Our board
The Liverpool Health Partners Board brings together senior leaders from across our member organisations including NHS, academia and Combined Authority, to provide system level leadership for health research and innovation.
Our Board provides strategic oversight, collective leadership and alignment with civic and economic priorities. This enables partners to align around shared priorities, reduce duplication and maximise the impact of collective investment.
Professor Tim Jones
Chair, Liverpool Health Partners
Vice-Chancellor, The University of Liverpool
Professor Tim Jones took up post as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool in January 2023. He moved from the University of Birmingham, where he was Provost and Vice-Principal from 2016.
Tim is Chair of the Liverpool Health Partners Board, a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Business & Enterprise Board, Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Board and Sciontec Board, and the Liverpool-Manchester Partnership Board. He is also a Director of the Russell Group and Chair of the N8 Research Partnership.
Professor Louise Kenny
Chief Executive Officer, Liverpool Health Partners
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, The University of Liverpool
Professor Louise Kenny CBE is the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, holding multiple national leadership roles including Chair of PSMB at the Medical Research Council, Chair of the Northern Health Science Alliance and Chair of Main Panel A for REF 2029.
A former founding Director of the INFANT research centre and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Cork, she is internationally recognised as a leading expert on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, having published over 300 scientific works and securing more than £65million in research funding. Her research has directly influenced national and international clinical guidelines, and she leads the Wellcome Trust–funded C‑GULL birth cohort study, the first of its kind in the UK for two decades. Louise’s significant contributions to health research were recognised with a CBE in the 2022 New Year Honours.
Dr Christine Cornforth
Managing Director, Liverpool Health Partners
Christine Cornforth is Director of Partnerships and Programmes within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool and Managing Director of Liverpool Health Partners. She provides system leadership across clinical, academic, industry and civic partners to shape and deliver clinical research and innovation.
With an academic background in health and life sciences, she has extensive experience in the design and delivery of clinical research, including population-based birth cohorts, clinical trials and case control studies, alongside the development of GxP-compliant research infrastructure, including data and biological sample platforms. She has led large-scale programmes and built multidisciplinary teams, with particular strengths in women’s health, child health and population health research.
James Sumner
Chief Executive Officer, NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group
James was appointed Group Chief Executive of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group on 1 November 2024, having first joined LUHFT as Chief Executive in May 2022 and later becoming Joint Chief Executive with Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust in December 2023.
With over 20 years of NHS experience across primary and secondary care, system improvement and integrated care roles in the North West, he previously served as Chief Executive at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and held senior positions at Liverpool Women’s, Stockport, and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trusts.
John Grinnell
Chief Executive Officer, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
John Grinnell is a senior NHS leader with nearly 30 years of Board‑level experience and is the current Chief Executive of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
He joined Alder Hey in 2017 as Director of Finance and Deputy Chief Executive, later becoming Managing Director and Chief Finance Officer in 2023, where he led the development of the Trust’s new strategy focused on delivering a healthier, happier and fairer future for children and young people. John began his NHS career on the National Finance Graduate Trainee Scheme and has held senior roles across major NHS trusts, including almost a decade at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, where he helped secure Foundation Trust status and served in several executive positions, including Acting Chief Executive.
His national recognition includes being named Finance Director of the Year in 2019.
Trish Bennett
Chief Executive Officer, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Trish became Chief Executive Officer of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust in November 2024, following senior roles within the organisation including Chief Nurse, Chief Operations Officer and Deputy CEO for Clinical Services.
With over 40 years of NHS experience across nursing leadership roles in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, she previously served as Director of Nursing for the Lancashire & Greater Manchester Sub Region at NHS England. As Chief Nurse, she led Mersey Care’s operational response through the COVID‑19 pandemic and is known for her strong commitment to high‑quality, patient‑centred care. Her contributions have been recognised with several honours, including the Chief Nursing Officer Gold Award, an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University in 2023, and an MBE for Services to the NHS.
Joan Spencer
Chief Executive Officer, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Joan has served as Chief Executive of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre since March 2025, following her previous roles as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive.
She first joined the organisation in 2014 as General Manager of Chemotherapy, later progressing to Interim Director of Operations in 2019, Chief Operating Officer in 2022, and Deputy Chief Executive in 2024. A cancer nurse by background, Joan previously held a series of senior clinical and management roles at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital between 1997 and 2014, including Lead Nurse for Breast Services, Associate Directorate Manager, and Directorate Manager for Surgical Services.
Jan Saron-Ross
Chief Executive Officer, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Jan Saron‑Ross is a highly experienced NHS leader and is the current Chief Executive of the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, with a 35‑year career spanning operational, strategic and nursing leadership and a strong reputation for championing high‑quality, patient‑centred care.
She led the Trust’s successful application for University Hospital status, developed a future‑focused organisational strategy, and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University in 2025. Beyond her executive role, she contributes significantly to regional and national health leadership as an active member of Liverpool Health Partners, the Cheshire and Merseyside Provider Collaborative clinical lead, and a former NHS Providers trustee, while also being recognised in the HSJ Top 50 NHS CEOs and serving multiple times as a HSJ Awards judge.
Professor David Lalloo
Vice-Chancellor, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Professor David Lalloo is a clinical academic specialising in Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with a strong focus on clinical trials and epidemiological research in low‑ and middle‑income countries.
David trained in Newcastle before developing expertise in General Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine—including three years in Papua New Guinea—he later conducted research in Oxford and joined the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine as a Senior Lecturer in 1999. Before becoming Director of LSTM in 2019, he served as Dean of Clinical Sciences and International Public Health and led major Wellcome Trust–funded global health research and training programmes. He also holds an Honorary Consultant role at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and continues to practice clinically.
Professor Mark Power
Vice‑Chancellor, Liverpool John Moores University
Mark Power, Vice‑Chancellor and Chief Executive of Liverpool John Moores University, is a Professor of Higher Education Leadership with a distinguished record in driving strategic, evidence‑based innovation and transformational change across the institution.
Mark led the development of LJMU’s Strategy 2030, strengthening personalised learning, research impact, and developing meaningful regional and global partnerships. He also championed initiatives that attract research investment, support knowledge exchange, and build sustainable talent pipelines aligned with the city region’s skills needs. Recognised for his commitment to social mobility, Mark serves as a director on several organisations, holds honorary professorships in China, and contributes nationally as a CBI Regional Councillor. Alongside his leadership career, he is an accomplished artist with a Fine Art degree, an MBA, and an active exhibition profile in the UK and internationally. He is also Trustee of the John Moores Painting Prize.