Cecily Henry has been a public partner in research for five years beginning her journey with the Research Design Service East Midlands. Cecily continues to support a range of organisations in both co-applicant, advisory panel and patient and carer roles including within medical and health education settings. Cecily has lived experience of living with chronic pain as well as being a parent of a young person on the Autism Spectrum. She is passionate about ensuring patient and carer voices are integrated into the design and planning of each stage of healthcare system lifecycle. With a background specialising in Equality Diversity and Inclusion in varying sectors spanning over 17 years, Cecily is committed to supporting innovative ways ensure a diverse range of voices are heard to support fair health outcomes for all.

Pradeep is a family carer for one of his parents and has fulfilled additional caring responsibilities throughout his life. Pradeep has acquired significant strategic experience through his various public appointments in health, housing and law & order, including serving as a Non-Executive Director for a Regional Housing Association.

Pradeep serves as a lay member on The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in Regulatory Tribunals and is a Hospital Managers Panel Member (Mental Health Act) for Leicestershire Partnership Trust NHS. Pradeep additionally is a Joint Audit & Risk Assurance Panel member for Leicestershire & Rutland Police Force. Pradeep is also Public Advisory Group Member for NIHR Public Health Intervention Research Programme and for the Evidence Synthesis Group.

Betty Berthebaud is a director of The Community Lab Initiative CIC, where she develops innovative programmes that support Ukrainian refugees in Lincolnshire through employability pathways, ESOL training, and community integration. She has a strong interest in digital transformation and the role of AI in improving access, equity, and outcomes. Betty has introduced digital tools into language and skills development and is passionate about harnessing emerging technologies to expand opportunities for displaced and under-served communities.

At HIEM, Betty brings grassroots community expertise together with a commitment to digital innovation. She is particularly focused on how AI and data-driven solutions can help reduce inequalities, strengthen prevention, and support patients and communities to engage with healthcare in new ways – aligning closely with HIEM’s mission to “transform lives through innovation.”

Dora was her husband's main carer, and this started her interest in carers and service users having a voice in the way health and welfare services are delivered. As a result, Dora has been a member of Carers Voice for eight years and Health Watch as a volunteer Board Member for six years as a voice for carers. Her involvement with Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust over the past seven years has given Dora experience and exposure sitting on over 100 interview panels, across the trust. She has also contributed to the patient experience group, medicines safety group, equality and inclusion and human rights assurance board. Dora has worked on contracts for Northamptonshire County County and the Clinical Commissioning Groups’ provision for carers support and end of life care.

Denise McLean is a strategic changemaker whose career bridges scientific research, youth justice, and community advocacy. A Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society and former Research Scientist, she brings analytical depth and regulatory expertise to complex health and social challenges.

As a Youth Justice Officer with Nottingham City Council, Denise is committed to trauma-informed, relational support for vulnerable young people. Her leadership in equality, diversity, and inclusion spans national platforms, including roles as Chair of the UK Technical EDI Network and EDI Project Lead for the MI TALENT Programme.

She has addressed the House of Lords, amplifying grassroots perspectives on health inequality and systemic reform. Denise has served on Executive Boards and Policy Forums, contributing to initiatives that centre equity and inclusion. She is a certified Mental Health First Aider and has mentoring credentials.

Roland Malkin combines professional expertise as a Chartered Accountant with the lived experience of surviving a heart attack and cardiac arrest at the age of 49. That event, and memories of supporting his father through similar struggles, inspired his commitment to making healthcare more responsive to the people it serves.

He works with clinicians, researchers, and policy-makers, ensuring that patient voices influence decisions. Speaking at the British Cardiovascular Society Annual Conference, he challenged cardiologists to consider what patients wish they understood better, stressing the importance of listening as well as treating.

Roland contributes to national programmes, including the Health Innovation CVD Programme Board and BCS committees. He has co-authored consensus papers in Heart (BMJ) on women’s access to care and research involvement. He also chairs the Nottingham Cardiac Support Group, grounding national decisions in everyday experience.

Shanine Fasasi is the Founder and Director of Diversify Education and Communities CiC, a Nottingham-based organisation working to strengthen communities through education, cultural awareness, and wellbeing initiatives. Alongside her professional role, Shanine draws on her lived experience as a mother and carer, which has shaped her deep commitment to supporting families and young people.

She is particularly passionate about breaking the stigma around mental health and wellbeing in Black African and Caribbean communities, where conversations are often difficult or silenced. Shanine volunteers her time to create safe spaces for dialogue, empowerment, and resilience building, and she works closely with schools, local authorities, and grassroots groups to ensure voices that are too often unheard are amplified. Her work reflects both her professional expertise and her personal dedication to ensuring inclusive, thriving communities.