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
Caitlin Tempest
Operations Manager
Caitlin Tempest
Caitlin is Operations Manager with 11 years’ experience within Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff (CARCT).
Caitlin initially joined the service as a volunteer in administration. 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. Caitlin became a Team Leader in September 2021 and last year started our Advice Academy, leading on recruitment whilst managing advice projects including the Help to Claim, and our supervisory team of Advice Coaches.
She has previously delivered successful training projects such as a pan-Wales Discrimination Awareness project, and regionally led our Gambling Support Service and is most passionate about staff and organisational development.
Donna Lewis
Team Leader
Donna Lewis
Donna is a Team Leader, and has worked for CARCT since 2012.
In that time, she has had a number of roles within Generalist and Specialist Projects. Including our Prescribing Advice Project working closely with secondary mental health and substance misuse teams. Becoming an Advice Coach in 2021, playing an active supervisory part in our service delivery.
More recently in 2023 Donna joined the Management Team, leading our Advice Coaches to ensure and improve quality of advice to clients, and working with our Academy staff members and assisting them through our training pathways. Alongside this, Donna also leads our Core delivery services within our main office locations.
Gareth Evans
Team Leader
Gareth Evans
Gareth has 9 years experience working for Citizens Advice RCT in a range of different roles. He currently leads our specialist Debt and Energy teams within the organization.
Gareth 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 then a Team Leader role in 2021 managing generalist advice.
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.
Gemma Ryan
Team Leader
Gemma Ryan
Gemma is a new general advice Team Leader for a variety of projects, such as our Local Foodbank project, Pen-Y-Cymoedd project and our national Help to Claim helpline team.
She joined Citizens Advice RCT in 2020 as a Generalist Adviser on a helpline, developing her advice skills; Gemma then moved into a Specialist Advice role supporting clients with mental health issues and working closely with the Community Mental Health team. More recently Gemma was the specialist advice lead on our BIP project supporting young care leavers in the Welsh Government Basic Income Pilot.
Gemma advocates using a tailored approach to advice which recognises that all service users are different and is passionate about building strong community relationships to enable our organisation to provide high quality advice that is accessible for everyone.
Julie Ann Riseborough
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 ensuring 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.
Karen Taylor
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Karen Taylor
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 that is accessible to all members of the community.
Karen is also Co-Chair of the Regional Advice Network steering group for Cwm Taff Morgannwg.
Kayleigh Ford
Project Team Leader
Kayleigh Ford
Kayleigh is a Team Leader here at Citizens Advice RCT. Currently on Maternity Leave.
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 and specialist advice areas such as benefits, debts, and in roles such as Outreach Manager, Advice Coach. She has worked 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 community energy and finances projects 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, and progressed to an Advice Coach role, supporting advisers with their training needs as well as supporting quality assurance. Later, Keira became the Team Leader of the Help Through Hardship team and now supports with the operational 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.
Marnie Wilkins
Business Development & Impact Lead
Marnie Wilkins
Marnie is our Business Development & Impact Lead; supporting income generation and developing strong and sustainable relationships with diverse funding sources.
Marnie also leads the delivery of the Multiply training project to improve numeracy skills, via advice, for adults in our local area.
She joined Citizens Advice RCT in 2021, building her advice skills as a generalist adviser on Help Through Hardship helpline, and moving into a supervisory Advice Coach role and then managing general advice projects as a Team Leader.
Marnie advocates using a tailored approach to advice and training services which recognises that all service users are different. She is passionate about sharing this with funders to generate dependable income streams, and in turn will enable our organisation to provide the best service to our clients.
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.
Sophie Raybould
Team Leader
Sophie Raybould
Sophie’s career had begun in conveyancing before she started her time at CARCT, delivering generalist advice herself on the Claim What’s Yours helpline. Sophie later moved to an Advice Coach role, supervising advice delivery across a number of channels.
Sophie is passionate about delivering the best client journey experience possible through the helpline services and enjoys supporting others to provide a quality service.
