Steph Lawrence has been a nurse for more than 37 years, with the last 22 years spent working in the community. She is both an adult and children's trained general nurse, as well as being a proud District Nurse. She was, until her retirement at the end of August 2024, the Chief Nurse at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust. She also spent 3 years working at the CQC as the National Professional Adviser for Community Services. She led the national trailblazer group for the District Nurse Apprenticeship standard which is now being delivered in many English universities. She also co-chaired the Clinical Reference Group for the National Community Nursing plan for several years. She was recognised in the Queen’s 2022 Jubilee Birthday Honours and received an MBE for services to District Nursing. Steph took over as Chief Executive at the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing on 1st July 2025. As a Queen’s Nurse and Fellow of the QICN, this is a great opportunity to continue to shape community nursing and ensure the community nursing voice is heard at all levels.