Governance
Our development board members
Our initial 5 Development Board members were elected in May 2020 to help govern EDIS while it is hosted within Wellcome. We have an additional 3 spaces available on the Development Board and are currently working through an inclusive approach to co-opting individuals into these roles, specifically focusing on missing diversity, expertise through experience, and skills needed to deliver our next strategic phase.
Rachael Gooberman-Hill
Rachael Gooberman-Hill is Professor of Health and Anthropology and Director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research at the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on improving health and access to healthcare for people living with long-term, painful conditions. She is a current or previous member of a number of research-related panels, committees and boards and is committed to fairness and equity in research careers, participation and impact.
Emma Hassard
Emma is currently working for the cabinet office as a senior management accountant. She has previously held roles in the finance department of charities in the public sector, with experience in creating financial controls, reports and budgeting as well as funding applications.
“I’m really excited to be part of the EDIS development board and help create next steps in line with the strategic aims creating meaningful impacts for diversity and inclusion.”
Sapna Marwaha
Sapna is our Legal and Governance representative. She is an experienced commercial lawyer who has worked as a senior legal advisor across medical research charities and research organisations, supporting academics, scientists, clinicians and executives to navigate the legal complexities of research and innovation.
Sapna has led EDI initiatives at both a board and organisational level, including as Chair of the Race Equity Network at Versus Arthritis and as Chair of the EDI Advisory Group at ARMA. She now works as an independent consultant and non-executive director, including as Deputy Chair at ARMA.
Jim Smith
Jim Smith is a visiting group leader at the Francis Crick Institute. His research interests include inductive interactions in vertebrate development and applying the principles of developmental biology to stem cell differentiation. Jim helped establish the initial EDIS coalition between Wellcome, the Francis Crick Institute, and GlaxoSmithKline in 2017, and he was included in Management Today’s 2020 list of men who play an active role in gender equality
Anna Zecharia
As Director of Policy & Public Affairs at the British Pharmacological Society, Anna is responsible for directing scientific strategy including our clinical pharmacology skills campaign and equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. Anna co-founded the ScienceGrrl campaign for gender equality in science and have advised government on these issues.
“I care deeply about creating a socially just, equal world. I am excited to work with EDIS as a member of the Development Board, and believe its strength lies in its collaborative approach, its independence, and its network.”
Updates
We will be posting summaries and updates of the EDIS Development Board meetings here soon.
Open Position
Role to be filled in 2022
Open Position
Role to be filled in 2022
Open Position
Role to be filled 2022
