MaMa 2018 Speakers' Biographies
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GILLIAN SMITH, MAMA CONFERENCE CHAIR
Gillian did her nurse training at the Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow and then trained as a midwife in Ninewells in Dundee qualifying in 1978. She practiced as a midwife in Rutherglen Maternity Hospital where she became an RCM steward. She combined her role as a steward with that of a Health and Safety representative and for a short while she was secretary of the Glasgow branch of the RCM. Gillian was seconded from Greater Glasgow Health Board to the Sultanate of Oman, to try and help improve the maternity services there. This was a very exciting time and she was the first person to do ultrasound scanning on pregnant women in the south of Oman. On her return Gillian completed an Advanced Diploma in Midwifery and later a BA in Health Studies at Paisley University. She has also received an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours in 2014 and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the West of Scotland. |
Gillian Smith
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Mary Ross-Davie
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DR. MARY ROSS-DAVIE
Mary was trained as a midwife in Nottingham and has an extensive work record in midwifery roles in England and Scotland. She has studied for the PhD at the University of Stirling and was an Education Project Manager at NHS Education for Scotland. Mary's role included the development of a range of e-learning resources and the implementation of a successful leadership Programme for midwives. In November 2016 she joined the Royal College of Midwives as Country Director for Scotland. |
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DR JACQUE GERRARD
Jacque Gerrard is a Midwife. She has been a Head of Midwifery in three large Yorkshire NHS Trusts heading up maternity as well as women and children’s services including gynaecology cancer services. Jacque was recently awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of the University) by the University of Bradford in recognition of her national midwifery work. For more than 10 years she has been working for the Royal College of Midwives as Director for England and global team lead. Jacque is also a Patron for several well-known national UK charities. |
Jacque Gerrard
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Jennie Muskett
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JENNIE MUSKETT
Jennie Muskett is a British Emmy winning and Bafta nominated film and TV composer, the author of 'With you in the world' collection of lullabies created specifically for pregnant women and their babies. Music regulates the body and the emotions, and it is possible to see (using MRI) how music stimulates activity in more areas of the brain than any other activity. It is also now known that the brain develops in response to music and it is being increasingly used in the neurodevelopmental care of premature babies in intensive care units. Jennie become interested in exploring how current research in these areas could be extended and put to broader use, to help mothers and babies during the perinatal period. |
Ann Holmes
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PROF ANN HOLMES
As a qualified nurse and midwife, Ann practised in Glasgow and worked at a senior level in midwifery in a variety of units. In 2000, Ann was appointed Scotland’s first consultant midwife, working across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in that role for over 10 years. During that time, she led key maternity strategies including public health, normality and various service redesigns. She also worked part time with the Scottish Government Health Directorates supporting midwifery and maternity policy within the CNO team. Ann was appointed permanently to the CNO’s team in September 2012. |
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BARBARA HIGHAM
Barbara is former editor of Breastfeeding Today and now editor of Women’s Health Today for Praeclarus Press. She lives in West Yorkshire and has three children. Being a breastfeeding advocate and counsellor, Barbara publishes articles, stories and blogs. Barbara is particularly famous for her input (research and publications) about tongue-tie. |
Barbara Higham
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Sophie Brigstocke
SOPHIE BRIGSTOCKE
Sophie is a birth and postnatal doula, Doula Mentor at Doula UK, Breastfeeding Supporter and Baby Massage Teacher. Winner in “Doula of the Year” in the 2017 MaMa Awards.
Having started working with mamas and babies in 2004, Sophie has became a Breastfeeding Network Peer Helper in 2011 and is currently training as a National Breastfeeding Helpline volunteer and BFN Supporter. She volunteers on the postnatal wards of St Thomas’s Hospital, London.
Sophie is on the Maternity Forum for St George’s Hospital, Tooting, and on two of the South West London Collaborative.
