Kendal Andreason, Professional Lead for Acute and Emergency Care and Defence Nursing

Kendal began her career in the British Army’s Royal Engineers where she led teams around the world. After seeing medics’ incredible work in Afghanistan, she transferred to the Nursing Corps. She left the Army after 14 years of service, but remains an Army Reservist specialising in health security, protecting civilians, and preventing sexual violence.

She also delivers wilderness medicine courses for World Extreme Medicine. She has degrees in both Politics and Adult Nursing and an MSc in Global Health. She’s completing another MSc in International Relations.

Kim Ball, Professional Lead for Primary Care

Kim Ball is Professional Lead for Primary Care here at the RCN. With over 11 years of experience as a registered nurse, she has worked extensively in general practice, holding various clinical and leadership roles. Kim is passionate about the development and education of general practice nurses and has also served as an associate lecturer and nurse educator.

Jonahan Beebee, Professional Lead for Learning Disability Nursing

Jonathan is a Registered Nurse in Learning Disabilities with an MSc in Positive Behaviour Support. He’s also CEO and Nurse Consultant for PBS4, a social care enterprise for people with learning disabilities.

His previous roles include positions at the NHS, Care Quality Commission, Department of Health and NHS England, and national social care roles. Jonathan says his acquired brain injury led to his nursing career and has inspired his passion for all things neurology related.

Hannah Cadogan, Lead Nurse for Lived Experience

Hannah trained as an adult nurse at King's College, London and started her career on a specialist HIV ward at Chelsea and Westminster hospital.

This promising start to nursing was to be cut short when Hannah was sectioned under the mental health act in 2007. After years in the acute mental health system, Hannah went to the Cassel Hospital an NHS therapeutic community that enabled her, after 13 years out of nursing, to return in 2020. She currently works at a hospice in London, as well as being the Lead Nurse for Lived Experience at the Royal College of Nursing.

Hannah is very open about her lived experience of serious mental illness and being a suicide survivor. She is passionate about people with lived experience being considered as equal partners in service design and healthcare education in all areas of nursing care.

Monet Marinas, Professional Lead for Infection Prevention and Control

Monet is an experienced infection prevention and control (IPC) specialist. Alongside her role as Professional Lead for IPC, she practises as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Antimicrobial Stewardship Lead at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. Monet holds an MSc in Healthcare-Associated Infection and has extensive expertise in IPC, antimicrobial stewardship, patient safety, quality improvement, and clinical leadership. She played a pivotal role in leading multidisciplinary teams through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the delivery of safe, effective care while strengthening IPC practices across her organisation.

Monet is actively engaged in IPC education at both national and international levels. A strong advocate for staff engagement, Monet is committed to empowering healthcare professionals to embed IPC principles into everyday practice. She champions inclusive approaches to learning, partnership working, and quality improvement, fostering a culture where staff are supported to take ownership of infection prevention and contribute to safer patient care.

Callum Metcalfe-O’Shea, Professional Lead for Long-Term Conditions

Callum is an award winning Advanced Nurse Practitioner specialising in long term conditions and diabetes. He played a key role in establishing a local health professionals forum to enhance diabetes education and collaboration.

A former clinical lead within an ICB, he sits on two editorial boards and is an alumnus of the NHS Clinical Leaders Network, now serving as a clinical leadership advisor. Callum also works nationally as the Primary Care Nursing Advisor for Macmillan Cancer Support within the Centre of Clinical Expertise, whilst remaining clinically active in primary care.

Ofrah Muflahi, Professional Lead for the Nursing Support Workforce

With over 20 years’ experience in health care, Ofrah began her career as a health care assistant, inspired by the care given to her unwell mother. Ofrah is a registered nurse, skilled in areas including paediatrics, community nursing and quality improvement, with an MSc in health care management, leadership and policy.

An equality champion, Ofrah won the Mary Seacole Leadership Award in 2007, founded the British Arab Nursing and Midwifery Association (a diaspora nursing association) and volunteers as a coach and mentor promoting nursing as a profession. She’s held multiple board roles in the NHS and charity sector and is also a qualified Cultural Intelligence Assessor.

