Our people
Operation Smile’s leadership team helps to ensure we make the most efficient use of our precious resources. Our Board of Trustees and Medical Sub-Committee work tirelessly around the world to ensure our patients receive the highest quality cleft care and that we’re able to achieve our ambitious goal to reach 1 million patients in our next decade.
Our Board of Trustees
Saqib Alam
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Saqib is an international lawyer who advises global companies, boards and individuals facing business-critical issues and helps them resolve such matters from a legal and reputational standpoint. Practicing in London for the last 15 years, Saqib has represented companies and individuals in regulatory investigations, litigation and corporate crises covering dozens of countries around the world.
Saqib graduated from King’s College, University of London, with First Class Honours in Law in 2006. He has previously served as a Justice’s Law Clerk in the Supreme Court of Singapore and as an Assistant Registrar in the High Court of Singapore. He is admitted to practice law in New York, England and Singapore.
He joined Operation Smile UK’s Board of Trustees in January 2024, and was appointed Chair in September 2025.
Dr Phil McDonald – MB ChB, FRCA (UK)
Phil graduated from Liverpool University in Medicine. He is a Consultant in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester.
He has been Medical Director and a Trustee on the Board of Operation Smile UK since it was registered in 2002 and was featured in the BBC1 documentary about Operation Smile, ‘The Facemakers’, in June 2000 and in the 2009/10 Blue Peter Charity Appeal, ‘Send a Smile’, which also supported the charity.
Phil has been an anaesthesia volunteer with Operation Smile since 1995 and has been on numerous medical projects in Columbia, the West Bank, Romania, India, China, the Philippines, Kenya and Ethiopia.
He is committed to the provision of sustainable healthcare solutions in developing countries and has worked tirelessly to develop the anaesthesia capacity of Jimma University Hospital, Jimma, Ethiopia through the establishment of their Anaesthesia Residency Programme.
Chris Pinnington
Chris has spent his career managing Global Communications agencies, specialising in advertising, digital, PR, media and direct marketing.
He worked 32 years at Havas, most recently as Global Chief Operating Officer. Now a non-executive director, investor and adviser helping high potential companies to realise their true potential.
Chris joined Operation Smile UK’s Board of Trustees in February 2018. He brings a wealth of communication expertise to Operation Smile and works with us to ensure appropriate and relevant mix of communications across diverse communications channels.
Diana Dalton
Diana is a Senior Civil Servant at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office with a career anchored in international development.
She currently heads up FCDO’s work on Gender and Equalities, working to advance the rights and opportunities for women and girls and marginalised groups around the world. Previous FCDO roles include Head of the Research Department, Head of the UN and Commonwealth Department and Country Director for the expansive UK development operation in Bangladesh.
Before joining the UK’s civil service, Diana held different leadership and operational roles in the international development NGO sector, including Country Director for Voluntary Service Overseas for the Thai and Myanmar programme and Global Communications and Advocacy Manager for the International Save the Children Alliance. After many years working in London and overseas, Diana moved to Scotland and is now based in Edinburgh.
Judy Nyaga
Judy is currently the Company Secretary of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited and Regional Head for Corporate Governance in Africa & Middle East.
Judy joined the Board of Trustees of Operation Smile UK in January 2024 and brings on board over 20 years of legal and corporate governance experience in the banking industry with a strong track record of driving improvement in the effectiveness of Boards in Kenya and across Africa, Middle East, ASEAN and South Asia.
Ingrid Cope
Ingrid Cope is an accomplished legal and strategic leader with over 20 years of experience across global brands including Coca-Cola, Heinz, and Pernod Ricard. Currently at Coca-Cola, Ingrid oversees compliance, governance, and risk for the business in Europe, playing a key role in major partnerships such as the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Ingrid’s international outlook and experience managing cross-cultural teams make her highly effective in global settings. Ingrid has deep experience in corporate governance, transformation, and regulatory compliance, and has worked in multiple sectors, including government and the third sector.
Ingrid is passionate about the work of Operation Smile and has a personal connection to the cause – her husband Paul was born with a cleft condition. Both Paul and his late mother Irene, have shared with Ingrid the impact this had in Paul’s early life. Their experiences have given Ingrid a deep appreciation of the challenges faced by children and families navigating similar journeys today.
Patrick Aylmer
Patrick is a chartered accountant, with 20 years of experience in investment banking. He is currently the Managing Director of Fox Funding, a property finance business. Previously Patrick was Investment Director of a FTSE-100 corporate, and he spent four years as Finance Director of the Elton John Aids Foundation.
In addition to joining the Operation Smile Board of Trustees, Patrick also brings his extensive experience and expertise to the board’s Finance and Audit Committee.
Michelle Futter
Michelle Futter brings a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, human resources, and organisational development to the Trustee Board of Operation Smile UK. Her dynamic career spans multiple sectors, and she has held senior roles in both private and charitable organisations.
As the founder and director of MFHR Ltd, she advises organisations on executive recruitment, leadership development, and HR transformation. Michelle is passionate about empowering people and creating lasting change, and she is honoured to contribute her expertise to support Operation Smile’s vision and growth.
Medical Sub-Committee
Operation Smile’s Medical Subcommittee sets the standards for recruiting medical volunteers in the UK. They provide oversight and guidance to the board and senior leadership team about Operation Smile UK supported programmes.
Members
The Medical Committee is comprised of experts in their fields, who attend medical projects regularly and are in contact with fellow Operation Smile volunteers.
Dr Phil McDonald – MB ChB, FRCA (UK)
Phil graduated from Liverpool University in Medicine. He is a Consultant in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester.
