Professor Kate Ardern

Professor Kate Ardern is an Honorary Professor of Public Health at the University of Salford and a Visiting Professor at the University of Chester.

Between 2008 and 2022, she served as Director for Public Health for Wigan, and was a member of the team responsible for the pioneering ‘Wigan Deal’, an asset-based, citizen led approach to public health. Kate also served as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s lead Director of Public Health for Health Protection and Emergency Planning from 2013 to 2022.

During the Covid 19 Pandemic, Kate was a core member of the Greater Manchester Strategic Coordinating Group and was a senior officer adviser in attendance at the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Emergency Committee. In recognition of her contribution to the pandemic, the Financial Times named her as one of their eighteen international “Women of the Year 2020”.

Kate is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Longevity strategic advisory board, the Chief Medical Officer’s advisory roundtable on public health research and the General Advisory Council of the Kings Fund. 

"At a time of worrying reductions in UK health life expectancy and widening health inequalities, there is a pressing need to rethink how we practically address these major challenges to our societal and economic wellbeing. Reform's programme of work is therefore timely, important and most welcome. I'm delighted and honoured to have been asked to contribute.​"