Each of our BDA board members has provided a biography about their careers.
Jump to:
- Susan Price (member) Chair 2024-
- Gillian Farren (member) Deputy Chair 2019-
- Vicki Bennett (member) Trade Union National Executive Committe Chair 2021-
- Elaine Buckley (non-member) Honorary Treasurer 2019-
- Lucy Diamond (member) 2020-
- Emily Walters (member) 2020-
- Andrea Wilson (member) 2022-
- Chris Flatt (member) 2022-
- Aisling Pigott (member) 2024-
- Marie-Claire Kane (member) 2024-
- April Aslett (member) Student Representative 2024-2025
- Samantha Peters (non-member) 2019-
- Abdul Elghedafi (non-member) 2022-
- Sarb Bajwa (non-member) 2022-
Susan Price - BDA Chair
Susan was born and brought up in North Wales and it was while at school and doing her GCSEs that she knew that she wanted to be a Dietitian.
After graduating from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen in 1995 Susan went on to get her first graduate post in a NHS acute hospital Trust.
She has worked in a range of adult acute and community posts, as well as time being a sports dietitian and research dietitian and in 2002 obtained her MSc in healthcare management.
Susan was the Head of Nutrition and Dietetics at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust for over 10 years where she also undertook her own clinical caseload in the areas of ICU and gastroenterology.
In 2020 Susan was appointed to the role of Deputy Director for Health Wellbeing and Inclusion and continues to practise within ICU as a Dietitian.
Twitter: @SusanPriceRD
Lucy Diamond - Director
I’m Lucy Diamond, a Diabetes Specialist Dietitian and the Head of Clinical at Oviva, a digital dietetics provider for the NHS. After ‘testing out’ a variety of career pathways, including stockbroking, events organising and teaching dance, I embarked on my dietetics degree. I spent a decade in the NHS, mainly at King’s College Hospital London, working my way through band 5, 6 and 7 roles, with the opportunity to specialise in Diabetes, and work as a DSD (Diabetes Specialist Dietitian) covering both paediatrics and adults.
I then went on to work at Oviva, in 2017, and developed their first remote and digitally enabled Diabetes Education Programme, which has now had over 15000 attendees, and I have recently being appointed as UK Head of Clinical there. In the past four years I have also juggled two maternity leaves, and freelance work, both clinical and media.
I applied to be a Director on the Board for the BDA as I have a passion for ensuring that dietitians as a trade are at the forefront of the evolving digitisation of services both in and outside of the NHS. I believe as dietitians we should celebrate our worth and show, through evidence-based practice, that our skills are superior in providing patient care. I hope that in this role, focusing on Practice and Education, I am able to be a voice for dietitians in the area of digital dietetics, and ensure that as healthcare professionals we are not left behind.
It is an honour to sit on the board, and be part of a team that truly put members at the forefront of all discussions and decisions.
Twitter: @diamondietitian
Emily Walters - Director
As a non-executive Director, it is a privileged opportunity to be able to contribute to the BDA’s success and its evolution to meet the future needs of its members. My remit for higher education and research reflects both my experience and interests.
I have been a member of the BDA since qualifying as a Dietitian in 1993 and have had voluntary roles within a specialist group, at branch level and as a Trade Union Representative. Being appointed as a non-executive Director provides further opportunity to contribute to the Association. I particularly enjoy meeting colleagues, learning from and listening to their aspirations, achievements and challenges. This provides valuable insight enabling me to more effectively contribute to Board discussions and my work with the BDA.
I currently have a portfolio career reflecting my clinical and research interests and continue to contribute to the education and development of pre and post registration dietitians. I also enjoy voluntary roles as a member of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substance (ACBS) and the Executive Committee for BAPEN and Co-Chair the British Artificial Nutrition Survey. I previously worked in several NHS Trusts in various clinical, research and leadership roles and have successfully completed an MSc in Leadership and Management. My interest in clinical research led to my being awarded an NIHR Clinical Academic Doctoral Fellowship exploring family carer experiences of eating and appetite in dementia.
Alongside the legal and corporate responsibilities of a non-executive Director I seek to support the BDA to be a successful organisation meeting the needs of a diverse and developing membership and profession.
