About Us
Directors and Office Manager
Mark Willis - Director
Mark Willis has been in social work for over twenty years. He began in 1984 working as a residential and day care worker with people with learning disabilities. In 1987 he moved into child care work as an assistant social worker before qualifying with the Diploma in Social Work in 1994.
Following this he worked as a social worker, senior practitioner and team manager within local authority social services departments. In addition, he spent a year co-ordinating child protection training for a large social care department during which he developed two academically accredited training programmes on risk assessment. In 2000 he became a self-employed Guardian ad Litem representing children’s interests in over 100 cases during a five year period in Kent and Essex.
He now holds a BA (Hons) in Social Work and Psychosocial Studies from the University of East Anglia, a Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice with Children and Families and a Post Graduate Certificate in Management from Nottingham Trent University. He is also an Accredited Practice Teacher in Social Work.
Andre Palmer - Director
André Palmer qualified as a social worker in 1997 following a career in the private sector. He worked within a children’s assessment team and then as a senior practitioner within child protection. In 2000 he became a Child Protection Officer with the NSPCC and latterly acted as Manager of a specialist unit working with children and families.
In 2002 he became Manager of therapeutic services at Kites Children’s Services a specialist unit working with children who display sexually harmful behaviour. In 2008 Andre became a Director of Kites Childrens Services.
He holds an MA in Applied Systemic Theory from the Tavistock, a BA in Professional Social Work Practice, a PQ Award in Childcare and an Advanced Award in Social Work.
Sarah Stowe
Sarah Stowe has a wealth of experience in management and administration, mainly within the financial services sector.
Before joining WillisPalmer she worked as a Personal Assistant to a Managing Director and also as a Development and Support Coordinator for a large corporate group.
She has also worked in public relations and marketing.
Julia Wood
Julia Wood has previously worked extensively in the insurance and finance industries in various roles from administration through to junior management level.
Before joining WillisPalmer she was working on a self employed basis offering freelance administrative services to local companies.
She has also previously worked as an office manager in the construction industry and has done various temporary jobs in retail, a call centre and as an office assistant at a Social Services Family Centre.
Michala Couldrey
Before joining WillisPalmer, Michala worked for a large non profit organisation as Service Manager within the Learning Disabilities sector. Within this role vast experience was gained of contract management. Previous to this has experience of working as Manager/Team leader in Insurance and Financial Institutions.
Lydia Surry
Prior to joining WillisPalmer Lydia worked for a leading Industrial Company specializing in Fiberglass Linings & Mouldings as Contracts & Administration Executive. Over the nine and half years spent working for this company she gained experience in all administration duties and gained knowledge of working in a busy Sales, Production and Contracts Department.