Ashley Comley
Chief Executive Officer
Ashley Comley
Ashley is our CEO and has over 10 years’ experience in the operational and strategic management of Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff (CARCT).
Ashley started as a volunteer in Citizens Advice in 2005 before moving into paid roles in general advice, debt casework and financial capability in various Citizens Advice offices in South Wales.
He is highly skilled in financial, legal and advice service delivery, and negotiates/liaises with stakeholders (funder’s partners and policymakers) on a daily basis.
Ashley oversees strategic development and business planning at CARCT, its overall service delivery, funding acquisition and financial management, human resources and staff development, public relations, the safe administration of the organisation (legal compliance, auditing and risk, health and safety, policies/procedures) and supports trustees with governance matters.
He also serves as a member of the Citizens Advice Wales Advisory Committee and is Third Sector Representative for Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB Stakeholder Reference Group
Ann King
Senior Client Services Manager
Ann King
Ann is our Senior Client Services Manager and is the strategic lead on our general advice service, debt advice, client services and our research and campaigns work. She has extensive experience in customer service delivery, human resources, and running a commercial business, from previous retail management roles.
Given that retail background Ann is passionate in ensuring the organisation provides the best client journey possible with high levels of customer service and quality of advice.
Karen Taylor
Senior Advice Services Manager
Karen Taylor
Karen Taylor is the Senior Advice Services Manager for Rhondda Cynon Taff Citizens Advice.
She started with Citizens Advice as a volunteer in 2002 Karen has worked within various roles within the organisation from a Cert MAP Debt adviser, to Advice Coach and has been a part of the Senior Management Team since 2014.
Karen works strategically to make sure that we continue to offer free, impartial and confidential advice services to the communities in Rhondda Cynon Taff. She is passionate about making sure we offer good quality advice accessible to all members of the community.
Karen is also Co-Chair of the Regional Advice Network steering group for Cwm Taff Morgannwg. Karen lives in the Cynon Valley and is a keen supporter of Women and Girls rugby.
Kylie Bell
Business Development Manager
Kylie Bell
Kylie Bell is the Business Development Manager at Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff. She joined our organisation in 2018 to grow our charity, in a sustainable way to support people to access social welfare advice.
Kylie has over 10 years’ experience working in the charity sector across South Wales and is passionate about social justice and enabling people to learn. She started her career as a volunteer at a local environmental charity, before advancing into operational and strategic management roles, at the charity’s social enterprise. Kylie led that organisation to become Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year in 2017, before joining a small charity that provided therapeutic support to young people struggling in mainstream education.
Within our organisation, Kylie is responsible for income generation, which involves developing funding strategies, prospect scoping, identifying and applying for funding from grants, trusts and foundations, along with diversifying our income from other sources. She has a strong interest in research and campaigns and recently delivered an advice innovation project with members of our team and partners, to improve our advice services to meet the needs of carers’ and people experiencing poor mental health.
Presently, Kylie undertakes event co-ordination, marketing and manages two energy advice services delivered at local community venues across Rhondda Cynon Taff. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, walking and watching crime based dramas.
Caitlin Tempest
Generalist Team Leader
Caitlin Tempest
Caitlin is a Team Leader; with 10 years’ experience within Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff (CARCT).
Caitlin dipped her toe in Citizens Advice in 2009 as a volunteer in administration for a few months. Then started in a general office role in 2012 and has moved through a variety of roles and developed key skills within Management Support, Client Services, Advice Coaching & Volunteer Coordination.
A skilled trainer – she has also delivered successful training projects such as managing a pan-Wales Discrimination Awareness project for 4 years, and regionally led our Gambling Support Service for 2 years.
Caitlin has been Team Leader since September 2021 leading on pilot and current remote advice projects including Help to Claim & Claim What’s Yours. Most recently Caitlin also took on the lead of the Basic Income Pilot in collaboration with the local authority.
Gareth Evans
Generalist Team Leader
Gareth Evans
Gareth has 9 years experience working for Citizens Advice RCT in a range of different roles. He started as a general adviser before specialising in debt advice for a number of years, in which time Gareth successfully helped clients to write off over £2million of debt. Gareth later moved to an advice coach role and is now a team leader managing the general advice team.
Gareth is a team player and always tries to get the best out of his team members, his main aim is that our clients are getting the best journey and service that they can get in their time with us.
