We are delighted that Sameena Ali-Khan will Chair the Future of Care Conference Leeds. Sameena anchors national bulletins for ITV at weekends, and throughout the week on Central Tonight in the Midlands, covering a wide range of stories across daily news and documentaries. After studying Physiology and Chemistry, Sameena was drawn to journalism. After working on radio in Manchester she first appeared on air on BBC Radio Lancashire. She remained with the BBC, going back to Manchester and GMR before stints on the BBC Asian Network, BBC West Midlands and BBC London, as well as Radio 5Live. On TV (aside from a debut appearance made whilst living in Nigeria on the country's equivalent of Blue Peter) Sameena presented and reported for Northwest Today, Inside Out and Midlands Today before moving to ITV.

Adam entered the sector in 2013 taking 53 care home beds, which soon expanded to 5 High Needs Dementia Care homes in the South East and extended services operating Day Care Services and Home Care Services in the Community. The group are expanding further across the UK with new sites on boarding in 2019. Adam is also an active member of the Trade Association community as the Chair of Accommodation Solutions at Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KiCA) and a board member of the Care Association Alliance (CAA), raising strategic issues for local providers on the national scope. Also as a trustee of the Care Workers Charity his passion for the teams he employs and the ability to develop a wider message about the important job Care Workers do in the community. Adam hopes to be a catalyst to insight change in the sector and develop a greater awareness of the role we all play. Adam brings care sector operational experience and a wealth of key links to the Trade Association community in the sector. Also as a sales and marketing professional in Corporate Telecommunications before entering the sector he brings an outside view of the sector approaches with a keen sense of making a change for the good.

Adam is an owner-operator with over 20 years, hands on experience in the care sector. Knights Care currently operates homes in the North East, East & West Midlands and Humber Regions, specialising in Nursing and Specialist Dementia care. Adam graduated from Brunel University with a degree in Business Studies and has always had a passion for the care sector since he started in the family business at 8 years old. This passion for supporting vulnerable adults has continued throughout his whole career and whilst always maintaining the highest standards. Adam believes the key to his successful care homes is in making sure his residents live a life they choose and not one that is forced upon them. Whilst continuing to support and develop his staff who are integral to his business. A caring man, driven by seeing people and services develop. Married, so not always the boss! With two amazing boys who he adores. Some say a little obsessed by fitness and nutrition.

Anita is the Director of Research and Economics at the Health Foundation, and Honorary Professor in the College of Social Sciences at the Health Services Management Centre (HSMC) at the University of Birmingham. Before joining the Health Foundation in May 2014, Anita was Chief Economist at the Nuffield Trust (2010-14) where she led the Trust's work on health care financing and market mechanisms. Prior to that she had roles as Chief Analyst and Chief Scientific Advisor at DCMS (2007-10), Director of Public Spending at the Treasury (1998-2007), where she led the team working with Sir Derek Wanless on his 2002 reform of NHS funding and worked as an Economic Advisor at DH and for SmithKline Beecham pharmaceuticals. She has worked as a non-executive director in the NHS - for Islington PCT (2007-2011) and The Whittington Hospital (2011-2016). She was specialist advisor to the House of Lords' select committee on the long-term sustainability of the NHS. Anita has an MSc in Health Economics from the University of York and is a trustee of Tommy's, the baby charity. She was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for Services to Economics and Health Policy.

Carol is the AXA Professor of Epidemiology of Ageing at Newcastle University and she is Deputy Director of the Newcastle University Institute for Ageing. Her research programme spans demography and epidemiology with a focus on mental and physical functioning in ageing, including measurement, and she is the leading UK researcher on healthy life expectancy. Her recent research on past and future trends in years with multi-morbidity and care needs is informing current debates on social care. Carol is a chartered Scientist, a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and the Gerontological Society of America and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Charles is CEO and co-founder of Florence, an online marketplace helping to address the staffing and recruitment challenges in the social care sector. Having spent time working as a doctor in the NHS, Charles witnessed first-hand some of the problems in the healthcare system. A conversation with colleagues about the irritation that healthcare workers experience when called by agencies to work shifts that are wholly unsuitable, coupled with the lack of transparency around pay which drains resources from the system, led Charles to think there had to be a better way of doing things. He set about changing the way healthcare professionals find, book and get paid for extra work, and with a small investment from friends and family, desk space in London’s tech community, and a year of extensive research, Florence was born – introducing a new way for healthcare professionals to connect directly to local jobs. Charles studied medicine at The University of Edinburgh, achieving a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise Medicine and a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. He spent four years working in the NHS in Brighton in a number of different fields and was pursuing a career in General Surgery, becoming a member of the Royal College of Surgeons England, before venturing into the world of tech entrepreneurship.

