Senior Executive Sponsors
Each network has a Senior Executive Sponsor who is a senior member of staff at the University. As well as being an active advocate for the network, Senior Executive Sponsors use their connections and knowledge to support the network and to develop their understanding and awareness of how behaviours, policies, and practices impact on the lived experiences of people within the University. This helps to ensure that different experiences and perspectives are considered in high-level discussion and decision-making.
Hear from our Senior Executive Sponsors about why they have taken on the role, and what they hope to achieve.
I’m really proud to be the Senior Executive Sponsor for the Apprentice Staff Network. I’ve had the chance to support and develop a number of apprenticeship schemes across the University over the years, and it’s been a brilliant way to recruit and train some fantastic colleagues. I’m keen to work with the Network to understand how we can best support and expand our apprenticeship offering. We have a great opportunity to deliver on our civic mission and grow our reputation as an excellent employer in the region.
I am delighted to become the Senior Executive Sponsor for the Disability and Wellbeing Network (DAWN). It is incredibly important that we all feel able to bring our whole selves into work and have the right support and understanding to enable us to thrive at work. I hope to support the Network in its mission to raise the visibility and understanding of the challenges that disabled members of our University community experience, and to work together to find solutions that are impactful.
I am honoured to be the Senior Executive Sponsor for the LGBTQ+ Staff Network at the University of Bristol. I seek to be a strong voice for staff and students who identify as LGBTQ+ to make sure they can be their best selves in their work or studies because our University is a richer place to work and study because of all that they bring. As the Executive Director with responsibility for education and student support, I work to ensure that university activities and services are inclusive of all, particularly LGBTQ+ members of the University community, and am committed to ensuring that colleagues and fellow students are supported to understand and undertake acts of allyship.
I'm pleased to be part of the University Neurodiversity Staff Network, as it closely aligns with the work I lead on in Campus Division to support our People Plan and advance our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) commitments. The network offers valuable insight into how we can create more inclusive environments where all University staff can thrive. It also helps ensure that neurodiversity is meaningfully considered in our policies, workplace design, and day-to-day practices—something I’m keen to see embedded more deeply into our culture.
I am delighted to have been asked to act as Senior Executive Sponsor for the Parents and Carers Staff Network. Over the years, the Network has had a significant input into policies and practices around the University, ensuring that the voices of colleagues with parenting and caring responsibilities are heard and represented. Importantly, the Network also forms a platform for peer support and the sharing of vital information. I look forward to helping the Network continue their excellent work to make the University of Bristol an inclusive workplace for all.
It is a privilege to be supporting the newly-formed Women's Staff Network. As a Senior Executive Sponsor, I hope my personal and professional experiences will better shape their future success in the context of our University’s commitment to gender equality. In addition, in my role as Chair of the Swan Implementation Group, I will engage members of the Network to champion their needs, with a focus on intersectionality, so that members can thrive in a globally competitive industry and become an inspiration to others like them.