Background
Established in 2025, the Public Advisory Group is part of the National Knowledge Mobilisation Programme, led by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Greater Manchester. Running until September 2027, this is the first national Public Advisory Group within the ARC network focused specifically on knowledge mobilisation
Purpose
Together, group members:
- Help define the role of the public in knowledge mobilisation, making it easier to understand the public contributor role in turning research into action
- Develop resources that will support other public contributors involved in knowledge mobilisation and dissemination activities
- Support national evaluation efforts, assessing how public involvement is making a meaningful impact across the country
Meet the Members
Aurora Todisco
- More about Aurora
Aurora Todisco is a Finance, HR, and Governance Development Lead with over 21 years of experience, including the past 9 years dedicated to the health and social care sector. She brings a unique blend of strategic expertise and lived experience to her work, with a strong focus on improving patient safety, health equity, and quality of care.
Aurora holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Primary Care Management, which informs her systems-level approach to healthcare leadership. Since 2021, she has co-produced initiatives with nearly 90 national stakeholders, driving forward accessibility, inclusion, and trauma-informed practice across NHS, academic, and research settings.
Actively involved in quality improvement programmes, accreditation panels, and advisory groups, Aurora is passionate about amplifying patient and public voices to shape meaningful, system-wide change. Her work champions the power of real patient stories in creating campaigns that lead to safer, more equitable care for all.
Michelle Gardener
Knowledge Mobilisation Advisory Group Chair
- More About Michelle
Michelle is an experienced public contributor with over 30 years of involvement across health and care systems. She is a Board Public Advisor with ARC Kent, Surrey & Sussex, where she has co-authored researcher guidance, contributed to governance reviews and supported impact and co-production initiatives. Michelle brings extensive expertise in both reviewing research protocols, advising on PCIE and ensuring transparency and trust in data and digital innovation.
She is also a member of the Kent County Council Corporate Partnerships Improvement Board and the ARC KSS Impact and Governance Review Group. Nationally, she has served as a co-applicant and strategic oversight member on NIHR bids and has contributed to advisory groups within NHS England, the Health Research Authority, and the Chief Nursing Officer’s research delivery programmes, Cancer programme and Genomics Cancer Test Evaluation Working Group.
Alongside her membership of the NIHR National Knowledge Mobilisation Public Advisory Group, Michelle represents the group at the programme’s Steering Committee, acting as a conduit to ensure public voices inform strategic decisions. She is valued for her ability to bridge academic research and frontline practice, offering constructive challenge and ensuring seldom-heard voices are included in decision-making
Pat Walkington
- More About Pat
My background is in learning, teaching, training, student support and project management in further and higher education in Greater Manchester. I was also Vice Chair of Corporation as well as ED&I, and Safeguarding lead governor at Salford City College for a long period of time.
I became interested in Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) in health research after attending an event at Manchester University about 10 years ago. I have been involved ever since as a Applied Research Collaboration and Health Innovation Manchester PPIE panel member working on many health research projects in different roles from giving presentations, working on funding bids to being a co-researcher and advisory group member.
Mala Thapar
- More About Mala
Mala is a South Asian, disabled, and neurodivergent woman and carer with lived experience navigating complex and often unequal health and care systems. She works nationally across NIHR, NHS England, and academic partnerships, championing trauma-informed, inclusive, and culturally rooted approaches to research and public involvement.
Her contributions focus on making health research more accessible, representative, and practically useful for underserved communities. Mala's work empowers marginalised voices and drives real change in how knowledge is shared, interpreted, and put into practice.
Marie-Lyse Numuhoza
- More about Marie-Lyse
Throughout my 20yrs career, I have worked in partnership with both the voluntary sector and the statutory sector to find solutions for social care needs/social justice in collaboration with community led groups.
I relocated to Norfolk, 10 years ago, and have since worked within the community in Mid-Norfolk as a social prescriber, care worker, life connector and most recently as a GP surgery care co-ordinator in Norwich. Those roles have developed my understanding of some of the health and social challenges across both rural and urban Norfolk communities. They have given me an insight into how services are delivered and where there are gaps within service delivery to meet the needs of communities.
I have also co-developed and delivered several knowledge exchange sessions for future health sciences and the medical school students at the University of East Anglia since 2016 on the health needs of refugees and those who are forced to migrate. Currently I am also involved with the new Graduate Entry Medicine Scheme and the EDI group in Clinical Psychology Doctorate department. I often also participate in partnership meetings with groups that support the elderly, and those living with mental health and survivors of domestic violence.
I joined the ARC East of England 3 yrs ago as public contributor. I have since co-chaired the Public and community involvement, engagement and participation (PCIEP) meetings, reviewed researcher’s reports, supported the development of the public involvement hub that advise the researchers in the fellowship program. Finally, I also represent the ARC in the Experts advisory groups and the East of England Inclusion steering group.