Twitter: @EmilyWaltersRD
Vicki Bennett - Director
I grew up in Yorkshire but haven’t lived there since I left home to attend University in Aberdeen, Scotland, 26 years ago! I undertook a BSc Health Sciences degree with Honours in Nutrition which led to me moving to The Robert Gordon’s University, Aberdeen to complete another undergraduate degree in Dietetics. I was able to join in the third year as the 31 week placement still existed, qualifying as a Dietitian in 2001. Over the past 20 years I have held a variety of dietetic posts ranging from nutritional support to older people's services and to my current post within the food and health team in health promotion.
I have been a BDA Trade Union representative for nine years as I was looking for a bit of a challenge and variety during my career journey. I was elected as the Scottish rep to sit on the newly formed BDA Trade Union National Executive Committee (TUNEC), where I was duly elected to the position of Chairperson. This is an exciting time for TU activities within the BDA and I am looking forward to leading the BDA as a union. As part of my role, I became a Director on the Board of Directors. I also have a seat on the Scottish Board in a TU capacity.
Along with my fellow directors I want to ensure that the BDA continues to be successful as an organisation but that it also evolves to meet the needs of our members, so that our profession can flourish in this complex world. I especially want to champion our membership in Scotland and ensure the BDA has a four nation approach to membership.
Gillian Farren - Director
I qualified in 1998 as a Dietitian in Dublin, Ireland, and I have a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion. I have also completed further postgraduate studies in paediatrics, healthcare informatics and diabetes care. Since qualifying, and over the last two decades or so, I have specialised in inborn errors of metabolism, public health nutrition, specialist weight management and most recently in the field of neurology and acquired brain injury. I am currently an independent dietitian, having set up my own company about three years ago, following a very happy career in the NHS and previously in the Irish public healthcare equivalent, now called the HSE or Health Service Executive.
As for how I got to where I am, I can’t entirely say I had a firm plan that led me here; my move from the NHS to independent work was mostly motivated by wanting more flexibility to meet the needs and challenges of our young and growing family, and I’m pleased that I have still been able to maintain links and to work closely with many of my NHS colleagues as an independent practitioner. I’ll always be a firm fan of the NHS!
Prior to my move from Ireland to live in the U.K. in 2010, I enjoyed an active role in the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, holding officer roles on a number of special interest groups and also holding a position on the national dietetic registration application body, which reported directly to the Department of Health at that time. These roles, alongside being a regional community dietetic manager for three years prior to my move to the U.K., gave me both the skills and the confidence to seek out further leadership opportunities when I moved to the U.K.
Applying for the role of BDA Director in 2019 felt like a natural next step that I was very much ready for.
My specific director role is to support to both the communications function and the specialist groups and branches functions of the BDA.
I carry out my specific role by keeping close contact with key members of staff within the BDA office team, by ensuring that all issues and proposed developments brought to the Board of Directors pertaining to these functions are clearly and fairly represented and well understood by my fellow directors, and by responding to more complex issues as and when required by the BDA office team or by fellow BDA members.
My inspirations are Elsie Widdowson; anyone who can strive to ensure that an entire nation continue to be well-nourished at a time of great crisis such as World War II, going above and beyond in so many innovative ways to do so, deserves a lot more than a medal in my book!
My modern dietetic hero is a trickier choice… that said, my enduring respect for Dr Sharon Foley, who was my very first boss in 1998 and who gifted me with my first real appreciation for just how much of a difference dietitians might be able to make beyond the hospital setting, is most definitely worth a mention. Dr Foley and her evolving philosophy on healthcare is very much a guiding force in my everyday practice, and indeed in my world view, to this day.
