Appointed Governors

Luisa’s day job as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Dental Sciences involves teaching our future dentists some of the science behind oral health. She is also passionate about engaging with our community and supporting our students to visit community groups to deliver oral health education.

Luisa is also Director of Engagement and Place for the Faculty of Medical Sciences and it is her goal as a Governor to to help increase our membership and champion the importance of the public voice in healthcare.

David Black became the Appointed Governor for the Advising on the Patient Experience (APEX) group in 2024, having served as a Public Governor since 2021. David has over twenty years' experience working in the Public sector. For the last ten years he has worked with researchers and the third sector regarding the involvement and engagement of patients and the public in priority setting and the management of research projects. Using his experiences within the health and social care systems, and government services, he provides an independent voice and acts as a critical friend offering advice, opinions, and guidance to groups and individuals.

David is Company Secretary and a Trustee for Support and Grow North East, a charity involved in the relief of poverty, social disadvantage, and social exclusion, by supporting the advancement of community resilience and cohesion. He supports citizens with day-to-day matters and advocates for them in navigating public services such as social welfare and legal needs. David is an active citizen involved in issues such as digital exclusion, public engagement in decision making, and social care funding. His interests include writing, gardening, and environmental matters.

John is Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor (Education) and a Professor of Nursing at Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. He has worked in Higher Education since 2007 and has held posts at the Higher Education Academy, University of Sunderland and at Northumbria University.

John has a background in primary and community care having been a Nurse Director in Primary Care. Until 2018 he was Board Nurse on NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group.

He has also worked in consultancy and a number of specialist nursing roles over the past 30 years. He is a National Teaching Fellow, A Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland (Nursing and Midwifery), a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. John has worked internationally to develop practice and higher education teachers in Thailand, China, Hungary, Ghana, Vietnam, Bahrain, Ukraine and in Grenada (West Indies).

John is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the International Council of Nurses and has a lead role in influencing UK policy as Chair of the Queen’s Nursing Institute. He was awarded an OBE for services to community nursing in the 2022 Birthday Honours List.

Lara was elected as a councillor for Heaton Ward in 2018. She sits on Newcastle City Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee and is vice chair for Constitutional Committee.

Lara is a support worker and personal assistant. She has a background in outreach mental health support and continues to be involved in peer support and voluntary projects that engage and empower people who have severe and enduring mental health issues.