Charlotte Pavitt Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health (FFPH) is an accomplished public health leader with extensive experience across local authority, regional, and national systems. Currently serving as Director of Public Health at Bracknell Forest Council, Charlotte leads strategic initiatives in health protection, research, and workforce development across Berkshire. Her career spans impactful roles in suicide prevention, substance misuse, and inclusion health, notably within Devon and Dorset. She has led pandemic responses, commissioned complex services, and influenced multiagency governance structures. A Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, Charlotte combines academic rigour with practical leadership, having designed scalable social prescribing systems and contributed to national health protection strategies. Her teaching, supervision, and publication record reflect a commitment to capacity building and evidence-based practice. Charlotte’s strategic vision and collaborative approach continue to shape public health policy and delivery not only in Bracknell Forest but across the South East.

Visit the Bracknell Forest council website.

Biographical details to follow.

Visit the Brighton & Hove city council website.

David is the Director of Public Health in Buckinghamshire, a post he has held since April 2025. Prior to this, he was the Deputy Director of Public Health in Oxfordshire for four years.

David has an interest in health inequalities and led on the development of the ‘Oxfordshire as a Marmot Place’ programme. Committed to public health workforce development, he was the Thames Valley area lead on UK Public Health Register, (UKPHR) registration for Practitioners, and developed a support package for candidates in the southeast seeking specialist registration through the retrospective portfolio route. He is also a member of the ADPH funding and workforce Policy Advisory Group, and a professional appraiser.

Outside of work, David is a keen cyclist and football fanatic. He has two perfectly behaved teenage children, and two pet rats.

Visit the Buckinghamshire Council website.

Darrell has been Director of Public Health for East Sussex since July 2018. He came to the county having been Acting Director of Public Health for five Unitary Authorities in Berkshire, where he previously led the public health and leisure departments in Wokingham Borough.

In East Sussex, Darrell has championed a focus on the inequalities in health that exist within the county and has focussed on addressing the causes of the causes of these through developing strong partnerships across sectors and communities and developed his team to both innovate and learn from all they do. He leads work across Sussex and the Southeast on Suicide prevention and has recently been awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate the work of activists in reducing suicides in San Francisco and Sydney so that learning can be applied to his leadership of multi-agency working in reducing suicides at Beachy Head.

His route into public health was through specialist training in London and Kent; having pursued a prior career across the voluntary sector; local government and the NHS working initially in LGBT sexual health, and more latterly across a wider range of public health issues. Originally trained in Architecture, this gives Darrell an almost unique background amongst his peers, and one where he surveys the broadest of horizons when looking at the determinants of health and brings the most creative approaches to problem solving. In East Sussex, this has led Darrell to examine the impact of housing on health and to champion built and natural environment partnerships and the cultural and creative sectors to realise their role in creating and maintaining good health and wellbeing. Darrell has recently taken on chairing the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) “Healthy Places Project Advisory Group“, which aims to bring together the professions of Planning and Public Health, and has acted as ADPH spokesperson on Healthy Places and Climate Change.

Darrell is the newly designated chair of the SE ADPH Network, and will take up the role in October 2025.

Visit the East Sussex County Council website.

Simon is the Director of Public Health for Hampshire County Council and for many years he was also Director of Public Health for the Isle of Wight as part of a strategic partnership. Simon’s background is in behaviour change and health promotion. Over and above the public health remit Simon also leads on Domestic abuse and community safety his role. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Simon is committed to active travel by cycling to his office and all meetings.

Visit the Hampshire County Council Website.

Kate Harvey joined the Isle of Wight Council as Director of Public Health from 1 September 2025. Kate has a wealth of experience across health protection, health improvement, healthcare public health and system leadership. Her career spans senior roles in the NHS, local government, the voluntary sector, and public health research, with a consistent focus on tackling health inequalities and strengthening the foundations for good health.

Visit the Isle of Wight council website.

Dr. Anjan Ghosh has been Director of Public Health (DPH) since 2017, initially in the Lonon Borough of Bexley and then from February 2022 in Kent. He is driven by a passion for improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities. His journey began in India, where he trained as a doctor and observed widespread disparities, sparking his commitment to social justice and tackling health inequalities. Initially aiming to become a surgeon in the UK, his work in public health shifted his focus, leading him to become a Public Health Consultant in 2013.

He leads a large and talented public health team based in the Kent County Council , and is committed to creating a Centre for Public Health Excellence in Kent, with pragmatic and effective research, innovation and improvement activities and programmes at its core. He also values nurturing talent and supporting professional development, participating in the ADPH Mentoring Programme.

As a DPH, Anjan sees his role as a “boundary spanner” and “agenda setter,” responsible for understanding community health needs and improving wellbeing outcomes. He emphasises the importance of integrating data, understanding the social and economic landscape, and seizing opportunities to add value.