Outside of dietetics, I draw daily inspiration from a good friend of mine, Maria Kidney, who I was lucky enough to meet through the Irish Girl Guides some two and a half decades ago. From early on, Maria always inspired me to adopt a “can do” mentality, often in the face of the most unlikely challenges! In 2000, following a mountain climbing holiday, Maria gave up her promising career as a software engineer and business analyst to start up a charity, now called Brighter Communities Worldwide, to support the communities she encountered on that first crucial trip to Kenya – communities, and especially young women, who were in dire need of the most basic healthcare, social support and community infrastructure. Since those early days, Maria’s infectious enthusiasm and unwavering commitment have ensured that her charity work continues to grow like wildfire… there’s just no stopping her! Maria, and the changes she continues to make, is a constant reminder to me that almost anything is possible if we start small, stay focused, maintain our commitment, and never stop believing that we can make a difference.
When I first applied for the position of BDA director, I was more than a little terrified of the prospect, but also very excited! As it turned out, I needn’t have been quite so terrified, as I received a warm welcome and plenty of training to skill me up for the task ahead, and I continue to enjoy ongoing support from the BDA office team and from my fellow directors.
I still suffer from “imposter syndrome” on a regular basis, but I’ve learned to see this as a positive, in its place: I have come to believe that when we question our worth, as long as we take a balanced view and ensure we add up all our assets as well as our shortcomings, seek feedback from trusted colleagues and friends, and have the capacity to put a plan in place to address the balance, then it can only be a good thing. As my dear dad says to me time and again: don’t be afraid of a challenge…and never stop learning!
Twitter: @FarrenGillian
Samantha Peters - Director
I am a management practitioner with some twenty years’ experience in the health sector, working with organisations which represent the interests of professionals, patients and the public. During this time, I have worked with academics, scientists and professionals in diverse disciplines ranging from arthritis to optics. Most recently, I was Chief Executive and Registrar of the General Optical Council, the UK’s regulator for optical professionals and businesses, from 2011 to 2017.
I have an MBA from Cass Business School, where I received a Tallow Chandlers Award for my research on the subject of blind or excessive trust and organisational failure. This investigated cases such as Harold Shipman. I am currently studying for a PhD at the University of Bath. My research considers the role that healthcare institutions play in promoting or inhibiting professionals’ kindness, compassion and altruism towards patients.
My areas of interest include health policy, professional regulation and compassionate care. I am particularly passionate about wellbeing in the workplace. This is an interest I am pursuing as a trustee of the British Safety Council, which exists to ensure that no-one is injured or made ill through their work. I currently chair its newly established Working Well Together Committee which was set up to develop a programme of support for employers who want to improve employee wellbeing.
I was appointed to the BDA Board in 2019. As a lay director, I use my experience of leading organisations and my knowledge and expertise in management to contribute to the work of the Board, support the BDA more widely and promote the profession. In 2020, I took on the role of Honorary Treasurer. In this capacity, I chair the BDA’s Finance Risk and Audit Committee, which supports the Board on financial matters.
I am inspired by a keen interest in social psychology and organisational behaviour, especially writers and thinkers who help us understand how problems arise within our institutions and societies, and what might prevent them.
What I enjoy most about working with the BDA is the opportunity to help promote a profession that makes such a valuable contribution to society, one which benefits us all.
Twitter: @SPeters1001
Elaine Buckley - Director
My name is Elaine Buckley, I have worked in higher education for over 23 years. My last role was Director of Academic Development and Diversity, where I led a team which supported the development of inclusive academic practice across Sheffield Hallam University. I qualified as a physiotherapist in 1981 and undertook several clinical roles, before studying for an MBA and moving into management. I had a number of senior leadership roles in the NHS including non-executive directorships in both acute and primary care settings. I have also served on the Health and Care Professions Council as a member and as Chair between July 2015 - 2018. I joined the British Dietetic Association, as a non-executive Director in July 2019.
In my role as an educator and as Chair of the HCPC, I have enjoyed working with a broad range of health and social care professionals. The opportunity for non-members to join the BDA board was very attractive, as it provided an opportunity for me to bring my experience as a non-executive to an exciting and forward-looking professional association and work with a new team of people.
My role is a non-executive Director. As a member of the board my role is to provide scrutiny with respect to the governance of the organisation, but also to support executive colleagues in areas where I have skills and expertise. Along with fellow directors I will also act as an advocate for the dietetic profession and promote it when opportunities arise.