Sophie is a birth and postnatal doula, Doula Mentor at Doula UK, Breastfeeding Supporter and Baby Massage Teacher. Winner in “Doula of the Year” in the 2017 MaMa Awards.
Having started working with mamas and babies in 2004, Sophie has became a Breastfeeding Network Peer Helper in 2011 and is currently training as a National Breastfeeding Helpline volunteer and BFN Supporter. She volunteers on the postnatal wards of St Thomas’s Hospital, London.
Sophie is on the Maternity Forum for St George’s Hospital, Tooting, and on two of the South West London Collaborative.
Amanda Burleigh
AMANDA BURLEIGH
Amanda has been in midwifery practice for more than 27 years. A winner of several Awards and a world-known expert in optimal clamping, she is famous for her research and campaigning for a change in practice from immediate cord clamping to delayed cord clamping. Amanda's campaign led to all national and international guidelines changing to recommend DCC.
She is also a co-inventor of the award winning Lifestart trolley, which enables vulnerable babies to be ventilated whilst the umbilical cord is kept intact to ensure they receive their full blood benefit.
Having worked in the UK and New Zealand, Amanda supports midwives in other countries by sharing practical guidance on OCC.
Amanda has been in midwifery practice for more than 27 years. A winner of several Awards and a world-known expert in optimal clamping, she is famous for her research and campaigning for a change in practice from immediate cord clamping to delayed cord clamping. Amanda's campaign led to all national and international guidelines changing to recommend DCC.
She is also a co-inventor of the award winning Lifestart trolley, which enables vulnerable babies to be ventilated whilst the umbilical cord is kept intact to ensure they receive their full blood benefit.
Having worked in the UK and New Zealand, Amanda supports midwives in other countries by sharing practical guidance on OCC.
Sadie Holland
SADIE HOLLAND, ABSTRACT PRESENTER
Sadie Holland qualified as a midwife in 2011 from King's College London and has been caseloading in midwifery for King's College Hospital in South London since 2012.
Before retraining in midwifery, Sadie worked as a Producer-Director for BBC Science. She made many episodes in the series Child of Our Time from the children's births in 2000 until they were six, as well as A Child Against All Odds, which was a landmark series on artificial reproduction presented by Professor Lord Robert Winston, and the series Doctors to Be. She studied English at Cambridge and went to film school at Stanford University.
Sadie Holland qualified as a midwife in 2011 from King's College London and has been caseloading in midwifery for King's College Hospital in South London since 2012.
Before retraining in midwifery, Sadie worked as a Producer-Director for BBC Science. She made many episodes in the series Child of Our Time from the children's births in 2000 until they were six, as well as A Child Against All Odds, which was a landmark series on artificial reproduction presented by Professor Lord Robert Winston, and the series Doctors to Be. She studied English at Cambridge and went to film school at Stanford University.
Sarah Flower
SARAH FLOWER, ABSTRACT PRESENTER
Sarah Flower is an Independent Midwife practising in West Yorkshire.
She trained at Teesside University in Middlesbrough. Sarah worked in the NHS in the North East and in Yorkshire and spent a year as a caseloading midwife with One to One Midwives.
Sarah is particularly interested in the use of risk labels and the impact they have on the women’s experience of pregnancy and birth.
Sarah Flower is an Independent Midwife practising in West Yorkshire.
She trained at Teesside University in Middlesbrough. Sarah worked in the NHS in the North East and in Yorkshire and spent a year as a caseloading midwife with One to One Midwives.
Sarah is particularly interested in the use of risk labels and the impact they have on the women’s experience of pregnancy and birth.
Amali Lokugamage
Dr AMALI LOKUGAMAGE
Dr Lokugamage is a Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and involved in medical education in London, UK. Her main clinical interests lie in medical gynaecology and general obstetrics with expertise in normalising birth. Dr Lokugamage’s role covers general obstetrics service, maternity acupuncture service and the integrated medical gynaecology clinic. Her special clinical interests include normalising birth, maternity acupuncture and holistic gynaecology.
