Meet Our Team

Tracy Pike began her career as a senior teacher for twelve years in a secondary school with responsibility for pastoral care. When leaving teaching she set up her own stress management company and was responsible for training hundreds of staff across two health boards as well as in schools and other statutory agencies.

During this time Tracy’s work was featured on the television and radio. Tracy set up the first Stress management on prescription project for Hywel Dda health board.

During this time, Tracy was also a development manager for Education Extra with responsibility for supporting charities with funding across 12 authorities in West Wales.

In 1997 Tracy joined CYCA as a learning clubs’ manager and became CEO in 2001. She has built the charity from a very small local play centre into a national wellbeing centre of excellence. CYCA now employs 22 staff which includes a range of wellbeing practitioners as well as two Flying start nurseries.

In 2018 Tracy received an MBE for 40 years services to children and families.

Lianna has worked for CYCA for 10 years, leading on two pivotal roles, Business Development Manager and Specialist Training Coordinator. Both roles are front facing and require leadership skills and a working knowledge of the sector.

She has a teaching degree and a foundation degree in childhood studies. Lianna is now the Deputy CEO of CYCA.

Lianna is a mother to two children and she is an avid Scarlets and Welsh rugby fan, she also has two Cockapoo’s named Beau and Teddy.

Kath started her journey at CYCA as a student volunteer in 2004. Since then, she has gained a range of qualifications and experience of working within the third sector.

Her passion is to support early years, children, young people and their families to thrive. By providing and managing early intervention projects, developing and managing high quality Play and Nursery settings, Mentoring, Training, Resiliency and Safeguarding.

Her qualifications include:

• BA Hons Early Childhood (1st) with University of Wales Trinity St David.
• Level 5 qualified in the field Health and Social Care Management Children and young people
• Trained Internal Quality Assurer and hold both IV and Assessor qualifications.
• Trained in Playwork, Youth Work and PACE

In her spare time she loves spending time with her family and traveling.

Barbara is the Senior finance manager and has worked for CYCA for eleven years.

Her career has been within an admin environment starting within the Construction Industry then moving into a Work Based Learning Training Environment, before joining CYCA.

Barbara is qualified in Business Administration, Customer Service, Advice & Guidance and Sage Payroll and Accounts; and she enjoys spending her spare time with family and friends.

Luke joined the CYCA wellbeing team in July 2021 where he began his role as a Mentor, as well as being involved in our Coop Bereavement support project, CIN Online safety and the delivery of training/resiliency. Prior to working at CYCA he spent 6 years working in the ALN department of a local secondary school, supporting young people with their academic, social and emotional needs. Luke has a passion for supporting young people through the many challenges that life can throw at them whether that is ALN, trauma or mental health and looks to enable those young people to become the best version of themselves.

Along the way Luke has gained a degree in Physical Education, Youth work qualifications and is a qualified Gym instructor, although he is constantly seeking new ways of improving his skills to ensure that he can provide his mentees with the best support possible.

Most recently he has qualified as a trauma and mental health informed practitioner.

Outside of his work Luke enjoys the gym, playing rugby, being active outdoors and learning new skills.

Kirsty has been working at CYCA since 2015 and is our ICT support lead. She was originally placed with CYCA as a placement through the Shaw Trust and was offered employment after her term had ended.

She also has the role as our Social Media Marketing Officer has completed a Level 3 Social Media and Marketing qualification.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her friends online playing video games and doing various arts and crafts.

Lyndsey has been involved with CYCA for over ten years, beginning as a beneficiary whilst being a stay-at-home parent. During that time, she completed 14 courses and in 2021, she began volunteering for the Mentor Mam project. Her passion for supporting others grew quickly, and she progressed into a staff role, delivering workshops and community projects while continuing her professional development.

In her current role as Community Liaison Officer, she works with, supports, and assess families referred to CYCA via GP services. She is also part of the therapeutic support team, delivering tailored interventions such as LEGO® Therapy and Conversational Play to help young people build confidence, resilience, and emotional regulation.

As CYCA's Health & Safety Officer, she oversees safety procedures, reports, and risk assessments, ensuring the wellbeing of staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries. She is also working towards a Level 5 Trauma-Informed Practitioner qualification to further enhance her practice.

Earlier this year, she was honoured to receive the Inspire Tutor of the Year award from the Learning and Work Institute Wales for her work as a CYCA trainer, delivering accredited and non-accredited courses that empower learners and strengthen communities.

Outside of work, she holds a degree in Animal Science and has a lifelong passion for animals. Lyndsey loves spending her days off with her partner and their four young children, making memories together.

Amy started her journey at CYCA as a paid apprenticeship through Clybiau Plant Cymru in 2004. During her time with CYCA she has completed many qualifications. Her main goal and passion is the importance play has within the first years of a child's life. Also the earliest of intervention into a child's life can be so life changing.

Her qualifications include:

• BA Hons Early Childhood (1st) with University of Wales Trinity St David.
• Level 5 qualified in management and leadership
• Level 3 in playwork and a vast of outdoor qualifications.

In her spare time she loves spending time with her two children.

Dee is the leader of Jellitotz nursery, one of CYCA’s Flying start nurseries.

She started as a student while her eldest children were small and progressed with the support of the management team, undertaking her Level 4 and level 5 in childcare and Education, Level 4 in Welsh & Bilingualism.

While working for CYCA she has completed resilience and trauma training.

She is married and has 3 grown up children and she is also a grandmother. Her children and grandchildren have also benefitted from CYCA by using our own nurseries and holiday clubs.

Meg is a counsellor and mentor at CYCA.

She believes everyone has the right to have safety, support, acceptance, and empowerment. She aims to facilitate a space for this to flourish when working with clients, accommodating for their needs.

She enjoys walking, all kinds of music and art, photography, gaming and learning as much as she can about people and the world!

Her passion is to help children and young people find their path in life, working through difficult times together and building up their self-esteem to bring out the best in them.

A mother of three, Jemma spends her free time walking, doing Pilates, reading, and watching Netflix when possible. Her guilty pleasure is reality television.

Carrie is a mum of 4 and full-time carer for her husband. She loves cooking, baking and anything arts and crafts. She is also a volunteer at CYCA.

She first came to CYCA 5 years go through the CYCA ROOTS project, in that time she has completed a number of accredited and non-accredited courses which have increased her skills and knowledge.

She now volunteers her spare time through CYCA'S Mentor Mams programme, where she receives training and support from CYCA staff members to become family support for other mums.