The EDI executive group

The EDI executive group has a membership that is intentionally broad in terms of roles, grade and socio-demographics, and includes both staff and students.

Ian Williams (Chair, Data and writing champion): Ian's current role on the executive group is relatively new, we are working to add a description here.
Gerard Abou Jaoude (education and widening participation champion): I am a researcher at the Centre for Global Health Economics and a part-time PhD student. I have been involved in teaching activities at IGH Guilford street and more recently at the Institute for Women's Health. I first got involved in Widening Participation (WP) at UCL in March 2018, and am now a member of the WP subgroup of the IGH EDI executive group. I joined because of an interest in improving educational opportunities and outcomes experienced by adolescents and young adults from lower income and BME backgrounds.
Alejandro Arenas-Pinto (wellbeing and mental health champion): I am a Venezuelan clinician who has worked at UCL since 2008 after completing my PhD on HIV treatment. Promoting and protecting mental health has always been a priority for me and hence I am a wellbeing and mental health champion at IGH.
Loveleen Bansi-Matharu (race equality champion): I am an epidemiologist and mathematical modeller predominately working in the field of HIV. I have worked at UCL for over 10 years and only recently became aware of issues surrounding race at UCL. I joined the IGH EDI executive group to learn more about these issues, to make others aware of these issues and to tackle inequalities that students and staff may face. I am a Race Champion of the IGH EDI executive group. I am also a member of the IGH Race and Equalities Committee which feeds into the IGH EDI group. Our recent activities have included developing a safe space forum for students during which members of the committee facilitate discussions and we are committed to work in innovative ways to tackle issues surrounding race at UCL.
Rochelle Burgess (race equality champion): Rochelle is a relatively recent member of the executive group, we are working to add a description here.
Fiona Burns (staff survey champion): I am the HIV Clinical Lead at the Royal Free Hospital and a Professor in Epidemiology and HIV. Like all of us in IGH many of my research interests (health care access, engagement and social inequalities, as well as migrant health) align with the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion – hence my involvement in the IGH EDI executive group. My main responsibility on the executive group has been the annual staff survey, which we have designed to try and ensure we capture those issues which impact most on day to day working as well as long term career aspirations.
Valentina Cambiano (staff survey champion): I completed my PhD in Epidemiology at UCL in 2014 and am currently an Associate Professor in Epidemiology in the Institute for Global Health. I really enjoy working at UCL, and am very glad UCL encourages flexible working arrangements and am determined to see fairness for all. As part of the IGH EDI executive group, my main responsibility has been the design and analysis of the Institute Staff Survey. The aim is to capture what is going well and what could be improved in terms of equality, diversity and inclusion in our department.”
Andrew Copas (parents and carers, part-time workers champion): Andrew's current role on the executive group is relatively new, we are working to add a description here.
Lara Goscé (gender equality champion): I am a Research Fellow in mathematical modelling in epidemiology and global health. I am interested in the study of spreading mechanisms inside populations and have a passion for teaching, co-leading the module Modelling for Decision Science, part of the MSc in Health Economics and Decision Science. I am a keen believer of the importance of equal opportunities for individuals of any gender, race and social background. In April 2019 I organised the event thinkAcademia, a day-long workshop aimed at girls from varied socioeconomical backgrounds, showcasing further education and research careers.
Guy Harling (communication and community champion): I am a Senior Research Fellow in IGH also working at the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa. I believe strongly in the importance of making active efforts to improve the culture and environment of UCL over a wide range of dimensions. I support the IGH EDI executive group through organisation of the group’s website, and co-ordinate the community and communication working group.
Lucy Irvine (education champion): Lucy is a relatively recent member of the executive group, we are working to add a description here.
Rolando Leiva Granados (research degrees champion): I am a Ph.D. student at the IGH since December 2019. I co-lead the module of Introductory Microeconomics and I am a Teaching Assistant for other modules at the MSc in Health Economics and Decision Science. My main role as one of the PGR representatives is to help build an inclusive environment for all the Ph.D. students and members of our Institute.
Christian Okolo (research degrees champion): Christian is a relatively recent member of the executive group, we are working to add a description here.
Lele Rangaka (mentoring champion): I am a Clinical Associate Professor at the Institute for Global Health Centre for Pragmatic Trials and MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL. Throughout my career, I have benefited from having great mentors around me- young, old, more or less experienced than me. Mentorship is integral to how we learn and grow. My specific role on the EDI executive group is to champion the mentoring scheme at IGH.
Stephen Roberts (LGBTQ+ champion): I am a critical global health security theorist and Lecturer in Global Health at the Institute for Global Health. In my role as LGBTQ+ Champion, I work to ensure that LGBTQ+ issues within IGH are recognised and championed in all areas. Within my work on this role, I am particularly interested in promotion of diversity, visibility, and positive representation of LGBTQ+ students and staff at IGH and across UCL, more broadly.
Colette Smith (staff survey champion): I completed my PhD in Epidemiology at UCL in 2007, and I am currently working as an Associate Professor in Biostatistics/Epidemiology in the Institute for Global Health. I value the Institute’s genuine commitment to offer everyone the same opportunities, such as by encouraging flexible working and only arranging institute events during core hours. My specific roles on the IGH EDI executive group are to help deliver the Institute Staff Survey and as a member of the Athena Swan Self Assessment Team.
Shivani Singh (education champion): I am the Director of Education for the UCL Institute for Global Health. I am based in the IGH Guilford Street office. My involvement in the IGH EDI executive group comes from an interest in addressing issues of racial and gender imbalance found in UCL amongst staff and students. I am a Fair Recruitment Specialist, sitting on interview panels across the university, as well as a member of the Widening Participation subgroup of the IGH EDI executive group.
Sarah Sterlini (mentoring and widening participation champion): My current role at UCL is Programme Manager for the Lancet Nigeria Commission at the Institute for Global Health. As a Widening Participation Champion, I hope to use my experience as a former secondary school teacher, to enable young people, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to gain access to higher education and fulfil their potential.