Dr. Hazel Keedle is a Senior Lecturer of Midwifery at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University. She has over two decades of experience as a clinician in nursing and midwifery, educator, and researcher. Her research interests are vaginal birth after caesarean, birth trauma, and maternity experiences, which she explores primarily using feminist mixed methodologies.

Dr. Keedle’s work is recognised nationally and internationally. She has made many invited conference and seminar presentations, and her research has been widely published in academic journals and books. She is the author of the book “Birth after Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth,” which is based on her PhD findings. Dr. Keedle is also the lead researcher on the largest maternity experiences survey, The Birth Experience Study.

Dr Keedle is passionate about improving the experiences of women during childbirth. She is committed to using her research to advocate for women’s rights and to ensure that all women have access to respectful, supportive maternity care.

Theo Clarke was the Member of Parliament for Stafford and set up the All Party Parliamentary on Birth Trauma.  Theo chaired the first national UK inquiry into Birth Trauma in the UK Parliament. She suffered a traumatic birth which she publicly shared in her Birth Trauma debate in the House of Commons. Theo has campaigned for better maternity services in the UK and to end the postcode lottery on perinatal care. Theo was a member of the International Development Select Committee and previously served as Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Departments for Education, Business and Trade and HM Treasury as well as Trade Envoy to the Prime Minister. She will be publishing a book on birth trauma with Biteback Publishing in 2025.

Following the devastating loss of five babies, Zoe decided to use her counselling training and twenty years of experience in the business and charity sectors to improve support for anyone who suffers the loss of a baby. She founded the Mariposa Trust (widely known by its primary support division ‘Saying Goodbye), with her husband Andy, which has become one of the leading support charities, reaching over 50,000 people each week across the world. In 2018, as one of the UK’s leading grief experts, Zoe was appointed by The Secretary of State for Health to co-chair and author the ‘Pregnancy Loss Review’ across England. The review was laid in parliament in July 2023 and the Prime Minister accepted all 73 recommendations, which will mean a complete overhaul of clinical and emotional care. In 2021 Zoe was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth for services to the bereaved. After writing her first bestselling book, ‘Saying Goodbye’, she wrote four other highly acclaimed books to help the bereaved and those pregnant after loss. Zoe has her own TV talk show called ‘Soul Tears’, a podcast called ‘Life & Soul with Zoe Clark-Coates’ and she also conducts 3-5 TV and radio appearances each week. You can find her on Instagram at @Zoeadelle

Rosie is a specialist trainee in Obstetrics & Gynaecology with a research interest in early pregnancy. She is currently undertaking a PhD focusing on evidence based improvements to miscarriage care.

Rebecca is a consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist working in London.

She is the co founder of Make Birth Better, a national collaborative which works via campaigning around birth trauma and teaching-last year she trained over 3500 NHS professionals.

She is passionate about kindness and compassionate care and has an expertise in birth trauma and medical trauma.

Christina is an HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist, working in the NHS as Principal Psychologist and Service Lead for the Maternal Mental Health Clinic in Devon. Her professional interests are wide-ranging within the areas of clinical psychology, with particular skills and experience in working with interpersonal trauma and perinatal mental health.

I’m Kieran Anders – Operations Manager for Dad Matters UK, a perinatal and parent/infant mental health peer support service, developed and delivered by Home-Start schemes in the UK. We align with NHS and local authority pathways, and each year we reach thousands of dads universally, and hundreds of dads in one to one support as well as delivering training for professionals and contributing to national campaigns, studies and lobbying.

I’m a dad of two girls and a foster carer, with experience of baby loss and traumatic birth at a young age, which has really helped me to shape how Dad Matters engages and supports dads in the perinatal period.

Athena is the Head of Psychology for perinatal services within Kent and Medway Social Care Partnership NHS Trust. This includes the Perinatal Mental Health Community Service (PMHCS), Thrive-Psychological Support for Perinatal Trauma and Baby Loss (Maternal Mental Health Service) and Rosewood Mother and Baby Unit. Athena has a long history of working with marginalised populations and those who have experienced trauma and feels privileged to be able to do this.

Laura is a Senior Therapist on the East Kent Thrive team within the Kent and Medway Social Care Partnership NHS Trust. Laura provides psychological support for women who have experienced Perinatal trauma or Baby loss. Alongside her CBT and EMDR training Laura qualified as a Hypnobirthing Instructor and is passionate about supporting women within Maternal Mental Health Services.

Carol King-Stephens started her NHS career in 1990 she qualified as a Nurse in 1993 and qualifying as a Midwife in 1995. Carol holds a BSc (hons) In Health Promotion. She is a Cultural Ambassador and a graduate of the Mary Seacole & Midlands Developing Aspirant Leadership Programme.

In March 2022 she was appointed as Equality Diversity & Inclusion Lead Midwife at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and is focused on making its services more culturally aware and equitable for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic service users.

Carol has been a keynote speaker at the Motherhood group Black Maternal Health Conference UK 2023 and was a speaker at Westminster Health Forum last year.

In March 2024 she gave evidence to a Parliamentary Inquiry into Birth Trauma to highlight the experiences of those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

Geeta Nayar is a Senior Associate Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell with a special interest in maternal safety.

Geeta trained with Irwin Mitchell and qualified as a solicitor in 2002. She was promoted to the position of Associate in 2005 and specialised in both neurotrauma and complex clinical negligence cases representing adults and children. She worked closely with several charities to support injured clients including Headway, AVMA and was Vice-chair of UKABIF (United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum).

In 2008 during the birth of her first child, Geeta sustained life-changing obstetric injuries and had to undergo extensive medical treatment. As a result of her journey she has become an advocate and strong campaigner for women with severe perineal and maternal injuries. Geeta has been closely involved with The MASIC Foundation since it launched to improve the prevention and detection of OASI (obstetric anal sphincter injuries) and speaks widely about her own experience to give visibility to women with these devastating injuries. Geeta returned to Irwin Mitchell in 2023 to collaborate with healthcare professionals, charity partners and policy makers to drive positive change in maternity care. 

Geeta is passionate about health equity and recently organised the inaugural South Asian Maternal Health Conference to address disparities in maternal outcomes for South Asian women.

Rebecca is a consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist working in London.

She is the co founder of Make Birth Better, a national collaborative which works via campaigning around birth trauma and teaching-last year she trained over 3500 NHS professionals.

She is passionate about kindness and compassionate care and has an expertise in birth trauma and medical trauma.

Lisa McCormick is a BABCP accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner, with additional training in Compassion Focused Therapy. Lisa gained extensive experience working in primary care mental health services, offering evidence-based treatment to adults with a wide range of common mental health issues whilst developing a special interest in perinatal mental health.
Lisa has significant training and experience of providing therapy to women who have had a traumatic birth, or perinatal loss, or have a severe fear of childbirth. Her current role as Clinical Lead for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Reproductive Trauma Service allows her to encompass her learning and experience in this field, and to share this with a dedicated team of professionals who aim to provide the best support possible to women impacted by these issues.

Rachel is a Registered Nurse, Midwife, and sonographer, with 30 years’ experience. She currently works at University Hospital Birmingham as a clinical Matron for gynaecology & Early Pregnancy.  She has a specialist interest in early pregnancy scanning, recurrent miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy management. She has numerous publications in this area and performs many national and international talks. She was awarded a Honorius causa in 2019 by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist for her significant contribution to women’s health.