Anjan believes that health is a universal marker of good government, and he relishes the opportunity to work to create a happy, healthy and resilient County.

Visit the Kent County Council website.

David is Director of Public Health at Medway Council and has been working in Medway since 2011. He has worked in Public Health in one form or another for over 30 years, with 15 years working at the interface of academic research, community development and public health, and several years with an Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). David has a foundation in epidemiology, public health intelligence and research, and is driven by an underlying commitment to make things work better.

David is also Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Medway and Honorary Professor at the University of Kent.

Visit the Medway Borough Council website.

Ansaf started at Oxfordshire County Council as the Corporate Director of Public Health in August 2019.  During his time, he has led the health inequality strategy across Oxfordshire, bringing into focus the 10 most deprived areas within Oxfordshire and taking a coordinated approach to tackle the underlying drivers of inequalities amongst these communities.  He has been a strong advocate for public health position in local government where he is passionate about influencing the wider determinants.

Ansaf has championed the programme of healthy place shaping across the council as a way of improving health and wellbeing of the population. He has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector, both within NHS and local government.  He is a qualified pharmacist where he’s career began within clinical settings, rapidly progressing into commissioning organisations with experiences at local and national level.

Before joining Oxfordshire, Ansaf was the director of public health at Sandwell Council, an inner-city metropolitan borough within west midlands with complex health challenges, where he worked for nearly 5 years.  He has always believed in the importance of working in collaboration with stakeholders across organisational boundaries to bring about positive changes that makes real sustained impact on population health within a local economy.

Ansaf is the newly designated vice chair of the SE ADPH Network, and will take up the role in October 2025.

Visit the Oxfordshire County Council website.

Helen Atkinson has been the Director of Public Health at Portsmouth City Council since January 2020. Prior to this Helen was the Director of Population Health and Wellbeing at Frimley Health and Care Partnership (ICS) and has worked at a senior level in both local government and the NHS in Surrey since 2008. Roles included the Director of Flu Resilience during the HINI (Swine Flu) Pandemic at NHS Surrey and the Director of Public Health from 2013 leading the transition of public health to the local authority and in January 2016 was appointed to the role of Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and Public Health.

Helen has had a long NHS and LA career spanning 37 years including four years working for the Department of Health in the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) as the Regional Tobacco Policy Manager, leading the implementation of the Smokefree legislation across the South East of England.  Previously Helen worked in South East and East London in various public health roles spanning health protection, health improvement and public health development.

Helen has been a Consultant in Public Health since 2006 is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians and a registered Generalist Specialist in Public Health on the UK Voluntary Register for Public Health Specialists. Helen is currently the Chair of the South East Association of Directors of Public Health Group.

Helen is the current chair of the SE ADPH network, and will stand down in October 2025.

Visit the Portsmouth City council website.

Having worked in public health for over 15 years Matt has accumulated a wealth of experience and expertise in population health. He originally graduated in Sport Science at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Development and a Masters in Public Health.

Matt has a range of research interests including obesity, physical activity, chronic disease managements, arts and health and the built environment. His work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals as well presenting at national conferences. Matt completed a PhD in Public Health from the University of Cardiff in 2024.

Matt is currently the Director of Public Health for Reading Borough Council and West Berkshire Council and visiting fellow at the University of the West of England (UWE), which includes teaching on epidemiology of non-communicable disease, and health promotion modules. He is a UKPHR specialist, Fellow of the Faculty of the Public Health and has previously been a member of a number of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Committees developing quality standards.

Visit the Reading Borough Council website.

Professor Sara Blackmore is Director of Public Health for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM), and has been in post since October 2024. Prior to this role Sara was the South West Deputy Director and then interim Regional Director of Public Health working within the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (DHSC) and the regional NHSE team.

Sara started her career in Public Health and NHS commissioning roles in Camden & Islington Health Authority then the Bristol and Bath health systems. Sara then joined the Public Health Specialty Registrar training programme in the South West.

Post-training Sara worked in South Gloucestershire Local Authority as a Consultant in PH, Deputy Director of PH and then 5 years as Director of Public Health whilst enjoying the challenges of the pandemic!

Sara’s areas of interest are system leadership and development in the fields of population health, prevention and inequalities and the use of evidence to support decision-making across the health and care system.

Outside of work Sara enjoys running and cycling and getting her kids out in the fresh air.

Visit the RBWM Council website.

Tessa Lindfield is the Director of Public Health & Public Protection for Slough. With a career that began in speech and language therapy, including leading an assistive technology service in Australia, Tessa transitioned into public health driven by a passion for fairness and prevention. She was among the early specialty trainees from non-medical backgrounds and has since held DPH roles across diverse settings—urban, rural, county, and unitary. Tessa is particularly committed to mentoring fellow public health professionals and fostering collaboration between public health and public protection, especially in areas like housing and community safety. Her work reflects a blend of scientific rigor, creativity, and a deep commitment to improving lives through systemic change.

