Our commercial and innovation women have been recognised as forward thinking innovators.
Working across a range of specialist fields, some of our innovation leaders are celebrated in the The Northern Health Science Alliance‘s North Innovation Women campaign to mark International Women’s Day on March 8 2026.
The initiative shines a spotlight on 500 innovative and inspirational women across the North – as suggested by colleagues – gaining much deserved recognition for leading and supporting innovation.
Charlotte Fox, business innovation manager at Newcastle Hospitals, who herself was nominated, said:
I’m delighted to see so many of our talented colleagues recognised for the work happening across our hospitals and the wider health and life science sector.
Innovation is only possible when we are willing to push boundaries and find better ways of doing things and each of these women bring fresh ideas, determination and compassion to their work every day.
Working across the commercial portfolio including health and life sciences, private and international healthcare, digital and data partnerships, medical physics, clinical engineering, research and clinical entrepreneurs for respiratory nursing and physiotherapy – those recognised are as follows.
Commercial and innovation team
- Charlotte Fox, business innovation manager
- Michelle Waugh, innovation project manager
- Julie Marsh, head of communications
- Audrey Barton, communications manager
- Melanie Shield, senior commercial business manager
- Michelle Dixon, commercial business management
- Mhairi Spurr, commercial manager for health and life science, and operations manager for Diagnostics North East
Medical technology development
- Kim Keltie, lead healthcare scientist
- Emma Belilios, business manager and project coordinator
- Alison Bray, lead healthcare scientist, medical device development, clinical engineering
- Jo Noble – associate director of operations
- Angela Birt, clinical research general manager
- Layla McMullen, industry manager
Clinical entrepreneurs
- Suzanne Vernazza, physiotherapist and founding Director, Know Your Floors
- Dr Karen Marshall, senior nurse and creator of Breath Tec
