Research Team

The OptiBreech Research Team

Dr Shawn Walker, Chief Investigator
Tisha Dasgupta, Research Assistant
Professor Andrew Shennan, Co-Investigator
Professor Jane Sandall, Co-Investigator
Professor Julia Fox-Rushby, Health Economist
Dr Kirsty Logan, Statistical Advisor
Sarah Hunter & Sharna Reid, Lay Members

Principal Investigators

Consultant Midwife Emma Spillane
Consultant Midwife Gillian Houghton
Clinical Lead Midwife Kate Stringer
Consultant Midwife Louisa Davidson
Consultant Obstetrician Pina Amin
Consultant Obstetrician George Haroun
Consultant Obstetrician Helen Le Grys
Midwife Amy Meadowcroft
Midwife Ngozi Njoku

Study Steering Committee:

Lay Research Team Members

Phoebe Roberts, Lead lay researcher for our Core Outcome Set research. “I’m Phoebe, from London, where I live with my partner Karl and our child Bobby, who was a breech baby. I work as a curator and producer and I’m keen to participate in research around breech birth so other parents can make informed choices and give birth in a supportive environment.”
Sarah Hunter, Lead lay researcher for the feasibility pilot trial. “I’m Sarah and I live in Peterborough with my husband, little girl Elsie and my dog. I’m a self employed Stage Manager but currently working mainly as a stay at home mum. I sadly lost a little baby boy just after he was born so I feel very passionate about helping improve care for Mums and Babies in anyway I can.”
Sharna Reid, Lay co-ordinator for the Patient and Public Involvement Group. “My name is Sharna, I live in London with my family and work as an Accounts Payable Officer. My daughter was breeched and didn’t turn around, even with two attempts of ECV. I gave birth to her at 38+5 via physiological breech birth also known as “vaginal breech birth”. The experience I went through and how it made me feel mentally at the time has made me want to be apart of this research. I hope my story helps other women in the same position to be reassured, positive and feel safe as the experience of pregnancy is already daunting. I am motivated to participate in this project not only to help the researchers but to help women in the same position I was in to feel reassured, safe and positive whilst experiencing being pregnant with/or giving birth to a breech baby whether that is naturally or via a c section.”
Laura Berkeley, Lay co-ordinator for the Patient and Public Involvement Group. “My name is Laura. I grew up in the heart of Surrey which is where I live now with my family & I’m a Mummy to two girls. They changed my life personally & professionally through their births, totally changing my career & life path. After the birth of my 1st daughter in 2016 I became a childbirth educator & breastfeeding supporter, entered the birth world which is now something I’m extremely passionate about. Since then I have written my own antenatal education programme & breastfeeding courses as well as becoming a doula. After my second daughter was breech I struggled to find skilled professional support but when I did, we went on to have a beautiful breech home birth. I’m passionate about all aspects of pregnancy, birth & beyond but particularly breech birth, the lack of education, knowledge & skilled support. I hope to support families with breech births in my role as a doula & to help the OptiBreech project develop & progress.”