Sarah Hughes Chief Executive

About me

Sarah Hughes is a Sciana member and Chief Executive of Mind, a mental health charity.

Having initially trained as a social worker, Sarah has worked in mental health and criminal justice for 29 years, managing a range of innovative community and secure services. She also led the research, evaluation and roll out of Holloway Prison’s pioneering ‘First night in custody’ project.

In recent years, Sarah has led Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind, an organisation known internationally for values-led practice and high-impact campaigns including STOP Suicide and Stress LESS.

Sarah has a master's degree in understanding organisations and is studying for a professional doctorate in women, resilience and leadership at the Tavistock and Portman Centre. She writes a blog and has a weekly vlog about mental health and wellbeing. Sarah has also written many guest pieces for various platforms and been a speaker at numerous international events.

Sarah is passionate about the mental health of the nation and believes it is possible to achieve parity of esteem (valuing mental health equally with physical health) by drawing on the amazing work already being undertaken across the country.