Evelyn is an experienced strategic leader with over 30 years in executive, non-executive Board and Chair roles as well as consulting roles. Evelyn’s success in leading large and complex organisations, which has included Board facilitation and development, has earned her a strong and exceptional reputation.

Evelyn has extensive experience in bringing forth transformational strategic, organisational change having led large and complex organisations in the public and social sectors through sustained change and growth. Evelyn brings her lived experience both personally and professionally, a strong delivery and people-oriented style effective in ensuring governance and delivering performance improvement.

Evelyn was appointed Chair of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs mental health and learning disability services across Greater Manchester, in 2017.

She has worked at a senior level in health, education and housing, as well as the voluntary and community sectors, for over 25 years. During this time Evelyn has contributed to the development and implementation of policy at local, regional and national level. She currently sits on the national NHS Confederation Mental Health Network board.

Among her notable roles, Evelyn was chair of Central Manchester Primary Care Trust and then NHS Manchester over a 12-year period, also holding a board-level role at Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust.

Evelyn is passionate about tackling inequalities in health and social care and promoting equality and diversity. She is a member of the NHS Confederation Black Leadership Network and was previously a Commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She is also co-chair of the BAME Advisory Group for NHS North West.

Evelyn was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to ethnic minorities in the field of health.