priorities, driving change and staying true to your purpose under pressure.
As a qualified coach and trained mentor, Fiona offers more than theory. She brings the insight of someone who has led from the front, made tough calls, and stayed focused on what matters. Her support is practical, calm, and honest - designed to help leaders move forward with clarity and confidence.
Fiona creates a trusted space for real conversations. She helps you get to the heart of the issue, whether you’re facing complex decisions, navigating change, or simply needing time to pause and reflect. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of direction and a plan that works for you.
Through coaching, Fiona brings deep expertise in strategic planning, organisational development, change management and shaping healthy, values-led cultures. She supports leaders to reflect, reset and lead in ways that feel both effective and authentic. Great leadership isn’t just about what you do - it’s about who you are.
Fiona also works with organisations to develop emerging leaders, offering practical guidance and space to build confidence. As a trained mentor, she supports newly appointed Chairs and CEOs - helping them step into leadership with purpose and perspective.
Wherever you are in your leadership journey, Fiona is here to help you take the next step.
Matthew Lee
Matt is a strategist, researcher, and systems thinker with more than 20 years of experience helping organisations navigate complexity, improve outcomes, and prepare for an uncertain future. His work spans strategy, innovation, organisational development, service improvement, research, and operational delivery across the public, voluntary, and social impact sectors.
Driven by a commitment to creating a more effective world, Matt is passionate about helping organisations understand the forces shaping their operating environment and develop practical responses that create meaningful and lasting change. He combines strategic foresight, evidence based decision making, and systems thinking to help leaders move beyond immediate challenges and focus on long term opportunities.
Matt's expertise lies in strategic development, organisational analysis, innovation, impact measurement, and research. He has led projects exploring subjects as diverse as health and wellbeing, volunteering and social capital, community resilience, organisational effectiveness, visual impairment, rehabilitation, and public policy. His work frequently involves bringing together data, research evidence, stakeholder perspectives, and practical experience to help organisations make better decisions.
As a researcher, Matt has designed and delivered both quantitative and qualitative programmes of work, including studies focused on the experiences of veterans with visual impairments, remote rehabilitation services, Charles Bonnet syndrome, volunteering trends, community wellbeing, and social outcomes. He has also undertaken strategic reviews, organisational diagnostics, and evidence synthesis projects that support leaders to understand complex challenges and identify opportunities for improvement.
At Birch Tree Associates, Matt works alongside Dr Nicky Shaw to support organisations seeking strategic clarity, innovation, organisational development, and sustainable growth. Their approach is grounded in the values of people first thinking, innovation, inclusivity, and reflexivity, helping organisations turn complexity into opportunity and ambition into action.
Matt is currently undertaking a PhD by Published Works, reflecting his long standing commitment to research, learning, and the practical application of evidence. He is particularly interested in how organisations can adapt, innovate, and thrive within increasingly complex social, economic, and technological environments.
Outside work, Matt enjoys mountain walking, exploring new ideas, and lifelong learning. Whether through formal research, professional practice, or personal study, he is continually curious about how people, organisations, and systems interact and how that understanding can be used to create positive change.
Richard Bounds
Richard partners with organisations to improve how they think, lead and deliver. Drawing on over 25 years’ experience in senior leadership and business analysis, he helps organisations turn ambition into action — designing and delivering services that are inclusive, high-performing and always built around people.
Having led large national teams and multi-million-pound operations, Richard understands the realities of service delivery at scale — but he is equally experienced in supporting smaller organisations to clarify priorities and drive focused, sustainable change. His consultancy spans the full cycle of service improvement, from shaping vision and engaging stakeholders through to planning, implementation and review.
He works alongside clients to develop clear, actionable strategies and then supports them to bring those strategies to life — aligning ambition with people, systems and culture. Whether launching a new model, strengthening a single service, or leading complex transformation across multiple functions, Richard brings a sharp focus on outcomes and an inclusive, collaborative style.
A skilled facilitator and coach, he also supports leadership development, succession planning, and cultural change. His work often includes building the confidence and capability of senior teams, aligning people and performance programmes, and creating cultures where learning, wellbeing and accountability can thrive.
Richard brings clarity and momentum to complex environments — helping organisations stay calm in the whirlwind, focus on what matters, and deliver results that last.
We would love to hear about your projects and discuss how we can support your goals.
Imagine the impact of transforming your organisational challenges into growth opportunities. Are you ready to lead your organisation into a successful future? Connect with us today to see how we can help you turn potential into reality.