Meet the Team

Yvonne Bronsky - Forum Chair

Andrea Stebbings

Andrea is an Associate Professor at the University of Plymouth. Working first in a support worker role and then trained as a Registered General Nurse and then as a Registered Midwife she has an extensive career across clinical practice, regulation and education. She is the lead of the Professional Nurse and Midwifery Advocacy module which has been designed in accordance with NHSE guidance to promote thriving work cultures and behaviours through leadership that is responsive and compassionate.

Given all the years that she has worked in clinical practice she knows that it is safety critical that colleagues are able to work well together to provide sensitive, women-centred care and Andrea is a leader in interprofessional learning. Andrea has also sat as an independent panellist for 8 years on the NMC Fitness to Practise Committee and continues to work for the NMC as a Case Examine and is a certified expert witness for clinical negligence cases.

Angela Cartwright

Consultant in Public Health, Registered Midwife

Kiara McElroy

Registered Midwife/Registered Nurse

I began my career in 2011 as a student nurse and qualified in 2014 as a band 5 registered nurse. Before commencing my midwifery studies in 2019. I am currently completing my rotational period in maternity care and I have been in a range of areas including community antenatal clinics, postnatal care, delivery suite and I am currently working in an emergency obstetric unit.
As a new band 5 I have had the pleasure of being a part of the first group of peer support midwives in which we have supported each other during the rotational programme, this is something I would be keen to look at during my term on this forum to roll out in other areas as I found this support so vital.

As a nurse I have a wealth of knowledge to bring to midwifery, I was mainly an emergency care nurse although have skills in both medical and surgical areas. I am a practice supervisor and regularly support students in both midwifery and nursing.

As part of my role in the RCN I have been a steward since 2017 and I was seconded in this role for 18 months prior to commencing my midwifery studies. I am also part of the strike committee and was involved heavily in the 2018/1019 strikes in Northern Ireland.

Outside of work I enjoy reading, long walks, open water swimming, swimming in general and spending time with my family and friends. 

I would just like to say that I am delighted to be coming on board to the midwifery forum and I am excited to see what positive impacts I can make for midwifery within the RCN.  

Wendy Olayiwola BEM, FRSA,FRCM 

MSc Public Health, BA(Hons), RN, BSc (Hons), RM, ILM

National Maternity Lead for Equality NHS England and NHS Improvement &
Professional Midwifery Advocate in a large NHS trust.

Wendy Olayiwola has strong self-belief values, personal development, philanthropy, mentoring, supporting others, just as passionately promoting and advocating for equalities among black and minority ethnic groups.

Wendy is a registered nurse and practising midwife with more than two decades of active, fruitful and broadened years of service in the community and public health. The recognition and influence of her abilities reach, impact and touch several spheres within and outside the United Kingdom. Wendy is well seasoned in articulating and participating in diverse roles involving the hospital, community, private health, and wellbeing. She is very passionate about supporting and empowering nurses and midwives to provide culturally sensitive and holistic care for women and their families. Wendy has held various senior operational and specialist positions and project management roles in maternity. She was appointed into her current role as the National Maternity Lead for Equality NHS England in February 2021.

Wendy received her academic Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Nursing from Buckinghamshire Chiltern University UK: BSc (Hons.) Midwifery City University London, with further studies obtained a merited diploma in Management and Leadership Studies (DMS) and postgraduate (MSc) degree in Public Health at the University of East London. She is an honorary lecturer at universities on public health topics and a motivational speaker.

Wendy has co-authored articles in professional midwifery journals, including talking to men about FGM, reducing the incidence of stillbirths in black women and sustaining quality education and practice learning in a pandemic and beyond: ‘I have never learnt as much in my life, as quickly, ever’. Wendy is a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Equality Diversity and Inclusion Research Advisory Group and Midwifery Panel. She is the Lead midwife/co-chair of CNO CMiDO BME Strategic Advisory Group NHS England.

Wendy was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for service to the NHS and Equality during the COVID-19 response in the 2021 New Year’s Honour List. She was listed in the 2020 year of the nurse and midwife Global WHO/UN/WGH 100 outstanding women nurse and midwife leader. She is the winner of the NHS@70 women leaders Award 2018.