Amber O'Brien, Professional Lead for Mental Health

Amber is a Registered Mental Health Nurse with more than 15 years of post-registration experience across diverse clinical and strategic environments. Her professional background includes work in inpatient and forensic mental health services, as well as roles in practice education, service leadership, and national workforce development. Alongside her nursing qualification, Amber holds a PGCert in Clinical Neuroscience and an MSc in Psychiatric Research.

Amber is passionate about the integral role that mental health nurses play in improving the lives of people with mental health problems.

Rebekah Overend, Professional Lead for Children and Young People

Rebekah is a Lead Nurse for the Faculty of Nursing Education and Research at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. The team provide education for nursing support roles, clinical skills and Qualifications in Speciality courses across the South West. She works alongside Clinical Academics in linking research capability building with education.

25 years of paediatric surgical nursing, working with fantastic role models, a BSc in Human Sciences and MSc in Teaching and Learning has given Rebekah a passion: to promote excellence in clinical care for CYP and to build positive and supportive environments where nurses can learn, lead and thrive.

Suman Shrestha, Professional Lead for Critical Care

Suman Shrestha MBE is a Consultant Nurse in Critical Care at Frimley Health NHS FT. He is also an associate member of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine as an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner, and a visiting lecturer at various universities.

He leads and represents the RCN on workstreams related to critical care and perioperative care. He received the 2021 Human Rights and Nursing Awards for work in Nepal and the UK and was honoured with an MBE in 2022 for contributions to critical care.

Dr. Cathryn Smith, Professional Lead in Adult Community Nursing and End-of-Life-Care

Cathryn has experience across both clinical and senior leadership nursing roles in primary and community care settings. Her career also includes contributions to education roles within practice and higher education. She holds a Master's degree in Community Health Studies and a PhD focused on decision-making at end-of-life for people with dementia. 
 
Her specialist expertise includes community nursing, research evidence and its implementation in community nursing practice, end-of-life care, and clinical professional leadership.

Maria Symeonaki, Professional Lead for Midwifery and Women's Health

Maria is a midwifery leader with a diverse clinical, managerial and international background. As Professional Lead for Midwifery and Women's Health, she advocates for nursing and midwifery members and helps shape policy and practice in women's health through engagement with members, strategic partners and national stakeholders.

Maria trained as a midwife in Greece and has worked across maternity services in the UK, Belgium and Australia bringing a rich international perspective to her work. She regularly works clinically as a midwife and is passionate about supporting midwives, nurses and support workers to thrive, innovate and drive sustainable improvements in care. She is currently undertaking an MBA which has broadened her understanding of organisational systems, strategy, and how to drive sustainable change at scale.

Jessica Turner, Professional Lead for Public Health

Jessica is a registered nurse, skilled in health improvement and health equity and inequalities. Here at the RCN, she leads work across a broad public health portfolio. Alongside this, she works at Cancer Research UK, where she has worked in prevention and early diagnosis roles for several years.

Jessica is passionate about public health interventions and the difference nursing staff can make to populations and most importantly, individuals.

Dr Liz Walsh PhD, Professional Lead Nurse for Justice and Forensic Nursing

Since qualifying as a nurse in 1995, Liz has worked in and around justice settings as a clinician, academic, researcher, inspector and practice developer. She’s passionate about supporting and developing nurses and nursing practice in all areas of justice and forensic health care.

Liz promotes a multi-disciplinary approach to caring for people in justice settings and champions the use of effective reflective practice to manage the challenges of caring in these environments.

Sally Wilson, Professional Lead for Older People and Dementia

Sally is a dedicated Registered Nurse for Learning Disabilities. Since qualifying in 1998, she’s worked extensively in assessment and treatment units, nursing homes, respite services and community teams. She’s managed services for adults and children with complex needs and served as a Matron for vulnerable patients.

She has an MSc in advanced nursing studies, focusing on vulnerable patients and safeguarding. Sally’s career reflects adaptability, ethical practice and a strong commitment to improving care for older adults and people with learning disabilities. Sally continues to advocate passionately for these groups.