Missing People Website

Our directors

Paul Tuohy - Chief Executive

Paul joined the charity as Chief Executive in 2005. His objective was to turn the charity into a more professional organisation with increased financial security whilst maintaining the passion of staff and volunteers. Paul also wanted to develop the relationship that the charity has with others working in the field of missing people such as the police, social services, other charities and NGOs. Having worked as a Director of Action Medical Research, he has more than twenty years of voluntary sector experience in a wide range of organisations including Drake Music Project, International Care and Relief, RNIB, Quit, Kings College Hospital, YMCA and CAFOD.

Ruth Mulryne - Director of Services

Ruth has extensive management experience in the voluntary, public and corporate sectors in the UK and Canada, with expertise in strategic planning, project and event management and fundraising, including managing the development of large staff teams of up to 100 people. Ruth was appointed Head of Services at Missing People in May 2007 and then Director of Services in May 2008. In this role she has overall responsibility for the charity’s service provision. This incorporates leading the strategic direction and operational effectiveness of the department to achieve consistently high standards for our users.  Prior to working for Missing People she was a Healthcare Consultant in Vancouver, delivering a range of innovative projects. Previously Ruth held senior management positions in services delivery and fundraising work in the UK voluntary sector, including Director of Development at QUIT, Head of Events at Mencap and National Projects Manager at NSPCC. 

Geoff Newiss - Director of Policy and Research

Geoff was appointed Head of Policy and Research in May 2007 and then Director of Policy and Research in May 2008, having previously worked for the charity as a consultant. During this time, Geoff initiated the Missing People Research Programme, the first concerted effort in the UK to initiate a range of projects to collect key statistics and to improve our knowledge of missing persons. Geoff has a wealth of experience of undertaking research in the field of missing people. He worked as a Senior Research Officer with the Home Office from 1997 to 2005 with sole responsibility for analysing the policing of missing persons. Other published research includes projects on child abduction, homicide enquiries, police crime recording, street robbery, refugees and other migrants. Geoff has also worked within the charity sector in various research roles including Director of Research at PACT (Parents and Abducted Children Together).

Alison Cowan - Director of Fundraising and Marketing

Alison was appointed Director of Fundraising & Marketing at Missing People in June 2008. Alison is experienced in leading organisational change, increasing charity income and awareness and building teams who deliver positive long-term results. After 12 years in commercial marketing with clients in the financial services, retail, IT and digital sectors, Alison moved to the voluntary sector in 2002 and has worked at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Asthma UK and the BUAV. As the current Vice Chair of Mind, Alison also has a good understanding of charity governance and leadership. Alison’s strong communication skills mean she is frequently a spokesperson for the media as well as at parliamentary and major donor receptions, stakeholder and fundraising conferences and events. Alison is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of Direct Marketing, the Institute of Fundraising and the Network of Women Chairs.  

Douglas Parkhill – Director of Finance and Resources

Douglas joined Missing People in September 2008 as Director of Finance and Resources. He has a background of senior financial, company secretarial, corporate governance and consultancy roles in industry and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and a graduate of the University of Glasgow. He is former Group Company Secretary of pharmaceutical group SkyePharma PLC, and former Finance Director of Black and Edgington, then the UK leading provider of tented structures for major events including the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Henley Royal Regatta, Farnborough International Airshow, state visits and royal garden parties.