Barbara qualified as a Nurse in 1980 and as a midwife in 1982 and began her initial career working overseas with development agencies as a Midwifery Tutor with Voluntary Service Overseas and as a Clinical Educator with Save the Children Fund.    

She worked in Tower Hamlets as a Community Midwife providing integrated care within the Domino Model and loved working in diverse communities.   As a midwife she has been a Director Women and Children’s Services and also worked in regulation with the NMC and also advisory roles with NHS England.  

Barbara feels privileged to be back with the RCM Board and feels this time for the Profession of Midwifery and the business of the Royal College of Midwives to be pivotal in safeguarding the work of the College alongside its function of representing midwives and maternity support workers as they work with women and their families in their respective employee environments.

Keelie is a maternity support worker at East Lancashire Hospitals where she has worked since 2009, Keelie has been a member of the RCM board since 2019.She is also a Workplace representative and a health and safety representative and has always been passionate about staff health and wellbeing at work.

In addition to her work within her RCM branch, Keelie also takes an active interest in wider trade union collaboration, attending regional TUC events and being involved in her local trades’ council. Keelie works in collaboration with other trade union colleagues in her own trust through her staff side committee, health and safety committee and believes in the value and benefits to members of partnership working.

Keelie has participated in forums looking at the career development opportunities of maternity support workers and continues to be a keen advocate for MSWs.

Following her re-election to the board in July 2023, Keelie was appointed as vice-chair of the board and looks forward to working with the new board to build upon its existing strengths.

Benedicta is presently working as a Director of Midwifery & Gynaecology and as a midwife to her core, is passionate about improving safety for mothers, babies and midwives. 

As a Board member she aims to provide advocacy and the assurance to midwives that through representation their voices will be heard and that they will be supported by the Royal College of Midwives.

Benedicta will endeavour to ensure that RCM delivers on its pledge of equality, equity and a fair pay system for every member. As well as delivery of equitable care to all women and their families.

Dee has been a practicing midwife for over 25 years and still considers midwifery to be the best career anyone can have. She has held a number of senior positions including clinical, managerial and strategic leadership roles. Her passions include ensuring that maternity services are absolutely family centred and that staff, women and their families within maternity services have a positive experience.

She has a strong desire for coaching, mentoring, developing others and actively champion for inclusive, kind, and compassionate leadership for all.

Melissa qualified as a direct entry midwife and has worked across all areas of maternity, within different organisations. She is passionate about supporting, and hearing the voices of those who work within maternity. She previously practiced as a Supervisor of Midwives and subsequently a Professional Midwifery Advocate. She is committed to supporting a positive safety culture and opportunities for continued development within our profession. Her current role is Director of Midwifery and in her role on the RCM board she will continue to support our professional voice to impact on the delivery of maternity services.

Cher is a maternity Care Assistant working in the community in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. As an active RCM workplace steward and chair of our local Branch, she fights hard for RCM members to ensure care is safe for Staff and all service users. The role of the Maternity Care Assistant is something that she takes great pride in and was very privileged to be on the first training cohort in Scotland at RGU. One of my goals is to see an apprenticeship route for the MCA in to midwifery. As a new Board member she promises to bring the same energy and enthusiasm to the board making sure that the RCM reflects it members in the four corners of the UK.

Sarah Jones, a Lead Midwife for Education and Practice Development at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust took up post as RCM Board member in 2019.

A midwife for 16 years and an RCM workplace representative 14 years, Sarah works on leading, planning and implementing education and practice developments for workforce development to improve patient safety. Sarah has a key role in supporting midwives and maternity support continue to develop career pathway’s and supporting professional development. Sarah is extremely keen on developing sustainability in healthcare and has recently been awarded a green impact award from her employer.

Sarah is very excited to be re-elected to continue in this national role and will ensure that midwives, maternity support workers and women are at the centre of my focus when undertaking this role. She is dedicated to working closely with the RCM team to contribute positively to the work of the college.

Nerys Midwifery Lecturer at Cardiff University and a Clinical Midwife at Cardiff and Vale UHP. Nerys is delighted to be elected to the RCM Board and is eager to represent members throughout her time in governance.  

With a foot in both education and clinical midwifery settings, Nerys is passionate to champion both aspects of maternity care and to ensure the RCM keep the focus on supporting student midwives, their transition to clinical care and throughout their careers from newly qualified to retirement.

Angharad has recently been appointed as the Head of Midwifery in at Cwm Taff Morgannwg UHB. Midwifery career, Angharad has worked in a variety of midwifery roles, including governance and risk management, operational lead midwife duties, and clinical supervision for midwives undertaken an RCM learning rep role.

During the last three years Angharad has worked as Head of Patient Safety and Quality in Cardiff and Vale UHB, serving as the organisation’s professional lead for Quality Governance.

Angharad believes that employee wellbeing and quality, safe care are inextricably linked and promoting kind and respectful working relationships is fundamental in building foundations upon which a positive, safe, and supportive learning culture can flourish.

Declan qualified as a midwife in 2011, having been fortunate enough to have been seconded from his role as a hospital receptionist to train, he has been an RCM Steward since 2019.  Before becoming a Steward he was working as Labour Ward Coordinator and was also the Practice Lead for Antenatal Education for two years at Guys and St Thomas’. Declan also has demonstrable research experience and was a Practice Lead for Antenatal Education at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust.

Shani qualified as a midwife in 2011, before that she was an MSW.  She has left her career in the Ministry of Defence to work in healthcare as she loved working with people, especially at such a momentous time in their lives.  She has worked in all areas of maternity, but her favourite is community, for the autonomy and enjoyed getting to know the families in my care.  

She is Secretary to the Joint Union Committee in the Trust where she works.  She coordinates the numerous recognised trade unions, collectivising their voice to give a staff side view.  

She loves being a midwife and enjoy working in lots of different areas help her understand what it is like now.  She has a passion to know what pressures people are facing on a daily basis, this lived experience is needed to help formulate the strategy and direction for the RCM, to make life better for all.