Heidi Cutts
Heidi studied at Chelsea School of Art and her work is included in international collections. She currently works for the Africa department of the British Museum. She has a special interest in the art & culture of Ethiopia and studied Amharic at S.O.A.S. She worked as the artist/designer on the Maternity Access and Advocacy Pack, The women's Wheel and the film Florence.
Cathy Godfrey
Cathy a mother of two, has a background in Health Psychology. She has worked on NHS research and audit projects, including a role as North Thames Regional Audit Coordinator for GUM,HIV/ AIDS, facilitating a network to make and audit best practice guidelines and was the project manager for a "Putting Patients First" project for Camden and Islington CMHT developing a touch screen information and feedback resource for community patients. She has also evaluated arts projects (Art Angel and exhibitions at the V&A) and worked with children and parents as a Learning Mentor, in a school where English is a second language for over 50% of families.
Ruba Sivagnanam
Ruba originally practiced as a criminal barrister at the leading human rights chambers of Baroness Helena kennedy QC and then began work in the public sector as a policy advisor on issues relating to equality and rights. Within this area she has placed particular emphasis on disability, maternity and race. After working as head of policy, information and campaigns at the Maternity Alliance where she edited publications including Muslim Women's Experience of Maternity services and the surestart Hand book. She now works as a consultant in the private sector developing strategies for communications with hard to reach groups, particularly within ethnic minority communities. She is a very experienced public speaker, presenter and broadcaster.
Anna Gaudion
Anna has an academic background in anthropology, museum ethnography/ anthropology of art and refugee studies. She has an eclectic career pathway which weaves through the arts and maternity services, working at the weekend as a midwife on the 'Bank' at Guys and St Thomas' NHS Trust during her studies and career as a curator in the ethnographic departments of the British Museum, arts critic and lecturer in the anthropological aspects of women's health at King's College.
In 2000 an Awards for all project entitled Memory, Object, learning Leasurely Yarns (Molly) looked at identity, reminiscence and belonging in relation to the newly opened African galleries with a group of Afro Carribbean elders. In 2004 she directed and made the film 'Florence, the experience in becoming a mother in exile'.
More recently she has gained experience in accessing and consulting vulnerable groups about maternity services; researching and creating the MAAP, later a Health Equity Audit of access to maternity services in SE London (Maternity Matters Early Adopter site) and a Needs Assessment concerning the specific needs of asylum seekers and refugees for Brunel University.
Claire Homeyard
Claire has been employed as a consultant midwife in public health at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust since 2001. In addition she is a lead professional adviser at the NMC, on projects related to public health and EU and international work. Claire has represented midwifery at a number of regional and national forums including membership of the clinical working group for the Healthcare for London maternity and newborn care pathway and Midwifery 2020.
She has an MSc in Public Health from The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and was appointed Honorary Fellow at London South Bank University in 2003. She has presented and published in midwifery and health related journals both nationally and internationally. She has a particular interest in influencing policy and practice to meet the needs of women and families who are vulnerable.