Meet Our Esteemed Judges

Sir Patrick Vernon is a nationally recognised campaigner, cultural historian, author, broadcaster, and public leader whose work over the past three decades has transformed debates on racial justice, health inequalities, cultural heritage, genealogy, and community empowerment.

Awarded a Knighthood in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours for services to racial equality, Patrick is widely recognised as one of Britain's leading advocates for social justice, health equity, and Black British history. He is best known as the architect of the campaign for a national Windrush Day and founder of the award-winning 100 Great Black Britons movement, which has transformed public understanding of Black British history and achievement.

Patrick is currently Pro-Chancellor for Health at the University of Wolverhampton, Chair of Hackney Thinking Spaces, Convenor of the Windrush 100 Network, Chair of the Windrush Memorial Anchor Foundation, and UK South Representative for the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council.

He previously served as Chair of NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol ICB), becoming the first Non-Executive Director for Inequalities appointed to an Integrated Care Board in England. He is also a former Chair of Citizens' Voice at the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), former Chair of the Walsall Together Partnership Board, and former Non-Executive Director of Healthwatch England, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Shera Chok is a GP and former Chief Medical Officer at NHS Digital. She co-founded the award-winning Shuri Network to champion diversity in digital health. An advisor to the NHS Race and Health Observatory, she has held senior roles across primary care, commissioning, and NHS England. A global health volunteer, she studied at Harvard and is a Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy. Her work focuses on equity, innovation, and transforming healthcare through digital inclusion.

Professor Shivani Sharma is Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Business and Social Sciences, at Aston University. A first-generation university graduate, she champions higher education’s role in social mobility. Her research focuses on health inequalities, particularly in kidney disease, securing £4 million in funding. She chairs Swindon South Asian Performing Arts Centre, is a Trustee at Kidney Care UK, and serves on Police Now’s D&I Committee. A 2023 Asian Women of Achievement finalist, she is also listed among the UK’s 50 kind leaders.

Lawrence Gosling has been a financial and business journalist for nearly 40 years and is a former editorial director of SmallBusiness.co.uk and Growthbusiness.co.uk.

He is currently the head of Content, and PR and Comms for Artemis Fund Managers, which has been managing investments for charities, pension funds and private investors for over 25 years.

Through its charitable foundation, Artemis has distributed over £13 million to a range of small charities in the UK and India and Africa, including a number aimed at improving the health of communities.

Roxanne is a clinical academic ophthalmic nurse, the lead nurse for research at Moorfields Eye Hospital, a Professor of Ophthalmic Health and Care at University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, and the Programme Director for the NIHR Senior Research Leader programme for Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals. She is passionate about improving ophthalmic patient related outcomes through the modelling of real-world clinical data to deliver personalised healthcare and has a particular interest in population health for underserved communities. She received the Nursing Times award for Clinical Research Nursing in October 2021 for the Research Opportunities at Moorfields (ROAM) online platform which increases patient/public access to research conducted at Moorfields. She has been listed as one of 75 faces of nursing research for this year's NHS 75th birthday celebrations by the NHS England’s Chief Nursing Officer’s research team. She is the recipient of numerous national and international awards including the RCN Researcher of the year 2023, ARVO Advocacy in Eyes and Vision research, Chairman’s award for outstanding contribution to Moorfields and the Nursing Times Technology Innovation Competition for Digital Practice of the Future and Fellow of the RCN.

Professor Mahendra Patel OBE is an award-winning pharmacist and academic with professorial roles at multiple universities, including the University of Sussex and Universiti Sains Malaysia. A founding member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, he has served as a national board member, assembly member, and treasurer. As a national lead at the University of Oxford, he has advanced inclusive COVID-19 treatment research. A champion for EDI, he advises national pharmacy bodies and was honoured as an OBE for services to pharmacy.

Owen Chinembiri is Assistant Director (Workforce Advisor) at the NHS Race and Health Observatory, with expertise in health informatics, digital transformation, and workforce equality. An alumnus of the NHS Graduate Scheme, he has held senior roles at Macmillan Cancer Support and the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) team, where he led data-driven strategies for workplace equity. Originally from Zimbabwe and Botswana, Owen is passionate about using data to enhance patient care and staff experiences. Outside of work, he is a keen runner.

Celestine Laporte is a National Officer at UNISON, leading the Race for Equality campaign to combat racism in the NHS. She is the strategic lead for ensuring UNISON workplace representatives use the Workforce Race Equality Standard to drive change. As the national lead for Science, Therapy, and Technical staff, Celestine shapes policy for allied health professionals. A member of the NHS Staff Council’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Group, she is dedicated to advancing equity across the NHS workforce.

Russell Jones is Assistant Director for Children & Adults Joint Commissioning at London Borough of Southwark & South East London ICB. Over a decade in local government, he has held frontline, operational, and strategic leadership roles, focusing on commissioning, partnership development, and system-wide improvements. Passionate about tackling inequalities and promoting inclusion, Russell works to develop public services that improve lives and life chances. His expertise spans health, social care, and local government, ensuring a collaborative approach to addressing disparities and enhancing community wellbeing.

