I am the Director of Business Support for the Health Research Authority with a lead responsibility for the HRA’s Public Involvement work in Health Research. My key responsibilities are to ensure that the HRA is able to play a significant role in promoting public involvement, both within the organisation itself and by influencing the key stakeholders it works with, for example researchers, sponsors and funders, to ensure that public involvement has an ever greater contribution to play in producing better health outcomes for the public. Prior to joining the NHS I had a background in local government where I took on a number of roles, managerial and operational, related to increasing community involvement in the development of public services with a particular focus on increasing the participation of young people in decisions that affected their lives. I very much welcome, and am grateful for, the opportunity to take on an observer role with INVOLVE and hope that I can contribute positively to its very important agenda.