Spring Conference 2026

Alexandra Birch is Head of Midwifery and Children’s Health at Birmingham City University and a registered midwife with extensive leadership experience in the NHS and higher education. She has led major initiatives such as the Staffordshire Maternity Transformation Programme and is currently pursuing a PhD while maintaining clinical practice. Passionate about bridging theory and practice, Alexandra champions innovative, student-centred education and professional development for nurses and midwives.

Through the Aspiring Deans programme, Alexandra aims to deepen her strategic leadership skills and broaden her understanding of the complexities of senior academic governance. She hopes to build networks with peers and mentors, gain insights into shaping policy and driving innovation and prepare to lead transformational change that enhances education and practice in health professions.

Pippa Chillman is a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at De Montfort University in Leicester and a registered mental health nurse. Her philosophy of leadership was shaped as a student nurse through her place on the inaugural cohort of the Council of Deans of Health Student Leadership Programme. Shortly after registering as a nurse, she completed an MSc in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, and she maintains a strong interest in this area, particularly in how quality and safety principles can be integrated into nursing education. She is passionate about supporting all students to lead, develop, and achieve their potential.

Through the Aspiring Deans Leadership Programme, she hopes to broaden her leadership learning, while deepening her understanding of national healthcare policy and contributing effectively to shaping the future of nursing education.

Lorna Hollowood is an assistant professor in Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Birmingham, committed to advancing equitable, person-centred care through education and research. Her work champions cultural competence and inclusion in health and social care, ensuring that diverse communities are represented in evidence-based practice. She is passionate about empowering future nursing leaders to create systems that exemplify fairness, value dignity and deliver with compassion.

Through the Aspiring Deans Leadership Programme, she hopes to strengthen her ability to lead with integrity and inclusivity, shaping academic environments that reflect and serve diverse populations. Her aim is to influence policy and practice so that nursing education not only drives excellence but also addresses health inequalities and fosters belonging for underrepresented communities.

Geeta is an Associate Professor and Head of Nursing at Buckinghamshire New University, with extensive experience in workforce aligned curriculum design, inclusive student pathways, and portfolio sustainability in health and nursing education. Her leadership focuses on enhancing student experience, widening participation, and delivering high quality education provision aligned to professional, employer, and sector needs.

Through participation in the Aspiring Deans programme, she aims to strengthen her strategic leadership skills particularly in policy influence, while gaining senior level mentoring, and broadening her sector network. She hopes to develop the confidence and capability to contribute effectively to institutional and national policy discussions, while learning from experienced academic leaders across the sector.

Dr Louise Mole is a co-academic for Dietetics, and programme lead for the BSc (Hons) Dietetics programme at the University of Plymouth. She has led the development of innovative, practice-aligned education including a Dietetic Degree apprenticeship and digitally enabled teaching approaches. Louise is passionate about inclusive leadership, workforce development, and preparing future healthcare professionals for an evolving healthcare landscape.

Through the Aspiring Deans Leadership Programme, she hopes to strengthen her strategic leadership capability, grow her confidence in operating at faculty and sector level, and expand her national network. She is keen to learn from experienced leaders, contribute to sector-wide conversations, and apply this learning to support sustainable, inclusive healthcare education.

Dr Lucia Ramsey is an experienced academic and occupational therapist at Ulster University with two decades of leadership in teaching, research, and professional practice within the School of Health Sciences. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and holds a Distinction MEd in Higher Education Practice, has held leadership roles including Programme Director, Placement Coordinator, Professional Lead in Occupational Therapy, and School Lead for Academic Quality and Student Experience, leading multiple successful programme revalidations and periods of institutional change.

This programme will equip her with the skills and space to lead at a more senior level with the structured learning and mentorship necessary to refine her leadership identity and prepare her for the complexities of senior roles.

Dr Ifrah Salih works at Sheffield Hallam University and is the Associate Head of the Health and Social Care School. She is currently the Professional Lead for Mental Health Nursing provision and Art Psychotherapy. Ifrah has a keen interest in race equity and is currently the Co-Chair of the universities Staff Race Equity Network. Her Doctorate explored the transition experience of ethnically minoritised student nurses into university.

Through the Aspiring Deans programme, Ifrah hopes to build on her current leadership skills through critical reflection, training and networking and utilise these to develop colleagues in academia.

Mark Spreckley has a clinical background in Physiotherapy and Master’s Degrees in Ergonomics, (Human Factors) Business Administration (MBA) and Research (MRes). For over 12 years, he has held healthcare leadership and management roles within the NHS and independent sector. In 2018, he completed his Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) within the International Centre for Evidence in Disability at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. For the past seven years Mark has been a full time academic at London South Bank University (LSBU), he is Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School for Allied Health & Life Sciences.

He hopes that the Programme will develop the strategic leadership elements of his current and future role and empower him to work in collaboration with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders to further understand, support and influence the vision, key objectives and business functions of the organisation and to navigate the complex, external environment.

Kevin is a nurse, educated to doctorate level with 30 years’ experience of working across clinical, commercial and educational settings. He is a fellow of the Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He presently works at the School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee as the MSc Programme Lead for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety.

The Aspiring Deans Leadership Programme will allow him to consolidate his professional expertise from working in education, commercial and healthcare settings, and enable him to transition from programme-level leadership to strategic institutional influence. 

Nikoleta Syreti is a senior academic leader and Programme Leader for the MBA Healthcare Management at the University of Roehampton, with over twenty-five years’ combined experience across the NHS, public health, higher education and international partnership development. She has a strong track record in educational leadership, curriculum innovation, staff capability-building and the design of inclusive, practice-based learning across disciplines, faculties and global contexts. Drawing on her background as a registered nurse and SCPHN, she brings a distinctive perspective on healthcare education, digital transformation, and the development of future-ready health and social care workforces.

Nikoleta aims to develop the strategic leadership capabilities required for senior executive roles, particularly in shaping institution-wide education portfolios, workforce development initiatives and cross-sector collaborations. She hopes to refine her influence in relation to academic leadership, financial and resource stewardship, and data-driven decision-making to enhance equity, quality and student success across diverse learning communities. She also seeks to contribute her experience of inclusive pedagogy, internationalisation and health sector engagement to the national leadership community, while expanding her ability to mentor and empower the next generation of academic leaders.