Jackie Pool is the Director of Memory Care for Sunrise Senior Living. She is an Occupational Therapist with over 30 years’ specialist dementia care experience and is well known in the UK and internationally for her work in education, care innovation and leadership, research and publications, including the Pool Activity Level (PAL) Instrument for people with cognitive difficulties and the recently published book: Reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias: a guide to personal cognitive rehabilitation techniques

Jim Clark, Chairman, North Yorkshire County Council Cllr Jim Clark is the Chairman of North Yorkshire County Council for 2019/20 and the themes to his year are supporting health-related initiatives and to promote the cultural life of the County. Jim was born and educated in Arbroath, Scotland, he studied at St Andrew’s University and remains a passionate follower of the Scotland football team. He is a chartered accountant by profession, and was a partner of Arthur Young from 1983, holding senior positions including Head of Audit and Head of Entrepreneurial Services. He has played a key role as a North Yorkshire councillor, holding Executive positions since being elected to Harrogate’s Harlow division in 2001. From 2003 to 2005 he was Executive Member for finance and education (other than schools) and from 2009 to 2010 he took on the schools’ brief, remembered for his work to introduce a much fairer secondary schools’ admissions policy. Since 2010 Cllr Clark has been the high-profile, chairman of the county’s Scrutiny of Health Committee, taking forensic oversight of issues at a time of significant change in matters of health and adult social care. He has also served on the North Yorkshire pension fund committee throughout his time at County Hall. Outside of politics Cllr Clark is a committed volunteer for his Harrogate community. A dedicated thespian he has served as Chairman of Harrogate Theatre for 10 years, overseeing the theatre’s restoration and he is a trustee of local charities - Harlow Community Centre, Friends of Valley Gardens and Pinewoods Conservation Group. He is a former chairman of Rossett Acre Primary School and a former governor for 14 years of Harrogate Grammar School.

As Chief Operating Officer for the Society, Kathryn has overall responsibility for delivering their New Deal on Dementia strategy and has direct responsibility for pulling a range of functions, including fundraising, digital transformation, marketing and operations, together effectively. Prior to this, as Director of Operations, Kathryn managed all of the Society's services, implementing new approaches and hugely increasing reach. Starting in care homes in the private sector and working up to a two-year stint as a social care inspector, Kathryn has thirty years' experience working in health and social care. Prior to joining Alzheimer's Society, she was the Director of Services at Scope and has held a number of voluntary positions, including acting as a trustee for a small disability charity, giving her time as Side by Side volunteer and vice-chairing a board of school governors. She also chaired the NICE Collaborating Centre for Social Care's Guidance Development Group for Hospital to Home Transitions. Kathryn is a big animal lover and, if she's not hard at work, you're likely to find her out rising one of her three horses, feeding her ducks and chickens, fostering working puppies in training or chasing after cats. She enjoys spending time with her children and family and loves travelling. On top of everything else, she is currently studying for a BA Languages in Spanish and French. Having worked with people affected by dementia throughout most of her career, Kathryn has seen the difference goof quality care and support can make, and also the very negative impact of poor-quality care, experiencing this first-hand when her granddad died with dementia after a long and unnecessary stay in hospital. She is determined to make a difference for people affected by dementia and is very proud of what we have achieved to date.,

Marley leads on IPPR's work on migration and Brexit. His current research areas include post-Brexit immigration policy, the role of the EU and non-EU citizens in the UK labour market, and the integration of migrants at the local level. Prior to IPPR, Marley worked as a senior researcher at the research organisation Counterpoint on attitudes to immigration and radical right politics in Europe. Marley is the author of numerous reports, articles and policy briefings on Brexit and migration, and regularly provides expert analysis for the national and international press.

Oliver is an employment law & HR partner and head of Napthens' Blackburn & East Lancashire office. He is highly experienced in employment law and HR issues, with astute commercial awareness and a determination to achieve his clients’ objectives and deliver solutions – making him a valuable business adviser. Oliver acts for businesses of all sizes and across all sectors; from the small owner-managed business through to large PLCs, education establishments and charities. He advises on all aspects of HR and employment law ranging from all levels of employment contracts with or without restrictions, through to dismissal and discrimination matters. He is also regularly requested by senior executives to advise in relation to their departure from their employ. Oliver has particular experience in advising employers in leisure, retail, domiciliary care, security, education, manufacturing, marketing, legal and the IT/software sector. Advising on the full range of HR and employment law issues, Oliver has particular expertise in whistle-blowing, TUPE matters (including arising from insolvency and service provision changes), restructuring, exit planning and strategies, union disputes and independent contractors/self-employed consultants/IR35 He is a regular, high profile speaker on employment matters throughout the North West including presentations at the ACAS Lancashire Employer Relations Forum, local CIPD events and a wide range of seminars including those held by local business coaches, accountants and universities.

Rishi is an award-winning innovation and digital business consultant as well as a guest lecturer at a number of universities on design innovation. He joined Handsale, a care home operator across England, Scotland & Wales, in March 2015 as Care Director. During his time at Handsale he has implemented a number of projects with the aim of using technology to help deliver better care for residents, staff and relatives across QA, care recording, care delivery, medication, training, dementia care and wellbeing provision.

