Our Team
Executive
Professor Cathie Sudlow
Executive Director
Cathie leads on the vision and strategic approach of Project Youth. She was previously Chief Scientist at Health Data Research UK and for UK Biobank and is currently Director of the Usher Institute and School of Population Health Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. In 2024, she published The Sudlow Review on transforming the UK’s health data, commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer, UK National Statistician and NHS England.
Dr Hazel Phillips
Chief Operating Officer
Hazel works closely with teams to turn strategy into action. She ensures that the right systems, people and processes are in place to allow the study to run smoothly, efficiently and ethically. Hazel brings over 15 years of experience in research management across funding bodies, universities and the NHS, including as Chief Operating Officer at the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre.
Professor Esther van Sluijs
Chief Scientific Officer
Esther provides strategic leadership on feasibility, piloting and study design. She is a leading researcher in child and adolescent health, with a focus on diet and physical activity. Her expertise has contributed to the development of national guidelines for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and UK Chief Medical Officers.
Albert King
Chief Information and Technology Officer
Albert leads the organisation’s strategy for data management, information security and compliance, ensuring that its digital and information capabilities support world-class health research and deliver lasting public value. Bringing more than 20 years of experience, he previously led Scotland’s national data service for health and care and the Scottish Government’s Data Division. He also played a key part in creating Scotland’s first Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
Science and data
Professor Neil Davies
Principal Scientist
Neil is an expert in medical statistics at University College London. He has worked extensively designing and delivering scientific studies to deliver practical, real-world outcomes in public health, education and social policy. His ability to connect rigorous statistical thinking with real-world questions is integral to guiding our pilot and study protocol designs.
Sian Wells
Head of Scientific Delivery
Sian’s role focuses on the design, development and implementation of the study’s programme. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in public health and clinical research. Previously specialising in the design, conduct and delivery of randomised controlled trials, Sian has led research teams to deliver studies ranging from trials of complex public health interventions in schools, to large scale multi-centre clinical trials.
Aden Kwok
Strategic Data Lead
Aden manages Project Youth’s data pipeline, bringing a combination of strategic health data leadership and hands-on technical expertise. He has experience in data management at the Medical Research Council and University of Oxford where he worked with large-scale clinical trial data and electronic health records while upholding strong data governance practices.
Dr Anni Oskala
Senior Research Officer
Anni supports the development and implementation of Project Youth. From her previous work at NatCen Social Research, Anni brings nearly 10 years of experience in the delivery of large-scale, longitudinal population studies, including Understanding Society, Next Steps and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
Dr Dana Tarif
Research Officer
Dana is a researcher specialising in adolescent mental health. She has experience working with large longitudinal datasets and applying statistical methods to investigate adolescent mental health, with a focus on puberty and depression. Dana has a PhD in Population Health Science from the University of Bristol and has worked with third-sector and public-sector organisations to improve outcomes for young people
Abigail Reid
Research Officer
Abigail is a social researcher with experience designing, managing, and analysing online social surveys for national and international research collaborations. She previously worked as a statistician at a public health research institute, developing statistical programs to support secure analysis of sensitive child health data across multiple European registries. She also spent a decade leading projects supporting families, children, and young people in communities experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Louisa Gilchrist
Research Officer
Louisa is a mixed-methods researcher with experience across adolescent health, digital wellbeing, participatory methods and urban social research. Her PhD explores experiences of safety, visibility and belonging in Scottish cities, with a wider interest in inclusive research design. Before joining Project Youth, she worked in applied digital mental health research, supporting technology-enabled study design, evidence synthesis, protocol development and external research partnerships.
April Arnold
Study Management and Governance Lead
April oversees the governance, ethics and study management processes that support the successful delivery of the study. With over 14 years' experience in research governance and study management across the NHS, the Health Research Authority and the University of Cambridge, she is passionate about supporting high-quality, ethical research that improves the health and wellbeing of children and young people.
Communications and Engagement
Joel Winston
Head of Communications
Joel has nearly 20 years of experience in communications, media and policy. At NHS England, he led communications for national programmes, including Genomics and COVID-19 Antivirals. With a background in science journalism, he has helped universities gain high-profile media coverage and enhance their research impact. Joel is currently developing the study’s communications strategy to amplify its reach and support its mission.
Laura Graham
Engagement and Involvement Lead
Laura is embedding and shaping engagement and involvement in the study. She previously managed the Participation Team at the NSPCC and brings a wealth of experience working with children, young people and their families. Laura has a background in social work, advocacy, children’s rights, and safeguarding, alongside expertise in youth participation and engagement.
Fran Slater
Engagement and Involvement Lead (Maternity cover)
Fran previously led youth engagement work on the Greater Manchester #BeeWell project, led research projects with young people focused on the care system at Barnardo’s, and managed their Young Inspectors Team. Fran has a wealth of experience in participation and youth-led research, and started his career in frontline roles focused on mental health and care experience.
Kerina Evans
Engagement and Involvement Officer
Kerina supports the engagement and involvement of children and young people across the study and leads our Young People’s Advisory Group. She has built expertise in youth voice and leading youth panels through roles at Whizz Kidz and English Heritage, and brings science communication experience from an earlier role at the science centre ‘We The Curious’.
Operations
Ian Allsop
Head of Business Operations
Bringing senior leadership experience from the hospitality, travel and public sectors, Ian is passionate about leading and embedding process, culture and capability that will allow our organisation to thrive. At the UK Health Security Agency, Ian held senior roles in realising the Government’s COVID-19 testing strategy, which resulted in the delivery of over 500,000 COVID-19 tests per day.
Erin Johnstone
Governance, Risk and Quality Lead
Erin brings over nine years of experience in programme management and stakeholder engagement across healthcare, pharma and academia. She previously led operations for the UK-wide Causality in Healthcare AI Hub, driving strategic planning, research coordination and external partnerships with government and industry. In her current role with the team, Erin focuses on operational leadership, programme management and process improvement.
Jo Clarkson
Finance Manager
As a Chartered Accountant, Jo has spent her entire post-qualification career in not-for profit organisations, developing a deep knowledge of the finance planning, management, governance and compliance requirements in the sector. She brings to the role of Finance Manager a track record of developing financial sustainability and capability across teams in mission-driven organisations.
Annette Jackson
Executive Assistant
Annette has many years of experience supporting senior leaders across healthcare, finance and education. Her career spans the UK, Italy and the Middle East, with roles at Health Data Research UK, United Nations World Food Programme, NHS and supporting the COVID-19 response. Annette provides executive support to the Director and wider team, drawing on her versatile skills in stakeholder engagement, project delivery and event management.