Each year, NAFD members elect a national president and, together with a first and second vice president and the immediate past president, they become the NAFD Officers for that particular year.
People
President and Officers
Barry Pritchard
DIPFD
NAFD’s Independent Chair
Darryl Smith
DipFD
NAFD Acting President
Andrew Judd
Chief Executive Officer
Julian Hussey
DipFD
NAFD Second Vice President
Barry Pritchard
DIPFD
NAFD’s Independent Chair
Barry Pritchard DipFD
Immediate Past President and Chair
A third-generation funeral director, Barry Pritchard has worked for both independent and corporate funeral firms and has owned businesses in both London and Yorkshire, he continues to run a London based funeral home. He is a former elected member of the Committee for Professional Development and Board of Education. Barry has also served on the NAFD Membership Committee and is actively involved with the London Association of Funeral Directors, serving as President from 2012-2013.
Darryl Smith
DipFD
NAFD Acting President
Darryl Smith DipFD
Acting President 2024-25
Darryl Smith has been in the funeral profession for over 39 years and is now General Manager for Heart of England – a small independent regional co-operative society with 16 funeral home locations. He has been National President for the Co-operative Funeral Service Managers Association and an active member of many NAFD local associations, including a term as the President of the Midlands Area Federation in 2012-14. He joined the NAFD Executive in 2021 and also serves on the Membership Committee. Darryl will be NAFD President from September 2025.
Andrew Judd
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Judd DipFD
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Judd is the Chief Executive Officer of the NAFD. Prior to joining the NAFD in January 2023 as CEO, Andrew was Operations Director for Dignity plc, as well as a former member of the NAFD Executive Committee and Past President of the NAFD Western Counties Area Federation. A funeral director with more than 40 years experience, Andrew began his career at an independent funeral firm in Swansea, followed by periods in both Edinburgh and Bristol. He moved into management in the early 1990s, holding a variety of leadership roles, but continued to arrange and conduct funerals for many years, to ensure he never lost sight of why funeral directors do this critical and important job nor the issues facing frontline funeral teams.
Julian Hussey
DipFD
NAFD Second Vice President
Second Vice President
Julian Hussey, of A. G. Down, was re-elected to the NAFD Executive Committee in May 2022 and will be NAFD President in 2026.
He joined the funeral profession in 1987, firstly in the family business and subsequently for a firm in Salisbury. He also worked for firms in the Midlands, before turning to the family business. Julian has been President of both the Western Counties Area Federation and the Devon Area Federation.
Kate Edwards
DIPFD
B ED (HONS)
Director Of Ventures
Rachel Bradburne
Director of External Affairs
David Hunter
Quality Risk & Compliance Manager
Gary OHara
Scotland & North England Quality Risk and Compliance Manager
Kate Edwards
DIPFD
B ED (HONS)
Director Of Ventures
Kate Edwards BEd(Hons); DipFD
Director of Ventures
Kate Edwards is a Past President of the NAFD and previously chaired the Conference and National Funeral Exhibition project boards as well as holding the position of Vice Chair of the Board of Education for many years.
Kate is an experienced NAFD tutor, and her background also includes being involved with the establishment of the Funeral Standards Council and Funeral Ombudsman Scheme,
In 2024, Kate joined the staff of the NAFD as Director of Ventures, with a portfolio including oversight of Education, Complaints, Standards and Events.
Rachel Bradburne
Director of External Affairs
David Hunter
Quality Risk & Compliance Manager
Gary OHara
Scotland & North England Quality Risk and Compliance Manager
The NAFD team
The NAFDs small professional team, led by Chief Executive Andrew Judd, includes expertise in events, membership management, public affairs, communications, education, finance, complaints handling – and a working with IFSO, who inspect funeral homes in NAFD membership.