Lunar Society Executive Committee

The Society is run by its Executive Committee comprising the Honorary Officers and 6 other members of the Society. The Committee has powers to co-opt up to three additional members. Elections take place each AGM, which is usually held in July.

The Society's five strategic themes are run by five Groups, each led by a small Subcommittee chaired by an Executive Committee member. The Executive also has two Standing Committees, the Programme Committee chaired by Deirdre Kelly, and the Membership Committee chaired by Tracey Lucas.

Deirdre KellyDeirdre Kelly, the Society's Chair, is Professor of Paediatric Heptology at University of Birmingham and Director of the Liver Unit, Birmingham Children Hospital which she set up in 1989 to provide a national service for children with liver disease. She was Medical Director of Birmingham Children's Hospital (2000-07), charing the Clinical Standards Committee and the Ethical Advisory Group. She is a Commissioner on the Healthcare Commission; President of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition; Chair of the National Advisory Committee for the Child Health Review (Confidential Enquiry for Maternal and Child Health) and Convenor of a multidisciplinary national group to plan adolescent services. She is past-President of the International Pediatric Transplant Association, and of the British Society of Pediatric Gasteroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, and recent Chair of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Advisory Committee for Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition.

Alan Wenban-SmithAlan Wenban-Smith, Vice Chair of the Society, is an urban economist and planner by trade and has lived in Birmingham since 1981. From 1981-1996 he was responsible for planning and transport policy for the City Council; as such, he was deeply engaged in Birmingham's recovery from the decline of its manufacturing base. Since then, Alan has practised as an independent planning consultant working mainly for national and regional bodies across the country, specialising in joining up planning, economic and transport policies. In a personal capacity, Alan is also Professor of Planning at University of Central England, a member of the governing bodies of the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Transport Planning Society, and speaks extensively on planning matters. He was also Chairman (successively) of Solihull and Birmingham health Authorities (1998-2002) and has continued his NHS connection as Chairman since its inception of MidTECH Ltd, the NHS's regional innovation organisation.

John Charlton The other Vice Chair is the Hon Alderman John Charlton, JP. A dentist by profession and entered on the BDA Roll of Distinction in 2006, he is nevertheless perhaps better known in the city as a politician, serving as a Birmingham City Councillor for 15 years. Formerly Chairman of the UHB NHS Foundation Trust, he was one of the drivers behind the new hospital. He also holds several other positions in the city's health service provision, and is a Trustee of UHB Charities.

Michael OverduinMichael Overduin, Hon Secretary of the Society, is Professor of Structural Biology at the University of Birmingham and has led a research group studying protein biochemistry at the Division of Cancer Studies since 2003. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Henry Wellcome Building for Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy, a national scientific facility funded by the Wellcome Trust. He graduated with a BSc in Biology from Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada in 1988. He received his PhD from The Rockefeller University in 1993, then worked at the University of Toronto before joining the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center for eight years. Among his awards are a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2004), Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences Award (1998) and Basil O'Connor Award (1998). He is an advocate for science and innovation in the region, an avid cyclist and canoeist, and a fan of Birmingham's diverse cultures, food and music.

Richard Harris is the Hon Treasurer of the Society.

Peter MayerPeter Mayer is the Society's Hon Membership Secretary. He is a recently-retired Stroke & Geriatric Physician with a lifelong interest in Birmingham, its people and in the provision of good services for older and disabled people. He now does part-time work for the Healthcare Commission and is an assessor for the General Medical Council. He started Crossroads Care in Birmingham and now sits on the national executive. Locally, he chairs Weoley Castle Age Concern and the Institute of Aging and health which manages the Onneley House healthy living project. He is also an ex-pupil and now a Governor of King Edward Fiveways. He is married to Rosie with whom he shares seven children; they are both in Rotary and have a particular interest in overseas projects.

Tracey LucasTracey Lucas is a solicitor at Mills & Reeves specialising in healthcare law, particularly children's healthcare law, inquests, best interests applications and mental health. Previously, she's been a primary schoolteacher and Legal Services Manager at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Born and bred in Birmingham, she's been a Friend of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery for over 20 years.

Estelle RoweEstelle Rowe is Director for West Midlands, The Year in Industry. Formerly she was Birmingham Development Manager for Young Enterprise, an OU lecturer, Co-ordinator for Education Business Partnership and a Project Engineer with GKN, GEC and Babcock Power. She is also a lay member of the Council of the University of Birmingham, a Governor of King Edward VI, Handsworth, a Trustee and the Treasurer of Verena Holmes Lecture Fund and a Member of the Women's Engineering Society.

Judith Taylor is a JP, and a Trustee for Bryony House. She also undertakes voluntary work with Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau since she retired as Assistant Principal, Student Services, City College of FE Birmingham. Before then, she had a career in nursing and then was a Lecturer in Health Science at City College and Bournville College of FE.

Peter Ullathorne is a Director of William King Ltd and a Past President of the National Association of Steel Stockholders.

Kate Cooper The Executive Committee is supported by Secretary to the Society, Kate Cooper who has has advised blue-chip companies on communication and innovation since the early 1980s. She has also held a Senior Fellowship at the Warwick Manufacturing Group where she was subject leader for innovation for several years, and she is one of the founding members of the Steering Group setting up the Alan Turing Institute in Manchester.