Senior Leadership Team

Sarah Atkinson – Director

Sarah joined the NHS Benchmarking Network in May 2021 and leads the team to realise our vision to improve patient outcomes raise health standards and deliver quality health and care services. She provides both operational oversight to the programmes of work delivered by the Network and strategic direction to the development of the Network, our technology, and our people.

Sarah has worked with the NHS and with Local Authorities throughout her 30-year career and has a passion for using data to support improvement. Originally trained as an accountant in the NHS Sarah has led a range of transformation, leadership and change programmes as well as managed data analytics and advisory businesses.

Kirsten Windfuhr – Associate Director (Insight and Analytics)

Kirsten joined the Network in 2021. Kirsten and her team deliver bespoke analytic and national benchmarking projects for NHS and non-statutory provider organisations as well as local, regional and national organisations.

A psychologist by background, Kirsten has worked at the University of Manchester as an academic researcher at the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health and the NIHR funded Greater Manchester Applied Research Collaborative Mental Health programme. Her interests and publications have focussed on suicide prevention, mental health, and health services research more broadly. As Associate Director for Quality and Development at the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) she was responsible for commissioning national clinical audit programmes across clinical areas including mental health before taking on a strategic commissioning role for local health and care services as Director of Integrated Commissioning at Manchester Health and Care Commissioning.

Emma Bamber – Associate Director (Member Programme)

Emma joined the Network in October 2021 and currently leads the Member Programme. Emma has spent most of her career working within the NHS, spending the previous 14 years at Stockport CCG. Key areas of knowledge include strategic commissioning, internal communications and project management.

Tatyana Guveli – Head of National Clinical Audit Programme

Tatyana joined the Network in January 2023 and currently heads our national clinical audit programme. The programme includes the CVDPREVENT and NACEL audits.

Karen Rix – Associate Director (Workforce Programme & Network Development)

Karen joined the Network in November 2022 and heads the Workforce Programme and Network Development teams. Karen previously spent 18 years working within the NHS, in which 15 years were spent at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. As Deputy Director Karen gained a wealth of experience in mental health service provision, transformation, commissioning and performance.

Karen's passions lie within quality and patient focused services. Furthermore, Karen has a strong track record of using data and technology to bring about sustainable change and improved patient outcomes.

Jessica Grantham – Associate Director (Operations)

Jessica has over ten years of service with the NHS. She began her career at the Network in a project-focussed role, delivering work across acute and community settings, before progressing into the technical team where she broadened her scope and expertise. Now serving as Associate Director, Jessica plays a strategic role across both operational and technical areas of the organisation. She is responsible for the management, coordination, and oversight of the technical and operations teams, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and the successful delivery of the Network’s work programmes.

Paul Witts – Head of Finance

Paul joined the Network in July 2024 as the Head of Finance.

Jess Walsh – Head of Clinical Audit Programme

Jessica is an experienced healthcare professional with over ten years of service with the NHS. She began her career at the Network in a project-focussed role, delivering work across acute and community settings, before progressing into the technical team where she broadened her scope and expertise. Now serving as Associate Director, Jessica plays a strategic role across both operational and technical areas of the organisation. She is responsible for the management, coordination, and oversight of the technical team, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and the successful delivery of the Network’s work programmes. Her cross-functional leadership supports collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Network.