Epilepsy Action’s deputy chief executive, Rebekah Smith, has been promoted to the top job following the resignation of Philip Lee, who led the charity for 29 years.

Smith was appointed chief executive on a permanent basis last month, having stepped in as interim chief when Lee stepped down in November, saying it was time for him to “move onto other things”.

Lee worked for the charity for more than 37 years, 29 of them in the top job. A spokesperson for the charity said it was not aware of Lee currently being in another role.

Smith joined Epilepsy Action as deputy chief executive in 2021, before which she was the chief executive of Huddersfield Students’ Union for nearly four years.

She was a founding trustee of Elliot’s Footprint, a charity that supports families through child bereavement, between 2014 and 2020.

Smith was deputy chief executive of Leeds University Union between 2011 and 2017, before which she was marketing and development director at Eureka! The National Children’s Museum. 

She said: “We are putting epilepsy in the public conversation through national awareness campaigns and training as well as developing new, innovative support services. 

“My role is about continuing to be ambitious over the next five years so that by 2030 everyone in the UK will truly know what epilepsy is and how they can help people with epilepsy.”

Smith added that charities are having to try new things to remain relevant and financially viable, saying: “For us this includes partnership working in its widest sense: from engaging with other epilepsy charities such as the Epilepsy Research Institute, where I sit on the board, to corporate partnerships. 

“They are able to give us vital additional revenue so we can reach more people, raise more awareness and support the work of healthcare professionals.”