Meet the Team

What you are working on: I lead the Healthy Weight team, which includes overseeing the Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight.

Background: I have a long and varied background working in public health on the wider determinants of health.

Most recently I was the lead for Work and Health within the SW Region of the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) until March 2023. Before this I was the PH lead within the Green Minds Programme in Plymouth; an EU funded project taking a Human Learning Systems (HLS) approach to maximising the benefit of green space in Plymouth for the population.

I also led the operational elements of the city’s ten year plan to reduce health inequalities, I managed the National Child Measurement Programme for 5 years and I was responsible for the development and delivery of a city wide bi-annual survey. I developed national expertise around public health focused spatial planning and recently completed a six month secondment with the Healthy Places team within the Department of Health and Social Care where I was facilitating the Public Health response to the National Planning Policy Guidance wording around hot food takeaways and dark kitchens. I hold three degrees, the most recent of which was a masters by research where I completed a thesis investigating the reformulation of food and its impact on food business owners.

I am passionate about focusing efforts to reduce obesity in the population by creating the context within which it is easy to make the healthier choice. I believe that prevention is better than cure and that we need to collaborate as a whole system to make the changes needed to prevent obesity within our population. I am very pleased to be working at Cwm Taf Morgannwg.

What you are working on: I support the implementation of the Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight.

Background: Following many years working in Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Food and Farm Enforcement Team, as a Trading Standards Officer, I developed a keen interest in Health Improvement. A non-statutory aspect of my role saw me supporting food caterers to obtain a Healthy Options Award and I soon became the RCT Coordinator, alongside my statutory function. In this role I worked with national organisations and local authorities across Wales. This way of working and delivery made me want to know and learn more on leading and enabling change across systems and as such I enrolled on the Masters of Public Health at the University of South Wales. During which, I continued to build relationships in the public health system, many in CTM and at the end of my Masters I had a one month placement in the Office of the Future Generations commissioner where I saw this leadership role in practice. I joined Public Health Wales in 2017 and have worked across a varied portfolio since, including Help Me Quit, Healthy Working Wales, Healthy Weights, Sexual Health, MECC (Making Every Contact Count), Tobacco, Pre-Diabetes, Health Protection and now as part of the Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight. These varied short term contracts helped me to develop my knowledge and skills in many aspects of prevention and continually build on relationships which I value greatly. As a Public Health Network Cymru Advisory Board member I hope to continue building relationships in the system and pledge to share learning, best practice and support to build capacity in the public health system.

As a resident of RCT I am passionate about creating places where residents can thrive and ensuring health is integrated in our communities for all, including our current and future generations.

What you are working on: A whole system approach to healthy weight in CTM, Physical Activity, Active Travel and HENRY.

Background: My academic and professional experience lies in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and public health and spans a 15-year period. I joined the CTM public health team in January 2018 and have worked on numerous topics during this time, most notably: Substance misuse, MECC (making every contact count), primary care, healthy weights and health protection.

My current work time is spent prioritising the whole systems approach to a healthy weight in CTM. As part of this work I specialise in the physical activity environment, specifically the design and use of community spaces in CTM and active travel. I also provide support to a variety of CTMUHB community health interventions such as HENRY, PIPYN and the joint care programme.

Before joining the CTM Public Health Team, I worked for over 10 years with Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC. During this time I worked on a number of physical activity and health interventions including the national exercise referral scheme (NERS), the community joint care programme (JCP) and STARS.

Throughout my working career, I have always had an interest in academia and took opportunities to study at Cardiff University and the University of South Wales. I have a first class honours degree in nutrition, physical activity and community health (BSc), a master’s degree in Public Health (MPH), and numerous disease specific exercise qualifications.

What you are working on: I am currently on a secondment working as the HENRY Programme Coordinator for CTM Public Health Team, and I sit within the Healthy Weights Team supporting on the Whole Systems Approach to Healthy Weight.

Background: I have been working for the NHS since 2007 supporting the dietetic team in Cardiff, through the implementation of the children’s community weight management programme, MEND, working on ‘Appetite for Life’ within Blaenau Gwent implementing new initiatives with schools around physical activity and healthy eating. It was from this role I developed a keen interest in Public Health, I went on to join Public Health Wales in 2014 as a Smoking Prevention Trainer promoting and supporting schools to be smoke free. In 2016 I started working for Cwm Taf Public Health team assisting in the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of the Welsh Network of Healthy School Scheme. The Scheme is delivered by Public Health Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government and takes a holistic whole school approach to promoting health and wellbeing. Within this time, I worked with numerous local partner organisations and agencies to support health development approaches and initiatives on a range of health topics such as Sexuality and Relationship Education, Substance use & Misuse Education, Food and nutrition, and Physical Activity for children and young people.

What you are working on: I work in the Healthy Weight team supporting the Whole Systems Approach to Healthy Weight and in the Population Health Management Unit, which aims to improve population health by data driven planning and delivery of proactive care.

Background: In my Healthy Weight role I work closely with colleagues in Maternity and Health Visiting to progress the Breastfeeding Strategy for Cwm Taf Morgannwg; the strategy aims to work across the whole system and develop population-wide action to support optimal infant feeding for families in Cwm Taf Morgannwg.

I work with the National Healthy Weight Healthy You team to promote local support available in Cwm Taf Morgannwg; promoting access to targeted services to support healthy people.

Before this I worked as part of a Public Health Dietetic team, supporting the planning and delivery of family and community nutrition education programmes and the School Holiday Enrichment Programme.

What you are working on: A whole system approach to healthy weight in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. I am working on Babies First 1000 days area of work which includes supporting development of the breastfeeding strategy, redevelopment of HENRY and Healthy Weight team communication.

Background: I have been a Public Health Practitioner for 12 years and worked on a wide range of topic areas during this time including the development of the Joint Care Programme, Making Every Contact Count, Healthy Start Healthy Future, MEND programme, involved in the development of the Vulnerability Risk Factors and Interventions in the Early Years evidence map, supported Community Weight Management Support Groups, my role has also involved being a Healthy and Sustainable Pre Schools Scheme Practitioner for 18 months.  I have also had the opportunity of a 12 month secondment senior role with the Merthyr PIPYN team. I have a great passion to help families and young children in the local area lead healthier, happier, more active lives.