Roland is co-founder and co-director of Architectonicus & Metamorphosen. They believe in positive transformational change for the care industry through refreshed architecture, interiors and support/care model. They have developed new evidence-based approaches that create renewed models for architectural layout and interior design, this combines with human, community and experience centred models of care and support that modify management and staff team behaviors. They optimise the ease with which wellbeing assets are accessed and enjoyed, while minimising stressors and causes of anxiety. Their approach supports sense of personhood, positive identity development, inclusive community centred experiences and development of good psycho-social health. They investigate theory from scientific studies on the senses, cognitive bias, causes of wellbeing, relevant neuroscience and so forth, while visiting and engaging with acclaimed environments of care and support worldwide. Such effective psycho-social support models are proven to reduce staff turnover, reduce medication use, support optimal retention of ADL's and enhance independence, as well as improve positive engagement with clinical models. Such environments and service models slow and prevent the development of challenging behaviours, slow the development of symptoms of dementia, reduce sense of burden, are attractive to volunteers and positively alter peoples view of care and support as something inclusive, interactive, life affirming and beneficial for all. It is all about positively repeatable, recognizable and sustainable support, that is desirable and beneficial to participate in as a staff team member, volunteer, family, friend, local community member as well as someone receiving residential or day time support.

Rosie joined the Better Care Support team (BCST) as Deputy Programme Director in December 2015. She is on secondment to the team from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The BCST is a partnership team between MHCLG, Department of Health and Social Care, the Local Government Association and NHS England. Within the civil service Rosie has worked in a range of social policy areas including local government, devolution, public service transformation, equality and social exclusion.

Sue Cawthray, Chief Executive, Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association Sue has worked within the elderly social care industry for over 25 years including hands on support and care, business management and strategic planning, marketing and fundraising. Sue has been the Chief Executive of Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association for 13 years, has been instrumental in developing Extra Care Housing in Harrogate and since 2013, and has also been involved with Leeds charity Holbeck Elderly Aid as their Business Consultant. Sue is a director of the Independent Care Group, and Donisthorpe Hall.

Sally worked at Sheffield City Council for 20 years managing domiciliary services and in various training and development roles. Sally then joined an independent care organisation as Area and Training Manager. Following a 4 years stint leading a partnership in the social care sector brokering workforce development support Sally joined Skills for Care, the employer – led leadership and workforce development body for adult social care in England, in July 2006 as the Area Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber. Sally is now Head of Area for Yorkshire Humber and the North East, managing a team of 8 Locality Managers supporting employers provide excellent leadership and workforce development. Sally leads Skills for Care in workforce integration across health and social care using the leadership and workforce development expertise. Working with partners focused on the new care models, creating and delivering support packages for workforce transformation, connecting with place-based workforce transformation boards. Currently developing projects in partnership on Care Co-ordination and Building Trust across the health and social care interface.

More details will appear here shortly.

A qualified Chartered Accountant that has spent the last 18 years operating care homes, in 2009 Tony Stein founded Healthcare Management Solutions (HCMS) with his business partner, Kevin Groombridge. HCMS plays a key central role in the sector providing advice and support to a vast client base including all of the major banks, most of the country’s insolvency firms, many national regional and local operators and provides consultancy advice to a number of Private Equity firms and investors. Services include consultancy and due diligence to investors, systems for operators, audit and review for care homes and full-service management. The HCMS team is continually seeking ways to improve quality in an increasingly challenging market. Larchwood Care was a group of 60 care homes in England, Scotland and Wales, with circa 3,500 beds that were transferred to the management of HCMS in January 2016, with an original time horizon of five years. During this time, HCMS would execute an investment strategy, improve quality and assist the investors in finding new long-term owners for the business.

A qualified general nurse with a degree in business studies Tracey originally became involved in Care Homes in the 1980s when her Father, not being able to find a home with which she was were happy for her Grandad, decided to build one. This was Snydale Nursing Home, which was at the time the first purpose-built care home in West Yorkshire. She eventually became the manager of that home and bought it from her father, and married her husband Steve, who was a Chef. After having paid the mortgage on the home she had the experience and the means to increase our portfolio. To date they have created a company called Warmest Welcome Ltd, a building company called Chuffin Puffin with her Brother-in-law, accumulated two further directors, one ops manager and purchased eight further care homes throughout Yorkshire in Harrogate, Wakefield, Malton and Baildon. For some light relief in 2006 she also bought a hotel and restaurant in Malton, which she enjoyed running for ten years and sold in 2016.Owing to the shortage of qualified nurses in 2017 she made the decision to turn their original home, Snydale, into a residential home, which involved huge change for that home. All of their homes with the exception of one in Killinghall are now residential. Over the years her father in law, mother in law and father have been residents of Snydale, with her father eventually being nursed to the end of his life there. She has found over the years that the most important things to success are the team that surrounds you and the drive and enthusiasm to find a way to overcome challenges no matter what they are.