Amali is an internationally invited speaker at many multidisciplinary Birth conferences promoting respectful care, dignity and autonomy in maternity services.
She also holds the positions of honorary senior lecturer at UCL, deputy lead for undergraduate women’s health at The Whittington Hospital site, is a UCL student support tutor and Deputy Lead of UCL Clinical and Professional Practice.
Dr Lokugamage is a Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and involved in medical education in London, UK. Her main clinical interests lie in medical gynaecology and general obstetrics with expertise in normalising birth. Dr Lokugamage’s role covers general obstetrics service, maternity acupuncture service and the integrated medical gynaecology clinic. Her special clinical interests include normalising birth, maternity acupuncture and holistic gynaecology.
Amali is an internationally invited speaker at many multidisciplinary Birth conferences promoting respectful care, dignity and autonomy in maternity services.
She also holds the positions of honorary senior lecturer at UCL, deputy lead for undergraduate women’s health at The Whittington Hospital site, is a UCL student support tutor and Deputy Lead of UCL Clinical and Professional Practice.
Bridget Supple
BRIDGET SUPPLE, ABSTRACT PRESENTER
Bridget has been an antenatal teacher with the NHS and NCT for over 15 years as well as teaching for TAMBA the last 9 years. Since 2004 she has been a key part the Parent Education Team at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, reaching and transforming the experience of thousands of women and their partners.
Following a “Talk to your Baby’ project for the National Literacy Trust, Bridget runs workshops and talks on early brain development. She also runs workshops (with the makers of the film “Microbirth”), courses and the Facebook page “Seeding Baby’s Microbiome” a source for health professionals and parents alike to keep up to date with the latest science and understanding of giving baby the best microbial start.
Bridget has been an antenatal teacher with the NHS and NCT for over 15 years as well as teaching for TAMBA the last 9 years. Since 2004 she has been a key part the Parent Education Team at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, reaching and transforming the experience of thousands of women and their partners.
Following a “Talk to your Baby’ project for the National Literacy Trust, Bridget runs workshops and talks on early brain development. She also runs workshops (with the makers of the film “Microbirth”), courses and the Facebook page “Seeding Baby’s Microbiome” a source for health professionals and parents alike to keep up to date with the latest science and understanding of giving baby the best microbial start.
GERALDINE BUTCHER, ABSTRACT PRESENTER
Geraldine has worked in maternity care since 1983, qualifying as a midwife in November 1987. In 2007 she was appointed Consultant Midwife with a specialism of Normality, and she facilitates two specialist clinics: one for Vaginal birth after caesarean (from 2008) the other for Fear of Birth (ad hoc then dedicated clinic from 2013).
She worked with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to develop the national Midwifery Formulary, and guidance for maternity health professionals on caring for survivors of sexual abuse. Geraldine was a member of the steering group for NHS Education Scotland’s ‘1 out of 4’ educational resource for women’s health professionals (RCM President’s Award 2015).
She has completed her PhD on ‘Lifestyle in Pregnancy and its effects on perinatal physical and psychological morbidity’ in 2017. The presentation will focus on some of the findings in relation to working in pregnancy.
Geraldine has worked in maternity care since 1983, qualifying as a midwife in November 1987. In 2007 she was appointed Consultant Midwife with a specialism of Normality, and she facilitates two specialist clinics: one for Vaginal birth after caesarean (from 2008) the other for Fear of Birth (ad hoc then dedicated clinic from 2013).
She worked with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to develop the national Midwifery Formulary, and guidance for maternity health professionals on caring for survivors of sexual abuse. Geraldine was a member of the steering group for NHS Education Scotland’s ‘1 out of 4’ educational resource for women’s health professionals (RCM President’s Award 2015).
She has completed her PhD on ‘Lifestyle in Pregnancy and its effects on perinatal physical and psychological morbidity’ in 2017. The presentation will focus on some of the findings in relation to working in pregnancy.
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