An award-winning not-for-profit champion has been appointed as the new chief executive officer at Northamptonshire charity, Cynthia Spencer Hospice.
Asma Maya Joseph-Hussain has worked in the not-for-profit sector for more than 20 years, with influential roles at renowned international non-governmental organisation Save the Children, plus top level positions at popular local organisations MK Community Foundation, where she was deputy chief executive, and Willen Hospice, as director of development.
The 46-year-old mother-of-three also spent a secondment period with the Disasters Emergency Committee, which she describes as a “fascinating” time in her colourful career.
Maya, as she prefers to be known, comes to Cynthia Spencer Hospice following a nearly five-year stint as CEO at the Safety Centre charity, and was recently awarded the Women Leaders Award 2025 for Community Impact.
She said: “The work of the hospice itself brought me here. I have worked in a hospice before and seen first-hand the difference it makes and the ripple effect it has in the community. When I saw the job advertised, I thought it was the right time and the right fit for me.
“As a local resident I want to make sure my loved ones continue to have incredible, accessible, high-quality care in their community.”
Maya plans to do this by working closely with the wider Cynthia Spencer Hospice team and has already moved out of her individual office to hot desk with her team.
“Building positive working relationships is so important,” she said. “Everyone has been so incredibly welcoming, supportive and approachable, plus so passionate about the care the hospice is giving.
“The common thread is that we all care about hospice services in our community. Going forward I plan to spend quality time with staff and volunteers to understand the organisation and identify opportunities as we go on this journey of growth and transformation.”
Maya also plans to collaborate with the charity’s clinical colleagues at the hospice and sister facility Cransley Hospice to sustain and grow palliative care in line with the needs of the Northamptonshire community, as well as raise as much money as possible to support hospice services.
Maya said: “There are numerous challenges. We need to raise a significant amount of money to keep hospice services growing, but we recognise we are in a difficult and uncertain financial climate.
“I’m a glass half full kind of person always seeking out opportunities.
“Hospice care is so needed. It should be high quality and accessible to all. It’s so transformative for patients, families and loved ones and you can’t replicate that anywhere else so we must do all we can to protect it. I would like to thank everyone who has generously raised funds, and I ask that you continue to support us to deliver much needed hospice care in our county.
“The world can be incredibly turbulent and working together shows what a difference communities can make.”