I have been fortunate to work with and for a number of inspirational colleagues over the years, each person has helped me develop a strong moral compass and sense of self-belief, which I have taken with me throughout my career. This experience has also encouraged me to support and coach other more junior colleagues, as I myself have moved into more senior roles.
I am very much enjoying working with colleagues at the BDA, meeting dietitians and learning more about the profession.
Andrea Wilson - Director
I originally registered as Dietitian in 1984 and worked as a paediatric and research Dietitian for 12 years in Dundee before I gained my MSc and diversified into cancer audit, clinical governance and risk management. Throughout this time I was an Honorary Teacher with Dundee University and kept my links with the Dietetic Profession through my work as Chair of the BDA Quality and Clinical Governance Committee.
Realising that the skills I had learned as a dietitian equipped me well for leadership and management roles I moved into General Management and was appointed as a non-executive Director on the Board of our local College before I took early retirement in 2017.
I currently work as a part-time General Manager for Waiting Times in NHS Fife.
When I moved into General Management, I let my HCPC registration lapse as I struggled with the concept of evidencing fitness to practice in these roles. However, when I was appointed to a role which included the management of Allied Health Professionals I felt the urge and indeed the need to reconnect with my clinical roots. I am forever grateful to the many colleagues and friends who guided and supported me through my return to practice journey which enabled me to re-register in 2017.
It was through this that I came back to work with the BDA again. As a member of the Scotland Board I was pleased to be able to use my knowledge and experience in policy and strategy to represent the BDA on the Allied Health Professions Federation Scotland (AHPFS) to promote the value of the dietetic workforce and influence future policy direction in Scotland.
In early 2020 I took on the role of Chairperson of AHPFS just as we headed into the pandemic - one of the greatest and rewarding challenges I have faced in my career so far. I stepped down from the role after two very busy but fulfilling years of office in February 2022.
Leading, inspiring and developing others to make changes and improvements is my passion and I am delighted to be joining the Board of Directors as a non-executive Director at a time when there is such significant change and opportunities for the profession.
Chris Flatt - Director
As a non-executive Director, it is a wonderful opportunity to be able to contribute to the BDA’s future and development to meet the needs of its members.
I graduated from the University of Surrey and went straight into clinical roles in and around London, specialising in long-term nutrition support. I was a tutor on the PENG Nutrition Support course for several years. I have worked as a Clinical Team Leader overseeing a large elderly-rehabilitation ward; managed outpatient, diagnostic and endoscopy services at a modern health centre; and then moved into a General Manager role for Outpatient services. I have a strong belief in the benefits of health promotion. I am a qualified personal trainer and have enjoyed combining dietetic skills with exercise advice to a wide range of people, whilst continuing to work in clinical dietetics. I have completed a Master's in management and in the NHS Leadership Academy Nye Bevan Executive Leadership Program.
I have been a member of the BDA since qualifying as a Dietitian in 1995. My present role is as Chief Allied Health Professional in a large acute hospital trust in London working at an operational and strategic level supporting all AHPs. I chair our ICB AHP Council and chair the Chief AHP Shelford Group. Being appointed as a non-executive Director provides an exciting opportunity to contribute to the Association and I look forward to supporting the profession over the next three years
Aisling Pigott - Director
I qualified as a Dietitian in 2010 from Cardiff Metropolitan University and completed my PgCert in Sports Nutrition in 2013 at Coventry University and an MSc in Advanced Dietetic Practice in 2018. I love being a dietitian, a profession that allows me to combine my passion for food, helping others and exploring science.
I have worked across a range of clinical settings, specialising in Paediatric Diabetes at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board from 2015 – 2024, where I loved working with children and young people with Diabetes. I enjoyed a secondment as All Wales lead for Type 1 Diabetes and Physical activity, where I worked with the national team to deliver activity training and resources for people with diabetes across paediatric and adult services for all professionals.
I am currently a part time doctoral researcher funded by RCBC Wales alongside my position at Cardiff Metropolitan University as Senior Lecturer in Interprofessional Education across the healthcare courses offered at Cardiff Metropolitan University. I have a small freelance business, Dietitian Wales where I see a small number of clients privately alongside some workshops and workplace health programmes.
