Following a rigorous recruitment process, Castles & Coasts Housing Association (CCHA) have confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Dawn Clark, after Stephanie Murphy announced her retirement from the role.
Dawn (pictured above, right), currently Housing Services Director for CCHA, will take up the role on 1 October 2025. CCHA manages around 7,500 homes across Cumbria and the North East of England.
Stephanie (pictured above, left) announced her retirement earlier this year after 20 years at the helm. She was appointed as CCHA’s Chief Executive in July 2017, following merger, and before that was Chief Executive of Two Castles Housing Association from 2005.
Stephanie said: “It has been a huge privilege for me to be part of Castles & Coasts success. Together with a fantastic team of people, we have sought to put residents at the heart of everything we do, and to make CCHA a great, values driven organisation. I am proud of what we have achieved and confident that will continue, as Dawn Clark, my successor, takes the reins. I hope Dawn loves the role as much as I have.”.
Simon Roberson, Chair of the CCHA Board, said: “Stephanie has an outstanding record of service and achievements with CCHA. With true dedication to our residents and colleagues, she has led the organisation impeccably, and through some very challenging times including COVID and the cost of living crisis, into the excellent position it is in today. I am incredibly grateful to Stephanie, who leaves a strong legacy for us to continue to build on.
“Following a rigorous selection process involving external advisors and selected stakeholders, as well as a panel of Board members, we are delighted to have appointed Dawn Clark into this key role, and a meticulous handover process is now underway. With her passion and commitment to providing the highest standard of services tailored to the needs of our residents, Dawn was unanimously selected as the right leader to take us forward into the exciting next stage of our development.”
Dawn Clark has been CCHA’s Housing Services Director since 2019, having joined the organisation, following merger, as Integration Manager, and has worked in housing for over 15 years. Prior to that, she held leadership roles within the retail sector and hospitality industry.
Dawn said: “I am absolutely thrilled and very proud to continue my career at CCHA, working with our dedicated colleagues to make sure we are an open and transparent organisation that continues to deliver excellent services with care and compassion.
“I’m passionate about ensuring we are delivering services in the right ways to meet the diverse needs of our residents and communities. I’m committed to continuing to engage with our valued residents and acting on their feedback, so that we learn how we can continually improve our services for their benefit.”
Dawn takes up her role at an exciting time for CCHA, a G1/V1 organisation. The organisation is about to embark on a digital transformation programme to improve its customer and colleague experience, and continue its ambitious plans to bring over 100 new homes to the region each year, together with the continued growth of Castles & Coasts Services, its in-house repairs and maintenance team.