It organises activities for Fellows and facilitates their involvement in the work of the RCN. This includes contributing to projects, work programmes and the Institute of Nursing Excellence.

Find out more about RCN Fellows and Honorary Fellows.

Find out more about the role and remit of the Fellows Co-ordinating Committee by reading the terms of reference.

Professor Daniel Kelly OBE FRCN - Chair

Professor Daniel Kelly held the RCN Chair of Nursing Research at Cardiff University from 2011- 2024. He is now an Emeritus Professor in Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff. Originally a Charge Nurse at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, he taught cancer care for several years at the Royal Marsden Hospital before moving into academic roles.

Formerly President of the European Oncology Nursing Society, he has co-chaired the European Cancer Organisation’s HPV Action Network since 2019. He also co-chaired the EU-funded HPV project, Protect Europe, and has more than 290 research publications.

He was awarded the OBE in 2021 for his national and international contribution to research and education in cancer care, as well as the RCN Fellowship in 2016.

Daniel’s current roles include Senior Advisor to the European Oncology Nursing Society, Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh, and University College London. He is also a visiting Faculty member at Bethlehem University teaching cancer & palliative care. He is a Trustee at St Christopher’s Hospice and a Governor at King’s College London NHS Foundation Trust. During his career he has been an elected member of the RCN Cancer Nursing Forum, Research Forum, and International Committee.

He has been Convenor of the RCN Fellows since 2022.

Professor Alison Tierney CBE FRCN - Vice Chair

Alison’s long career in nursing research and education was based mainly in the Department of Nursing Studies at The University of Edinburgh. Her name also is known in connection with the Roper-Logan-Tierney textbooks and as a former Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Advanced Nursing. She has been a lifelong RCN member and became a Fellow in 1995. She is keen to help extend the work and influence of the Fellows Group.  

Professor Ruth Harris FRCN

Biography to follow.

Rachel Hollis FRCN

Biography to follow.

Professor Sonja McIlfatrick MBE FRCN

Sonja received her RCN Fellowship in 2020 and is currently a Professor of Nursing and Palliative Care and Dean of the Doctoral College at Ulster University. She previously held leadership roles as Head of School of Nursing at Ulster University and three joint academic and clinical roles with health care Trusts and the All-Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care, at regional and national level across the island of Ireland.

Sonja obtained her PhD from Ulster in 2003 and continues to be an active researcher and educator. She was awarded an MBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours list for ‘Services to education and public health’.