Our Team
We are structured around three pillars of work which are highly connected.
Learning and Culture
Engage, train, develop, improve and advance shared learning.
One Workforce Programme
Recruit, mobilise, support wellbeing, retain and narrow inequalities.
Strategy and Planning
Analyse, evaluate, inform, design and lead.
Kate O’Connell
Director of Strategic Workforce and Academy
Kate is the strategic lead for workforce across the Leeds Health and Care Partnership and provides overall leadership and management accountability for the Academy. This includes responsibility for the Leeds One Workforce Strategy, partnership development, and Academy impact. Kate’s career spans education, skills and health in both local and national organisations, where she has always harnessed the power of people and partnerships. With a master’s degree in Linguistics, she is a Fellow of the CIPD and holds post-graduate qualifications in Civil and Commercial Mediation, Executive Coaching, Strategic Management and HR Management. Passionate about social justice and health equity, Kate is active in applied public health research and advocating for communities and local partnerships.
Michelle Stanley
Head of One Workforce
Michelle (Shell) Stanley has over 25 years of experience in the Leeds Health and Care system. She is a registered nurse, with a passion for widening participation and reducing inequalities. Shell is the strategic lead for the Leeds Health and Care Talent Hub and leads a team and portfolio of programmes focussed on recruitment, retention, health and wellbeing, staff mobility and narrowing inequalities. As an essential component of her clinical leadership, Shell has always prioritised professional and team development, unlocking the potential of diverse teams and networks through person-centred approaches and effective inter-professional collaboration. She is a a Chartered Manager Fellow (CMgr FCMI), an accredited Affina OD practitioner, and a Discovery Insights facilitator.
Chris Tissiman
Head of Collaborative Workforce Planning
Chris has worked in HR and workforce for over 30 years across a wide range of roles and organisations including local government, the civil service, the private sector and Higher Education. He is a Fellow of the CIPD and holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management. Chris leads a small team which specialises in collaborative workforce planning across the Leeds health and care partnership. The team have developed a bespoke approach to collaborative workforce planning and have a deep understanding of the workforce data environment, which they use to develop insights and evidence across and beyond traditional boundaries. In addition, Chris leads on the city’s health and care workforce profile, Leeds Health and Wellbeing Strategy health and care workforce indicators and the City’s Learning Needs Analysis.
Veena Murray
Head of Learning & Culture
Veena leads a team who support and deliver training, development & engagement across the Leeds Health and Care sector with a key focus on supporting Team Leeds- developing a culture of person centred care, integrated working and system leadership as well as developing the future workforce. This includes the groundbreaking Leeds Learning Portal, an online platform providing free access to over 120 learning opportunities for all Leeds based health and care employees, volunteers, unpaid carers and students and the recently launched Career Compass – an interactive careers platform showcasing the breadth of careers and job opportunities across the health and care sector. With a master’s degree in Public Policy, Veena has a diverse background spanning public and private sectors with a focus on Education, Leadership development and workforce engagement. Veena is passionate about developing more inclusive workspaces and is a qualified coach, facilitator and licensed Springboard trainer.
Jessica Scrimshaw
Head of Workforce and Partnership Development
Jess leads a portfolio of work focused on inspiring, developing and engaging our Future Workforce. This includes the city’s I Care Ambassador programme, school & youth engagement, and the Career Compass. Jess is passionate about advancing education, skills and apprenticeship pathways across the health and care system, informed by workforce insights, engagement with young people, and the partnership’s priorities. Jess is a graduate of the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme and has worked in a range of workforce, HR and project roles across acute, community and mental health trusts, as well as NHS England and NHS Employers. Jess holds post graduate qualifications in Human Resource Management and Healthcare Leadership.
Paul Sullivan
Partnership, Culture & OD Manager
Paul has worked in health and care for over 25 years across a range of organisations and sectors including Care Homes and Primary Care, first in substance use services and later in training and organisational development roles. Paul manages a team and portfolio of work to support cross organisational working and person-centred care. This includes system leadership, coaching and facilitation, motivational interviewing, Better Conversations and Health Equity work. Paul is a qualified coach, licenced Mental Health First Aid trainer and Insights Discovery facilitator with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Addiction Therapy and a master’s degree in Public Health. Throughout his work, Paul has been a keen advocate for the importance of compassionate communication both in our workforce and in the way we support our populations, improving health outcomes for those in often marginalised communities.
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