Meet our expert senior leadership team

Here at Ascending Heights our Senior Leadership Team brings together a diverse group of experienced professionals united by a shared commitment to quality, innovation, and compassionate support. With deep expertise across healthcare, operations, and organisational development, they provide strategic direction and inspire a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement—ensuring our mission is reflected in every level of support we deliver.

Joanna McNally

Joanna's brings a wealth of hands-on personal and professional experience and wanted to create a business that changes the way support is delivered for individuals with complex needs like learning disabilities, autism, and mental health conditions. Ascending Heights was born because Joanna wanted to be more than a provider and instead be a trusted partner, committed to personalised support that’s tailored to each person’s unique journey. Joanna has dedicated her career to the health and social care sector and has 19 years of operational leadership experience, initially training as a Registered manager specialising in supporting young people with complex behavioural needs. This was followed by a variety of roles including regional management, quality assurance & director of operations. Joanna sits on the executive board that leads the overarching governance and strategic direction for all functions across Ascending Heights. In Joanna's spare time she is passionate about being a trustee for a local charity supporting children with special educational needs and is a proud parent/carer to her wonderful children. Joanna feels the health and social care sector forms part of her core identity and advocates as an expert by experience.

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Kirsty Siddall

With over 12 years of experience across the NHS and private care sector, I have built a career rooted in compassion, dedication, and deep commitment to person centred support. My passion lies in delivering tailored support, that empowers individuals to feel safe, respected, and independent in their everyday lives. I pride myself on building collaborative relationships with all stakeholders to ensure we are building meaningful connections and fostering environments where people can truly thrive. Outside of work I enjoy keeping active at the gym, walking and spending quality time with friends, family, and my dog Ruby.

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Yusuf Rauf

Yusuf brings vast experience in property management and is passionate about business strategy and growth in the sector. Yusuf has a master's degree in real estate and has experience with some of the UK's largest property organisations. Yusuf will lead the business development division here at Ascending Heights as well as ensuring the standards of our real estate solutions. With the values and outlook of ascending heights in mind, Yusuf looks to tailor the property solutions within the business around providing the most sustainable and bespoke solutions to the people we support. Yusufs goals aligns with the rest of ours at Ascending Heights, aiming to move away from the institutional ways in which support is provided and towards innovative solutions to integrating the people we support into society.

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Lucy Dwyer 

Lucy is a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)-qualified accountant with care sector experience, having worked for a number of multi-site business since 2014 and senior finance roles specifically within adult social care since 2021. Lucy has a wealth of knowledge in relation to the funding of adult social care and is passionate about sustainability. Lucy is responsible for the preparation and integrity of financial information. Away from the office, Lucy enjoys spending time with her two young children.

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Our TEAM Values

Transparent

We commit to always advocating for the best interest of our people. Promoting open dialog through reporting and effective collaboration.

Empowering

Providing all people with opportunities to develop skills and promote a culture that is inclusive and creative through positive risk taking.

Accountable

Ensuring we all do what we say we will whilst upholding integrity. We deliver our commitment to take responsibility for our actions.

Making a difference

Enabling all people to live a fulfilled life with opportunities tailored around individualised aspirations.

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