Professor Greta Westwood CBE is a distinguished leader in nursing, academic practice, and healthcare philanthropy. She has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) since September 2019leading one of the UK’s most respected organisations dedicated to advancing nursing and midwifery through leadership development, scholarship, and innovation. Under her stewardship, FNF has expanded its reach nationally and internationally, supporting thousands of nurses and midwives and increasing the pipeline of UK nurse and midwife leaders from 60 in 2018 to 4,500 by 2024. The Foundation now reaches over 250,000 healthcare professionals, with a goal to reach 1 million by 2027.

Professor Westwood is a passionate advocate for equitable access to leadership opportunities, championing those from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds. Her contributions to nursing and midwifery were recognised with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2021 for Services to Nursing and Midwifery.

With a nursing career spanning nearly four decades, Professor Westwood began her professional journey in general nursing and midwifery before moving into clinical genetics, where she was among the first genetic counsellors in the Wessex region. She is a Registered Nurse and a Florence Nightingale Foundation Alumna (2012 Leadership Scholar). Her strong academic grounding includes an MSc in Health Psychology and a PhD in Nursing. She has held senior academic and clinical positions that bridge research, policy, and frontline care. She played a pivotal role in establishing the NIHR Hampshire & Isle of Wight Comprehensive Local Research Network and later served as Director of Clinical Academic Practice at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Southampton, promoting evidence-based practice and integrated research in healthcare.

Deeply committed to empowering the next generation of nursing and midwifery leaders, Professor Westwood continues to champion leadership, equality, and professional excellence in the health and social care workforce. She is honoured to support the NouZetwals Health and Social Care Excellence Awards, celebrating compassion, innovation, and excellence across the sector.