Jamie Haynes
Team Leader
Jamie Haynes
Jamie is a Team Leader at Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff. He has direct responsibility for the day-to-day service delivery of our Help Through Hardship Project which delivers generalist advice to clients via a national telephony based service.
Jamie started his career with Citizens Advice in 2018 as a volunteer before progressing into a fulltime paid role within our Help to Claim Project. Jamie then progressed into a team leader role managing our Help to Claim team before progressing further into a permanent team leader role managing two of our internal projects.
In his current role he plays an active part in the operational development of both the project and people he directly manages and the overall service delivery of the organisation. His role includes recruitment, learning and development, absence management, support and supervision, managing stakeholder relationships and supporting the organisation with change management.
Jamie takes pride in the work he does and gains real job satisfaction by knowing that he is making a difference to the lives of the people accessing our services through the delivery of meaningful advice.
Julie Ann Riseborough
Project Team Leader
Julie Ann Riseborough
Julie Ann has been with Citizens Advice since 2004 starting a volunteer in Cynon Valley CA and joining Rhondda Cynon Taff CA in 2014. During this time Julie Ann has also undertaken freelance work with a number of charities including Turn 2 Us as an Associate trainer delivering training throughout England and Wales.
As the Projects Team Leader Julie Ann’s main focus is ensuing the efficient delivery of our Welsh government and Council funded projects throughout the RCT area.
Julie Ann is a passionate believer in ensuring that everyone is able to access free, impartial advice and that we offer a client centred service.
Kayleigh Ford
Project Team Leader
Kayleigh Ford
Kayleigh is a Team Leader here at Citizens Advice RCT.
She began her journey with Citizens Advice in 2008 as a volunteer Law Student and in 2009 became an employee. During this time Kayleigh has had the opportunity to work in a variety of different roles such as specialist benefits adviser, specialist debt adviser, outreach manager, advice coach and working closely with the mental health sector in RCT and Merthyr via our Prescribing Advice Projects.
Since 2020 Kayleigh has been our debt team leader, along with being actively involved with our energy projects and prescribing advice service on a managerial level.
Keira Hughes
Team Leader
Keira Hughes
Keira is a Team Leader at Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff. She is directly responsible for the day-to-day service delivery of our Help Through Hardship Project which delivers generalist advice to clients in hardship via a national telephony-based service.
Keira started her career with Citizens Advice in 2020 as a generalist adviser. She then moved to an adviser role on the Help Through Hardship Project in 2021. Keira then progressed to an Advice Coach role on the Help Through Hardship Project, supporting advisers with their training needs as well as supporting quality assurance. Later, Keira became the Team Leader of the Help Through Hardship Project and now supports with the operation development of the project.
Keira takes pride in the role that she delivers, and wants to make a difference by helping to tackle food poverty nationally.
Loraine Morgan
Team Leader
Loraine Morgan
Loraine has worked for Citizens Advice since November 2009 initially as part of the administration team with Cynon Valley CA and then joining CARCT in 2014.
Loraine had a number of different roles within the organisation including Support Team Member and Support Coach which involved supporting and the recruitment of volunteers.
Loraine has been the Client Services Team Leader since November 2018. This role involves overseeing the team that are the initial point of contact for most clients accessing our services either via the telephone or in person at our offices. They are also responsible for processing all referrals that come in, managing appointments and communicating with third parties and stakeholders amongst other things.
Loraine is passionate when ensuring that clients have the best possible journey when accessing the service and she aims to give her team the skills and confidence to challenge instances when this is not so.
Sarah Howarth
Facilities and Services Manager
Sarah Howarth
Sarah is our Facilities and Services Manager and has over 10 years’ experience of working for Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff (CARCT). Sarah manages the overall facilities in the office, ensuring a safe, functional, productive office environment whilst adhering to legal compliance and health and safety policies and procedures.
Sarah started as a volunteer in Citizens Advice in 2012 before moving into paid roles in the Client Services Team, General Advice Team, Management Support and Executive Team Assistant.
Sarah is skilled in reporting, finance and organisational matters, and liaises with managers, staff members and trades persons on a daily basis.
Sarah is also responsible for finance, which includes paying suppliers, payroll, invoicing, and procurement. Sarah also oversees the project reporting which we submit to our funders.