Our Leadership Team

Ruth Davison,
Chief Executive

A passionate believer that mixed communities work best for everyone and help make great places, Ruth is proud to lead ISHA.

Building genuinely affordable rented and shared ownership homes and being a fantastic landlord - helping both communities and individuals flourish – is what motivates her.

Ruth joined the organisation at the beginning of 2019, having previously worked as Director of Policy and External Affairs at the National Housing Federation (NHF) for more than a decade and before that in strategic roles in the NHS and local government. She also worked at the Audit Commission and in higher education.

Despite ISHA’s good reputation, Ruth is keen to drive ever-higher standards of service delivery and accountability, especially to residents.

Dawn Harrisson, 
Director of Housing & Neighbourhoods

Dawn has been with ISHA since 2016 as Head of Customer Homes and was promoted in 2019 to become Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods.

Dawn has over 25 years' experience working in housing in both the public and private sector.

She is excited by the challenge of delivering our shared vision of a cracking landlord service and ensuring our homes are safe for everyone.

Dawn is looking forward to working with our tenants and residents to understand what they expect from us as a landlord and for them to help shape the services we deliver.

Jerome Geoghegan, 
Director of Development

Jerome joined ISHA as its Director of Development in April 2024, bringing with him more than 35 years of experience in the development and real estate industry, covering all residential tenures. 

His extensive background spans mixed-use urban schemes, partnerships and joint ventures, regeneration, strategic land, and affordable housing. 

Jerome has held executive and board director positions in both the Registered Provider and private sectors and has also managed his own consultancy business for a time. 

With a strong track record in delivering new homes, particularly in London and the Southeast, Jerome has established and maintained numerous partnerships, supporting others in their endeavors to create new housing opportunities.
 

Thea McNaught-Reynolds
Director of Culture, Communications and Involvement

Thea joined ISHA at the end of 2021 as the Head of Communications and Involvement and was delighted to become Director in 2023.

She brings over 20 years of strategic communications experience, influencing audiences and delivering behaviour change outcomes in the public and private sectors, including leading high-profile marketing campaigns for PwC.

With her strong interest in diversity and inclusion, she incorporates her values into everything she does and is passionate about creating spaces where people can thrive.

Taking on responsibility for People and Culture in combination with Communications, Resident Involvement and Complaints at ISHA is a natural extension of her people focus and strengthens ISHA’s commitment to compassion and respect in all we do.

Mike Finister-Smith
Interim Finance Director

Mike has had many years of experience as a specialist social housing finance expert, working as part of leadership teams for a variety of organisations. Before that he has also worked as a lead advisor on several large-scale voluntary transfers of council houses from local authorities to newly created registered social housing providers and has over 20 years local authority finance experience.

Mike is also on the boards of two other social housing providers, being Chair of Audit and Risk at Trent and Dove Housing in Staffordshire and part of the Customer Focus Committee at Ongo Homes in Lincolnshire.

Mike enjoys watching football, travelling and spending time with his family. He is also a Pets as Therapy volunteer and takes his two dogs to visit to schools, universities and care homes.