Visit the Slough Borough Council website.

Debbie has been Director of Public Health (since 2019), and prior to that Consultant in Public Health (since 2013), at Southampton City Council (SCC). She is also joint lead officer for Southampton’s Health Determinants Research Programme and a partner member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board.

Debbie is passionate about giving children and young people the best start in life; and is also striving to shape a healthy environment in Southampton for people to live, grow and work within now and for future generations.

Debbie’s background is in academic public health. She has a PhD in public health epidemiology, written National Institute for Health and Care Excellence appraisals and worked for the National Research and Development Programme. Debbie is a strong supporter of evidence-based practice, evaluation of innovation and evidence informed policy making.

In July 2025 Debbie was delighted to be awarded Honorary Fellow by the Academic Board of Solent University, in recognition of her commitment to the city of Southampton and for her contribution to Southampton Solent University.

Debbie is the current Sector Led Improvement lead for the south east ADPH network.

Visit the Southampton City Council website.

Rachel is the interim Director of Public Health for Surrey County Council, and prior to this was Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for five years, working to improve and protect the health of the population. She provides public health leadership across the council and the Integrated Care Systems, ensuring excellent partnerships and has a passion for working alongside communities to improve the health of vulnerable groups.

Prior to her role as Director Rachel held a range of senior public health roles in the South West Region as a Consultant in Public Health, including with Public Health England’s South West regional centre. She also has a strong academic background and research experience with Oxford University (SDRG), the London School of Economics (PSSRU), Exeter University Medical School (ECEHH). She is currently Centre Director for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Determinants Research Collaborative for Surrey.

Rachel is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, and an Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

Visit the Surrey County Council website.

Having worked in public health for over 15 years Matt has accumulated a wealth of experience and expertise in population health. He originally graduated in Sport Science at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Development and a Masters in Public Health.

Matt has a range of research interests including obesity, physical activity, chronic disease managements, arts and health and the built environment. His work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals as well presenting at national conferences. Matt completed a PhD in Public Health from the University of Cardiff in 2024.

Matt is currently the Director of Public Health for Reading Borough Council and West Berkshire Council and visiting fellow at the University of the West of England (UWE), which includes teaching on epidemiology of non-communicable disease, and health promotion modules. He is a UKPHR specialist, Fellow of the Faculty of the Public Health and has previously been a member of a number of NICE Committees developing quality standards.

Visit the West Berkshire Council website.

Alison Challenger is the Director of Public Health for West Sussex County Council. She qualified as a Specialist in Public Health in 2009 and has held positions as a Consultant and Director initially in Nottingham then moving to West Sussex in 2021. Alison first qualified and worked as a Nurse, Midwife, and later Strategic Tobacco Control Manager prior to undergoing specialist public health training. These experiences, along with her public health experience, drive both her broad and specific interests in tobacco control, nutrition, and maternal and child health and wellbeing.

In her role, Alison works closely with, and supports a wide range of health, care, and community partners, including providing public health advice to NHS Sussex. She is a statutory member of the West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board and is a representative on the national Association of Directors of Public Health Council and the Faculty of Public Health Board.

Visit the West Sussex Council website.

Jyoti is currently Interim Director of Public Health for Wokingham Borough Council. She has a wealth of public health experience spanning more than 30 years. She has previously been Director of Public Health for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, as well as Sandwell Council. She has held a national role for Public Health Wales, where she led the response to Covid-19 in care homes across Wales. She has held a number of senior roles in the NHS in the West Midlands, where she also completed her public health training. Prior to that, Jyoti held a number of public health research and analytical roles across London.

Visit the Wokingham Borough Council website.

Stewart currently serves as Network Manager for the Southeast Association of Directors of Public Health (SE ADPH). In this role he supports strategic alignment across the regional public health system, reporting to the Director of Public Health at Kent County Council. Stewart leads the development and delivery of the Sector-Led Improvement (SLI) programme, working closely with regional ADPH leads and national stakeholders including Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and NHS England. His responsibilities also include managing network activities, coordinating working groups, and providing operational support for regional events and meetings.

Alongside his regional role, Stewart continues to contribute locally as a Health Improvement Practitioner with the East Sussex County Council public health team, where he has supported the Wellbeing at Work Programme since 2024. His earlier career includes a range of roles within the Ministry of Justice and the Youth Justice Board, where he specialised in human resources, organisational change, and business support.

Stewart completed an integrated apprenticeship degree in June 2025 and holds a First-Class Honours degree in Public Health from the University of East London. Before his career change into public health, Stewart worked extensively as an actor in both theatre and television. He trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and holds a Licentiate Diploma in Acting.