Our Team

Chantal Hughes

Chief Executive Officer

Chantal joined Hampton Trust in 2006 as the Domestic Abuse Services Manager before progressing to Chief Executive in 2013 and leading the expansion of a range of domestic abuse and criminal justice interventions.

She has worked in the voluntary sector for more than 25 years, starting her career working with young people in care and delivering National Children’s Bureau training to equip individuals to provide mentoring support to care leavers. She has held posts with The Children’s Society where she developed services for sex workers, looked after children, care leavers and young people in the criminal justice system. Chantal also taught Psychotherapy at University of Southampton for six years whilst holding various psychotherapy posts, including schools based work, private practice and six years working with Relate, during which time she assisted in the implementation of the ‘bridging to safety model’ for couples experiencing domestic abuse.

Tracy Kent

Director of Operations

Tracy has been with Hampton Trust since 2009 when she joined the team as the Women’s Safety Worker, now known as DASA (Domestic Abuse Safety Advisors).

In 2011, she became the ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) for the Isle of Wight, and in 2014 she took on the role of ADAPT Manager before being appointed Deputy CEO in 2016.

Tracy’s journey has been diverse and included working in a bar, as a fitness instructor, and as a gym manager while also being a mum to two (now grown-up) children. Before joining Hampton Trust, Tracy worked in housing, providing crucial support to ex-offenders and vulnerable individuals. Her own life experiences motivate her work in this field, and her early work with offenders heightened her awareness that the majority of individuals committing crimes had a history of adverse childhood/adult experiences relating predominantly to domestic or sexual abuse.

Laura Childs

Foundation Service Manager

Laura joined Hampton Trust in June 2022 and oversees Project Foundation, our collaboration with police to manage priority perpetrators.

With over 10 years of experience in the field of domestic abuse, Laura brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to supporting victims and addressing the root cause of abuse.

As Foundation Service Manager, Laura plays a crucial role in supporting the teams delivering our services, ensuring they are delivered in a way that encourages engagement, provides appropriate support to clients, and prioritises victim safety while effectively managing risk.

Laura has a background in working directly with victims of abuse, including experience in refuge and supporting families in overcoming the impact of abuse. She is passionate about delivering programmes and enhancing knowledge surrounding domestic abuse, aiming to empower individuals and communities with the necessary tools to address this pervasive issue.

Deborah Gearing

ISVA Service Manager

Deborah Gearing has been a member of the Hampton Trust team since 2016. After working as a member of the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) service, in 2020 she took on oversight of the Children and Young People (CYP) and Adult ISVA service.

Before joining Hampton Trust, Deborah worked as an Identification Systems Operator within Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police, where she offered support to victims and witnesses throughout the identification procedures. This prior experience provided her with invaluable insights into the needs and challenges faced by survivors. Additionally, Deborah has a background in working for the Isle of Wight Council within the Safer Communities Team, further enhancing her understanding of the intricacies involved in creating safe environments for individuals and families.

Emma Hazan

Director of Service Development

Emma has been working in the field of domestic abuse and gender-based violence for more than 10 years, gaining profound knowledge and expertise in this area.

She has a Masters of Social Work (Policy and Intervention) and has worked with victim services in South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.

Emma joined Hampton Trust in 2015 as an ADAPT facilitator and Domestic Abuse services practitioner, delivering behavioural change programmes to people using harmful behaviour in their relationships. She has managed a perpetrator service across Gloucestershire, where she wrote a Healthy Relationships programme that was chosen as an NCLB Awards finalist.

She has been involved in the development and delivery of a wide range of domestic abuse training programmes for professionals in Gloucestershire and Hampshire, including Hampton Trust’s DARE Toolkit. Emma has been delivering CARA since 2016, and since 2021 she is leading the national expansion of CARA and the development and implementation of our CARA replication model, driving its growth and ensuring its effectiveness across the country.

Steve Lazell

Finance Director

Steve joined Hampton Trust in February 2022 as Finance Manager. Being a CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) qualified accountant, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organisation.

As Finance Manager, Steve oversees and manages all financial aspects of Hampton Trust. His primary responsibility is to ensure Hampton Trust’s financial stability and effectiveness by developing and implementing sound financial plans for the future. Steve works closely with the Finance Administrator to maintain accurate day-to-day financial activities, including invoicing, cash flow management, and expenditure control.

Having worked in large blue-chip organisations with turnovers exceeding £1 billion, his ability to analyse and interpret financial data allows him to provide valuable insights and recommendations to senior management and Trustees regarding Hampton Trust’s financial position.

Natalie Pearce

HR, Compliance and Resource Manager

Natalie’s role at Hampton Trust encompasses the organisation’s recruitment and HR function, health & safety and company resources, and working alongside the Senior Management Team to oversee Hampton Trust’s Quality Management System.

Before joining Hampton Trust in 2020, Natalie gained extensive experience in customer service, HR and compliance through a number of roles within the maritime and cruise sector. Her responsibilities included managing crew on cruise ships, overseeing the deployment of crew members to ships across the globe, and overseeing the full life cycle of Deck and Engine Cadets enrolled on the Merchant Navy’s 3 year apprentice/training programmes. During a career break she also worked as a custody officer for Scotland Police for a year, gaining invaluable insight into the criminal justice system.