Professor Sheila Graham has been Chair of the Society since 2019, following a long history of involvement with the Society across both our publishing and meeting portfolios. As she steps down tomorrow, we would like to express our thanks for all her support and contributions during her 5-year term.

Sheila was Honorary Meetings Secretary from 2011-2016, one of the inaugural members of the Society’s Publications Committee, and the first Chair of the EDI Advisory Panel, when it was created in 2020. During her term she has sat on the Nominations Panel, Finance Committee, and Council of Trustees, as well as holding an Executive Director position on PPL Board.

Sheila supported the Society through periods of significant change, including the original Membership Review, the creation of the current Senior Management Team, the shift to a fully remote working model in 2022, and the adoption of the 4-day week in 2023.

Sheila said: “It’s been a pleasure to serve the Society as Chair for the last five years, working alongside the Chief Executive Kate Baillie and her staff team to continually deliver for our community. I’m proud to have been part of governing an innovative and forward-thinking organization, and I look forward to seeing all that it continues to achieve in the future”.

Society President, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, said: “Sheila has committed herself to the Society for many years, being an enthusiastic Chair over the last five. We are hugely grateful for all that she has done for the Society, our staff, and our community and will miss her input to all our activities.”

Following the AGM on 11 July 2024, Professor Richard Reece will be taking over from Sheila as Society Chair, providing operational leadership in partnership with the Chief Executive.