CIEH Public Health Protection Conference

Dave Watson, Head of Public Protection and Prevention, Warrington Borough Council, managing a wide range of regulatory services including Environmental Health. He is a Fellow of the CIEH and was awarded membership of the Faculty of Public Health by distinction. Dave has over 35 years of experience in Environmental Health and Local Government. He initially specialised in Environmental Protection, leading on the remediation of contaminated land and air quality management. He is a strong advocate for public health. He is currently chair of the Cheshire and Merseyside Chief EHO group and the National Local Authority Reference Panel, working with the Office of Product Safety and Standards.

Debbie Watson, Director of Public Health, Warrington Borough Council. Debbie has nearly 35 years of experience dedicated to reducing health inequalities and improving population health across the North West. Before becoming a DPH, Debbie worked in a broad range of senior public health roles with focus on health improvement and community development. Debbie’s first degree was in Sports Science at Liverpool John Moores University, followed by postgraduate qualifications in teaching and leadership, before formal training in public health. Debbie is registered with the UK Public Health Register and was awarded Fellowship of the Faculty of Public Health in 2021. Debbie has extensive experience leading integrated portfolios that have included not only core public health functions but also services such as adult social care, neighbourhood services, domestic abuse, and sport and leisure provision. This cross-cutting approach reflects her commitment to addressing the wider determinants of health, with a firm belief that health is shaped as much by the environment we live in as it is by the health and care we receive. Debbie has been a vocal advocate for the role of environmental health teams in protecting communities, particularly the most vulnerable. Under her leadership, Warrington has emphasised the critical link between environmental standards and public health outcomes, investing in proactive regulatory work and evidence-led prevention. She continues to influence policy regionally through the Champs Public Health Collaborative and other partnerships, advocating for environmental health as a core pillar of health equity — most recently through joint statements on the impact of child poverty and housing conditions in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive, Action on Smoking and Health. In October 2024, Hazel Cheeseman was appointed Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Hazel has worked in senior roles at ASH for over 10 years before becoming deputy chief executive in 2021 and has played a key role in the development of the organisation. Prior to joining ASH, Hazel worked in the palliative care, homelessness, and housing sectors. As Chief Executive, she will build on the charity’s many achievements to date while steering ASH through an evolving political landscape.

Greg Ceely, Head of Population Health Monitoring, Office for National Statistics. Greg has been delivering and developing the ONS’ official statistics concerning general health, mortality and child health. His career has focussed on analysis and modelling to inform public health decision-making, as well as how to present data to maximise its impact and value. Greg led the coordination of analysts across government to quantify the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for SAGE; and designed the ONS Health Index for England, enabling tracking of changes between time points, geographies and health topics.

Dr. Klara Saville, Veterinary Head of Exotic Diseases, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Defra. Klara is a veterinarian with 20 years experience working in international animal health, animal disease management and One Health. In her role as Veterinary Head of Exotic Diseases at APHA Klara co-ordinates the teams of veterinary experts managing outbreaks of notifiable animal disease. This includes zoonotic diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza as well as diseases such as Bluetongue virus that can have a significant impact on animal health and welfare.

In previous roles Klara has led UK government international engagement on AMR, implemented large scale animal health system strengthening projects in Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries and founded an international coalition, Action for Animal Health, advocating for global recognition and investment in animal health.

Safia Khokhar, Public Health Practitioner, Westminster City Council. Safia Khokhar is an experienced Public Health Practitioner with over 25 years of experience in Environmental Health, Public Health, Mental Health, and Diversity and Inclusion. Currently, she leads Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in Public Health at Westminster City Council, focusing on creating inclusive environments and supporting hard-to-reach communities. Safia received highly commendable recognition for the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Champion at the LGC Workforce Awards 2024. Safia has a proven track record in implementing successful public health strategies and campaigns. She has held key roles such as Senior Public Health Strategist for Mental Health and Heald of Public Health Culture and Development. An active member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, Safia serves as a Board Trustee and Public Health Advisory Panel member. Her extensive expertise in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative problem-solving makes her an asset to the public health field.

William Roberts, Chief Executive, Royal Society for Public Health. Previously William has been a senior leader in the NHS across roles in public health, commissioning, strategy, transformation and planning. He is a registered nurse who has worked in both hospital and community services, and as a nurse specialist in tuberculosis and HIV. William is a Non-Executive Director of Housing 21 and was previously Deputy Chair at Terrence Higgins Trust and a Non- Executive Director of POBL a Welsh housing and care provider. He is the Chair of the Swimming and Health Commission and is a member of Movember’s Global Men's Health Advisory Committee. He brings a wealth of experience across public health and inequalities from the healthcare, charity sector, social care, housing, local government and further education.

Dr William Welfare, Interim Director of Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dr William Welfare, is a Consultant in Public Health and currently interim Director of Health Protection in Regions within the Chief Medical Advisor’s Group of the UK Health Security AgencyHealth Protection in Regions Directorate is made up of 9 regional teams across England, Field Services, Border Health and the Programmed Delivery Unit. Will has a particular interest in public health incident response. He has been one of the UKHSA/PHE Incident Directors for a range of incidents including COVID-19, mpox and avian influenza..

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