Having moved from working as a dietitian within the NHS, I now work for a medical nutrition company using my dietetic background/experience in a different way. It is great to be part of such an active and passionate specialist dietetic interest group and keep up to date with dietetics at the same time. As Communications Officer for PENG I can honestly say it varies on a day to day basis, catching up with queries from PENG members, updating the website, overseeing upcoming PENlines, liaising with BAPEN on communications related topics on behalf of PENG, all in the hope of making PENG as interactive as possible for members and striving to support excellence in nutritional care.

Pete qualified as a dietitian in Leeds (1990) with a Post Graduate Diploma following a degree in pharmacology from Manchester. After gaining a Masters in Health Sciences, he worked as a Basic Grade Dietitian at Manchester Royal Infirmary before moving to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital (RLUH) in 1992.

Specialising in parenteral nutrition, enteral nutrition and critical care, he has developed many protocols in these areas in association with RLUH’s high profile nutrition team.

Contact Details:
Nutrition Support Dietitian
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Daulby Street
Liverpool
L69 3GA
Peter.turner@rlbuht.nhs.uk

Name: Linda Cantwell

PENG Role: Chair

Professional Role: Home Enteral Feeding Advanced Practitioner Dietitian

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? The opportunity to collaborate and work with so many knowledgeable and dedicated dietitians. Gaining skills in communication, leadership, influencing and lobbying outside of the direct clinical environment.

Favourite hobby outside of work: Tuesday night badminton! I won’t miss it.

Name: Dan Griffith

PENG role: Treasurer

Professional Role: Lead Intestinal Failure Dietitian

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? I love having the opportunity to learn from other committee members, who are experts across the dietetic world. I’m also able to develop skills around finance and managing budgets that are transferable to my work.

Favourite hobby outside of work: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, brewing beer, and anything outdoors (especially in Snowdonia!).

Name: Alisa Kennedy

PENG roles: Home Enteral Feed Clinical Lead with Sean and Clinical Update Treasurer/ Contract Lead

Professional role: Adult HETF Community Dietitian Liverpool.

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? Networking with a lovely bunch of committed nutrition support dietitians.

Name: Sean White

PENG roles: Home Enteral Feed Clinical Lead with Alisa

Professional role: Home Enteral Feed Dietitian/NIHR clinical doctoral research fellow

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? I love working with the committee who are all dedicated to improving patient care. It has given me the opportunity to develop resources, organise training events and influence national guidance.

Hobbies outside of work: Retired very amateur footballer and cricketer Love running and mountain biking in the Peaks.

Name: Dr. Alison Culkin

PENG role: Clinical Update Course Lead

Professional Role: Lead intestinal failure Dietitian at St. Marks Hospital. Member of the nutrition support team establishing patients on home parenteral nutrition. Responsible for research and service development.

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? I love the enthusiasm of the committee members, especially their commitment to education.

Hobbies outside work: I love my book group (we have been meeting for 16 years) as always interesting books chosen I may not have read myself! Yoga!

Name: Dr. Nicky Wyer

PENG role: Ordinary Member

Professional role: I work in Coventry as Dietetic Clinical Lead for Intestinal Failure; I am also the first supplementary prescriber for our trust!

What you enjoy about being on the PENG committee?: I am a relatively new member of the PENG committee, but I am already loving the opportunity to get involved with supporting PENG activities and the networking opportunities with other Dietitians who are passionate about nutrition support!

Hobbies outside of work: Outside of work my focus is spending time with my husband and two daughters - who are lots of fun and keep me very busy!

Name: Lisa Gemmell

PENG role: Clinical Lead PN

Professional role: Lead Dietitian for home parenteral nutrition and intestinal failure at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne

What do you enjoy most about being on the peng committee? - I have learnt so much over the last few years being on the PENG committee. They are a very supportive committee and have a wealth of knowledge. I have enjoyed developing the questionnaire looking into competencies for dietitians formulating PN (watch this space)!

Hobbies outside of work: - I enjoy sea swimming and I am kept very busy with my 2 children!

Name: Bruno Mafrici

PENG role: Resource (Pocket Guide to Clinical Nutrition) Lead

Professional role: Renal Dietitian

What do you most enjoy about being on the peng committee? The overall overview of nutrition support in all different clinical settings

Hobbies outside of work: Allotment, cooking, running.

Name: Rebekah Smith

PENG role: Communications officer

Professional role: Team Lead H+N & UGI

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? I love learning from other committee members as we have varied backgrounds & being able to help develop & support PENG members through developing resources. I've also learned lots of new IT skills by doing this role!