Anthony Robinson is Assistant Director of Casework Presentation and Preparation at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). A dual-qualified solicitor and barrister with over 35 years of legal experience, Anthony previously served as Legal & Enforcement Director at the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) and played a pivotal role in shaping UK and European equality legislation. A published author and legal expert, he has contributed to landmark human rights and equality cases, influencing policy and practice across the UK and EU

Diana Belfon is an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Specialist at Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership, bringing decades of leadership experience in business and healthcare. A workforce race equality expert, she co-chairs the Visible Leaders Network for NHS Midlands and Life-Long Learning. She is also a Director at Citizens Advice and Northamptonshire Rights Equality Council and serves on the HSJ Advisory Board. Passionate about driving EDI best practices, Diana champions inclusive healthcare for communities across Northamptonshire.

Professor Calvin Moorley is a Professor for Diversity & Social Justice in the Adult Nursing Department at London South Bank University. A registered nurse with expertise in intensive care therapy, his research explores the intersections of gender, culture, ethnicity, and health. A Mary Seacole Award winner for Leadership in Nursing, Calvin collaborates internationally and has published extensively on topics including healthcare worker susceptibility to COVID-19, Black African sexual health, stroke experiences in Caribbean populations, and FGM survivor psychosexual health.

Dr. Farah Jameel is a GP in Camden, Non-Executive Director at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, and Trustee of the Medical Women’s Federation. She made history as the first female Chair of the General Practitioners Committee in England. With 15+ years of experience, she has worked across UAE, India, and the UK, shaping health policy, strategy, and digital transformation. A multi-award-winning leader, Farah balances her career with motherhood and a passion for gardening.

Tina Jegede has extensive expertise in health care and adult social care for
older adults. She trained initially as a nurse and subsequently as a midwife.
Tina is a queen's nurse and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management
Studies from Canterbury University and a Master's degree in Health Education
and Promotion from King’s College London. She was awarded an MBE in
2022 for her contribution to social care.

Tina serves on the Whittington Health Trust board, providing senior leadership
on race, equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts. As a leader in
developing and implementing policies and strategies related to EDI. Tina
works with various organisations and stakeholders to promote and implement
ED&I principles, in particular, those that support anti racist practices, ensuring
fair representation and talent realisation, thereby improving efficiency, quality,
and equitable outcomes. She also serves as an honorary senior lecturer at
City St. George’s University.
Tina’s passion for inclusion has driven her involvement in international
development projects, including supporting China's development of services
for older people through the UK’s trading and investment landscape, and
assisting charities such as Eagles Wing in constructing a maternity unit in
Nebbi, Uganda, which now plays a vital role in empowering women and
improving outcomes.

Patricia Hughes is an Associate Director at the Royal College of Nursing, dedicated to advancing equality and career progression for healthcare professionals. A former Divisional Nurse Director at The Royal Marsden and Deputy Director of Nursing at NHSE/I, she has championed inclusion throughout her career. Patricia founded the UCLH BAME Network and is an active Shuri Network member, advocating for digital transformation. With an MSc in Cancer Studies, she continues to mentor and uplift future nursing leaders.

Tista Chakravarty-Gannon is a senior leader at the General Medical Council, where she co-leads the Outreach team and heads up the ‘Welcome to UK Practice’ programme for internationally trained doctors. With over 25 years’ experience supporting survivors of abuse, Tista continues to champion safeguarding, medical leadership and inclusion in healthcare. She is a peer reviewer for BMJ Leader and the Sushrata Journal, and a recognised voice in tackling misogyny in medicine. Tista was awarded the BAPIO President’s Award in 2022 and BIDA’s Special Award in 2024 and is currently co-authoring a textbook on anti-racism in medicine.

Alister D’Souza is a multi-award-winning Senior NHS Leader, recognised for delivering innovation and impact across national healthcare systems. He works across national system leadership roles, blending hands-on operational delivery with strategic experience, including contributions at national executive level and engagement with the Parliamentary Health Subcommittee, with a focus on health system improvement and better hiring practices. He is also a US Global Ambassador for Nursing Rocks and a former NHS England CORE20PLUS Ambassador.
As one of the youngest senior leaders, he brings a fresh, energetic, and credible perspective grounded in delivery, pace, and results. His leadership spans diverse NHS settings, with a strong focus on collaboration, high-performing teams, and building trusted relationships that drive measurable improvement. His work has been recognised through multiple awards and a Parliamentary nomination by his local MP.
He specialises in translating ideas into action, leading programmes across workforce transformation, digital and AI-enabled innovation, and initiatives that improve outcomes, reduce spend, and address health inequalities. Known for connecting people and ideas across the NHS, industry, academia, and policy. He is driven by a clear principle: turning good ideas into tangible outcomes that make a real difference to people, patients, and the workforce.