Head of Hearing Sciences, Associate Professor in Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Research Theme Lead (Hearing), NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre

Pádraig is an Associate Professor conducting translational research on severe-profound hearing loss including cochlear implantation. He is head of Hearing Sciences in the School of Medicine, and research theme lead for hearing in the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.

Pádraig graduated from the Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin where he completed a Bachelor in Music Performance and subsequently received a Fellowship of Trinity College London in Piano. He then studied at the University of York where he completed an MSc in Music Technology and later gained his PhD in Psychology in 2008 by examining how deficiencies in cognition that occur as part of the natural ageing process may contribute to difficulties with listening to what one person is saying when many other people are speaking at the same time. Following the completion of his PhD, Pádraig held a post-doctoral research fellowship in the Department of Psychology in the University of York, carrying out a programme of research on spatial listening skills in normally-hearing and hearing-impaired populations, including users of hearing aids and cochlear implants. Pádraig joined the NIHR Nottingham Hearing BRU as a senior research fellow in 2012 to establish a research group on cochlear implantation. Padraig currently leads research on severe-profound hearing loss in the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.

Brian Lamb OBE

Policy, Public Affairs, Research and Strategy Consultant

Prof. Brian Lamb was Chair of the Inquiry into Parental Confidence in the Special Educational Needs, which recommended the original creation of Achievement for All. He was Chair of the Special Education Consortium for ten years, Chair of the Hearing Loss & Deafness Alliance, and a founding board member of Every Disabled Child Matters. He is also a visiting Professor in Special Educational Needs and Disability at Derby University, and a Visiting Fellow at London South Bank University looking at social innovation in public services.

Brian was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Middlesex University for his work on SEND. He has published widely on SEND issues. After a long career as a senior leader in the voluntary sector he now works with local authorities, parents’ groups, education leaders and the voluntary sector to bring about positive change for children with Special Educational Needs and vulnerable learners.

Helen Cullington

Professorial Fellow and Principal Clinical Scientist at the University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service, United Kingdom

Helen is captivated by cochlear implants and the use of technology to improve people’s lives. Her dream is that everyone with severe to profound deafness is offered the life-changing benefits of a cochlear implant. She has worked for 27 years in six cochlear implant centres around the world, and completed her PhD at University of California, Irvine.  Helen is a researcher and clinician, seeing patients of all ages.

Helen is Chair of the British Cochlear Implant Group and is committed to using technology to improve health care and communication.

Henry Cutler

Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy (MUCHE)

Prof Cutler is the inaugural director of the Centre for the Health Economy at Macquarie University (MUCHE), currently leading a team of 14 health economics researchers, three PhD students and support staff. He is an applied health economist with extensive skills in evaluating real world problems, having undertaken a consulting role to government and non-government organisations for 15 years. He leads the Macquarie University Health Technology Assessment team, which evaluates pharmaceuticals and medical devices on behalf of the Australian Government for listing on subsidy programs.

Henry is also an affiliated researcher within the Centre for Emotional Health and the Centre for Hearing Education Application Research at Macquarie University. He has gained research experience across a broad health care base. This includes cancer, visual impairment, dementia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, road trauma, sleep disorders, mental health, hearing, pathology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, aged care, integrated care, digital health and hospitals.

He has contributed significantly to media over the last five years, including Australian Financial Review, The Australian, ABC News, ABC Radio National, ABC’s Lateline, ABC’s The Business, BRW, In the Black, Medical Observer, Australian Doctor, Aged Care Insight, Australian Ageing Agenda, and Hospital and Ageing.

Ann-Marie Dickinson

Highly Specialist Audiologist, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Ann-Marie Dickinson began her career in Audiology in 2001. She has worked in Adult Rehab, Vestibular and Paediatric Audiology NHS services across the Northwest and in the West Midlands. Between 2010-2021, she worked at the University of Manchester in research and teaching roles. Ann-Marie’s PhD explored hearing aid technology (frequency lowering) and auditory training. Ann-Marie returned to clinical work in 2018 with a focus on providing highly individualised care for hearing-impaired adults. She is currently setting up a new service in Salford for adults with a Learning Disability, Dementia and Autism. Ann-Marie is passionate about evidence-based practice, service-development and tackling health inequalities in Audiological care.

Megan Quilter

Au.D, Senior Audiologist, GN Hearing

 Megan Quilter, Au.D is a Senior Audiologist with the GN Hearing Global Audiology team. A highly experienced Audiologist, Megan’s vast experience also includes championing the patient needs at the earliest stages of the product development process, and acting as a subject matter expert for the Smart Hearing Alliance program between GN and Cochlear. Dr. Quilter currently holds a Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Florida, and her clinical experience has a strong emphasis on paediatric and adult hearing science research.