Hobbies outside of work: Softball cricket and baking.

Name: Helen Beagan

PENG role: PENG Secretary

Professional role: Specialist Dietitian (HEF)

What do you enjoy most about being part of the PENG committee? I have enjoyed supporting the development of our social media in my initial committee role as social media officer. I am looking forward to developing my skills further as PENG Secretary. I value the opportunity to connect with many experienced Dietitians through our committee meetings, supporting our study day events and networking at conferences. I enjoy keeping up to date with developments and the evidence base in nutrition support.

Hobbies outside of work: I love being outdoors- running, hiking the Peak District, playing football and travelling.

Name: Kate Glen

PENG role: PENG research and audit lead

Professional Role: Head and neck dietitian

and enrolled in a PhD, reviewing NGT position confirmation methods and the association with missed enteral feeds. As part of my research, I am working closely with hospitals in both England and Australia.

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? Being part of the committee allows me to share my knowledge and passion evidence-based practice with many more dietitians!!

Name: Kostas Eleftheriadis

PENG role: Ordinary member

Professional role: Stroke dietitian working at North Middlesex University Hospital on an acute stroke unit and I am a Team Lead for dietitians covering the medical wards.

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? I love the opportunity to contribute to advancements in dietetic practice and the fact that I learn so much from the different specialists we have within the team. It is great to share ideas and listen to others' views on several topics.

Hobbies outside of work: In my free time, I play football (used to be a football player back home in Greece for ~15 years) and I enjoy roadtrips and hiking with friends"

Name: Eleanor Holmes

PENG role: Education & Training

Professional Role: Course Director for MSc Dietetics Programme at the University of East Anglia

What do you enjoy most about being on PENG committee? After leaving clinical work to work full time in academia in 2020, I thoroughly enjoy hearing from clinicians recent experiences, challenges and successes.

I love planning & hosting the webinars, reaching as many dietitians as possible and liaising with experienced dietitians who can inform on practice as well as innovative movements.

Hobbies outside of work: Travel – recently toured Italy! Growing vegetables – spinach / herbs / potatoes / tomatoes, green beans / cauliflower / broccolis. Hosting dinners for friends!

Name: Carole-Anne Fleming

PENG role: Education - PENG award co-ordinator

Professional role: Dietetic Clinical Team Lead – Oncology (Head and neck cancer)NHSGGC

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? I have been committed to PEN group for many years and held several positions on the committee: meetings organizer , editor of PEN lines and Chair from 1996 – 2004 and have represented PEN group at BAPEN and the BDA on several groups and working parties to help advance nutrition as a clinical science and dietetics as a profession. In the current role of Education - PENG award co-ordinator I am responsible for managing the supportive educational grants that are sponsored annually by Nutricia , Abbott and Fresenius. The award enables PENG members to present their abstracts at national conferences e.g. BAPEN.I am also a member of the tutoring team of the PENG clinical update course and a member of the working party developing the course to masters level and co-author of the Access routes chapter in the PENG pocket guide to clinical nutrition. I have found all of the roles I have had on the committee highly rewarding and learned so much and made many professional contacts that have been both inspiring and motivating.

Hobbies outside of work: Holidays, yoga , swimming and socialising often with longstanding friends I have made through PENG committee.

Name: Rhiannon Bullen

Professional Role: Acute Rotational Band 5 Dietitian

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? Having the opportunity to work with and learn from the other committee members, and keeping up to date with the latest developments in EN and PN

Hobbies outside of work: being active, playing netball, travelling and eating!

Name: Kira Lewis

PENG Role: Student representative

Professional Role: Student Dietitian at Cardiff Metropolitan University

What speciality are you interested in? Gastroenterology

What are your interests outside of university? Walking, Hiking and Reading

What are you most looking forward to about being in the PENG committee? In joining this committee, I'm most excited about the opportunities for professional development, networking, and to make a positive impact in this profession. Additionally, I look forward to engaging with like-minded professionals, building connections, and gaining personal fulfillment through meaningful contributions.

Name: Jenny Towey

PENG Role: Ordinary member

Professional Role: Specialist Hepatology and Transplant Dietitian

What do you enjoy most about being on the PENG committee? Having the opportunity to meet other expert dietitians who I would not work with in my clinical specialist network.

Favourite hobby outside of work: Hiking and getting absorbed in a good book.