He has been Medical Director and a Trustee on the Board of Operation Smile UK since it was registered in 2002 and was featured in the BBC1 documentary about Operation Smile, ‘The Facemakers’, in June 2000 and in the 2009/10 Blue Peter Charity Appeal, ‘Send a Smile’, which also supported the charity.
Phil has been an anaesthesia volunteer with Operation Smile since 1995 and has been on numerous medical projects in Columbia, the West Bank, Romania, India, China, the Philippines, Kenya and Ethiopia.
He is committed to the provision of sustainable healthcare solutions in developing countries and has worked tirelessly to develop the anaesthesia capacity of Jimma University Hospital, Jimma, Ethiopia through the establishment of their Anaesthesia Residency Programme.
Jackie Matthews
Jackie Matthews works as a cleft clinical nurse specialist (CNS) for South Thames cleft service, at St Thomas’s Hospital. She is an outreach CNS, covering Kent, East and West Sussex; she assesses new-borns, establishes feeding and supports patients through the cleft pathway to surgery, and beyond, as part of the wider multidisciplinary team. Her experience is as a surgical nurse, theatre recovery and health visitor (public health).
Jackie has volunteered with Operation Smile since 2011 and is part of the UK Medical Subcommittee. She attended five medical missions in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Ghana and Malawi. She is involved with teaching and representing the charity at fundraising events. She is passionate about giving everyone the healthcare and support they deserve to live their life to the full.
Wg Cdr Ankur Pandya OBE, OStJ
Qualifications: MS, MCh, Dip. Nat. Board (Gen) (Plast), FRCS (Ed), FRCS (Glas), FRCS(Plast), DMCC, Eur.Dip. Hand Surg, RAF.
Ankur is a consultant plastic, hand & reconstructive surgeon, working both within the NHS and a full time Officer in the Royal Air Force Medical Services. He has been a volunteer with Operation Smile since 2006 and has completed 51 surgical programmes all over the world. He was the regional medical officer for Operation Smile in the Central Region (2008-2010), the deputy chief medical officer worldwide in charge of Governance and Quality Assurance (2010-2015) and has concentrated on volunteering and teaching on Operation Smile missions in cleft and post burn conditions.
Dr Bart Stubenitsky – MD, PhD
Bart is a American/Dutch plastic surgeon who focuses entirely on facial surgery, with a special interest in rhinoplasty. He runs the Dr Bart Clinic in Amsterdam, where he combines precision, artistry, and care to help patients feel their best.
Bart has been a surgical volunteer with Operation Smile for many years, working on missions in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. Born and raised in Kenya, he feels a strong connection to the region and is passionate about helping build long-term cleft care programs in Africa.
In addition to surgery, Bart is committed to training and mentoring local teams to improve access to safe, high-quality cleft treatment. He also serves on the Operation Smile UK Medical Sub-Committee, helping shape the charity’s medical work around the world.
Louisa Ferguson
Louisa is a Consultant Surgeon specialising in Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery and paediatric ENT Surgery. After graduating from Edinburgh Medical School, Louisa trained across the UK and Australia. Louisa became a Consultant Cleft Surgeon at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital and the Evelina London Cleft Service in 2018. She has been a volunteer with Operation Smile since 2017, and joined the medical sub-committee group in 2024.
Louisa is committed to advancing cleft care throughout the world. She has a passion for teaching and training within the field of cleft surgery, and is the current chair of the interface training fellowship programme for cleft lip and palate surgery in the UK.
Dr Jonathan (Jonty) Dean – MBBS, FRCA (UK)
Jonty graduated from the University of East Anglia Medical School in 2011. He is currently a Consultant Anaesthetist at East Suffolk North Essex Foundation Trust where he undertakes a broad range of anaesthetic duties.
Jonty has worked as a medical volunteer in a number of different countries including Ghana, Indonesia and most recently Malawi. With the blessings of a flexible NHS department he is able to undertake up to 6 months a year in volunteer work abroad which has focused most recently on Malawi.
During his time in Malawi Jonty works on both long-term placements, teaching and training local anaesthesia providers and participates in Operation Smile surgical programmes. He has become particularly involved in supporting service improvements on the burns unit in Blantyre, which has benefited from a number of analgesic improvements during his time there.
Jonty hopes to continue supporting and developing sustainable improvement in low-and middle-income countries in the future.
Our co-founders
Kathy Magee
Kathy Magee is the President and CEO of Operation Smile, which she co-founded in 1982 with her husband, Dr. Bill Magee. She currently leads all aspects of the organisation at our global headquarters.
As Co-Founder and a lifetime member of the Board of Directors, Kathy has been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s future strategy and leading project design. She has grown and expanded many of Operation Smile’s signature initiatives, including student programmes and Women in Medicine.
In more than forty years of work with Operation Smile, Kathy has traveled overseas extensively to expand in-country boards while cultivating key corporate, diplomatic, government and medical partnerships. She has also fostered university partnerships and research with academic institutions to better understand the causes of cleft.
Dr Bill Magee
Bill Magee Jr., D.D.S., M.D., is a plastic and craniofacial surgeon who founded Operation Smile in 1982 with his wife, Kathleen S. Magee. Today he serves as the organisation’s CEO Emeritus at our global headquarters. From 1982-2023 he was Operation Smile’s CEO.
During the last four decades Bill has trained and mentored physicians worldwide and taken Operation Smile to more than 60 countries around the world. His passion and commitment have helped build Operation Smile’s global reputation as a highly-respected and leading organisation in cleft care provision for infants, children and young adults.
