Social action charity The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) has announced that its interim chief executive for the last year is to take the job on a permanent basis.

Former Christian Aid strategy chief Katie Roberts joined SMK last year to replace its last permanent CEO Sue Tibbals, who had stepped down after nine years leading the campaigning rights charity.

SMK says Roberts “brings a strong track record of delivering impact, nurturing collaborative relationships, and championing social change”.

Its chair Nicole Itano said: “Katie’s values-led leadership and deep commitment to empowering others to deliver social change are exactly what SMK, and the wider UK campaigning ecosystem need at this moment.”

Roberts added: “I am so grateful for the trust the SMK team and the Board have placed in me and my leadership, and I am very excited about continuing to work alongside our inspirational partners and campaigners to shape a more hopeful and just future.”

Three years ago SMK was embroiled in controversy amid claims of ‘power hoarding’.

A freelancer had accused the charity of failing to share power whilst working on the organisation’s official Power Sharing Project.

The alleged issues included concerns about authorship, skills audits on those with lived experience and a ‘shut down’ by board members when issues were raised, reported Charity Times at the time.

This prompted trustee Bushra Ahmed, to resign saying she “no longer (had) faith in the Power Project, SMK or the SMK Board”.

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