I have a research interest in the prevention of Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered eating and my PHD explores the causes and maintenance of disordered eating in Type 1 Diabetes. I am involved in national Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE) with the Children and Young People's Diabetes Network (CYPDN) T1DE workstream as chair of the guidelines group.
Highlights of my career have involved ISPAD science school in Abu Dhabi, delivering the Elsie Widdowson Lecture in October 2024 and my TEDxNHS talk in September 2023. Being a dietitian has offered me so many opportunities professionally, however being an engaged member of the BDA has given me the opportunity to bring my personality to my profession and engage with my strengths and passion.
I was delighted to apply to the BDA Director role as a Welsh member. There is so much amazing work that happens in Wales, and within many dietetic specialities’ dietitians embrace working together to develop and deliver high standards of nutrition care on a national level. I am so excited to represent the Welsh membership, my amazing colleagues at board level. I’m planning on bringing my passion for supporting advanced dietetic career pathways, clinical academic posts and embracing research funding to the board. I’m most looking forward to learning from the breadth of experience on the board and working with the board to further develop our profession.
Diolch yn fawr iawn.
April Aslett - Student Representative
I am a final-year dietetics student at the University of Plymouth. Originally from Hampshire, I moved to Devon with work in 2013 and I haven’t looked back since! I’m a mature student, having previously spent 7 years as a musician in the Royal Marines Band Service. In 2018, I left my full-time role in pursuit of a more fulfilling role that involved helping others. I began as a personal trainer and yoga teacher, where I loved supporting groups and individuals in improving their health. However, it became clear that many of my clients wanted nutrition advice that I was not qualified to give, which led me to explore the field of dietetics.
I’m drawn to the diversity of dietetics and, although I’m keeping an open mind about where my career will take me, have particular interests in mental health, eating disorders, sports nutrition and nutrition in the armed forces. I’m also passionate about sustainability and the role dietitians can play in this area. As student representative, I’m eager to learn more about the unique journeys that have lead each of us to the profession and to share these stories, raising awareness of our role and encouraging more people to join the field.
This year, I aim to work with the BDA to enhance the student membership experience by developing resources that showcase the value of BDA membership. I’m also a strong advocate for volunteering, having found it invaluable during my studies. I hope to inspire other students to get involved in volunteering opportunities and develop their skills in preparation for entering the dietetic workforce.
It is an honour to have been elected student representative for 2024-2025, and I sincerely thank everyone who voted for me.
Abdul Elghedafi - Director
I was born and raised in Aberdeen where I was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and went on to read Law at the University of Aberdeen. I am a Scottish Qualified Solicitor working in the public sector specialising in a number of areas namely data protection law, freedom of information law, contract law and public sector procurement law.
I am an experienced Board member having held a number of roles at Board level. I have been a non-executive Board Member at North East Scotland College, one of Scotland’s largest Regional Colleges, for four years. I'm currently a non-executive Director on an NHS health board and a Lay Member sitting on a joint Department for Transport and DVLA Committee where I provide a lay view on driving standards and policy. I sit as independent panellist and chair of the Independent Appeals Panel for the Department for Transport adjudicating on train passenger appeals. I am also an Independent Assessor for the Department for Education where I assess appeals and complaints from customers of the Student Loans Company.
Sarb Bajwa - Director
I am a senior manager and leader and spent the early part of my career living and working in Southern Africa for an international aid organisation. Over the last 15 years I have been working for a number of global professional membership and learned societies in a variety of regulated sectors, including: legal services; financial services, the engineering industry and health and social care. I am used to working in a changing national and international political landscape and have led these organisations through a variety of challenges. I understand the importance and value of professional bodies both for their members and the wider public good and believe that they have an invaluable role to play particularly in terms of building and sharing expertise and knowledge.
I have been responsible for strategic planning; operational delivery; change management; managing campaigns and lobbying; public policy development; events and marketing; external relations and stakeholder management; customer service; financial and budgetary management I enjoy leading and driving change, being externally focused and forward facing and I have consistently delivered growth in the organisations for which I have worked.
I am excited and looking forward to being part of the BDA family and contributing to our success.