Appointed governors

Dr Luisa Wakeling's day job as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Dental Sciences involves teaching our future dentists some of the science behind oral health. She is also passionate about engaging with our community and supporting our students to visit community groups to deliver oral health education.

Luisa is also Director of Engagement and Place for the Faculty of Medical Sciences and it is her goal as a Governor to to help increase our membership and champion the importance of the public voice in healthcare.

Mr David Black is a Patient and Public Involvement Partner. He is passionate about how the insights of caregivers, patients, and the public are used in co-production to inform research and positively impact quality improvement programs in healthcare settings. His research activities span participation, engagement, and involvement across a wide range of health, care, and social welfare themes.

David supports multiple research studies as a lay representative and co-applicant, and he is a co-author of several research papers. He both writes and speaks about patient and public involvement in research. With over twenty years of experience working in the public sector and within the third sector, David has undertaken roles as Company Secretary, Director, and Trustee. He has been involved in the relief of poverty, social disadvantage, and social exclusion by supporting the advancement of community resilience and cohesion.

In addition to his research and public involvement, David supports citizens with day-to-day matters and advocates for them in navigating public services such as social welfare and legal needs. He is an active citizen involved in addressing issues such as digital exclusion, public engagement in decision-making, and social care funding. His personal interests include writing, gardening, and environmental matters.

Professor Joanne Atkinson is the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at Northumbria University and is a Professor of Palliative and End of Life Care, having also held a number of leadership roles at the University since 2010.

Joanne graduated from Durham University with a BA (Hons) and also has an MSc and Professional Doctorate from Northumbria University. She has a wealth of experience in multi-professional health and social care workforce development.

Joanne is a Registered Nurse and internationally recognised as an expert in workforce development and she is an expert in palliative care and end of life care, following a career in this sphere of practice she continues to work across these disciplines at a regional and national level. Joanne is an active researcher in this area. Her research is varied, collaborative and interdisciplinary and focuses on services and systems in end-of-life care and where people die. Her doctoral studies are in end-of-life care, and she has a reputation in this area built through consultancy and research. She is regularly invited to contribute to conferences and events across the NHS and third sector, specifically hospice settings.

She is a Trustee for a national cancer charity called mynewhair, leading the charity from a small scale not for profit organisation into an international registered charity. Joanne is recognised as an expert in chemotherapy-induced hair loss and is regularly invited to speak internationally about this subject.

Cllr Lara Ellis was elected as a councillor for Heaton Ward in 2018. She sits on Newcastle City Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee and is vice chair for Constitutional Committee.

Lara is a support worker and personal assistant. She has a background in outreach mental health support and continues to be involved in peer support and voluntary projects that engage and empower people who have severe and enduring mental health issues.