Keele University, UK
Kristen began her career as an applied movement scientist, earning a BSc and MSc from the University of Waterloo in Canada, and later completing a PhD in neurorehabilitation at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Her early career work focussed on understanding the sensori-motor mechanisms of impairment and recovery of gait adaptability for people with neurologic conditions. Using a variety of research methods spanning laboratory based biomechanical studies, systematic reviews, feasibility and clinical trials Kristen sought to use an understanding of underpinning causes of disability to inform the design of more effective rehabilitation approaches. Despite publishing well cited articles, in esteemed journals (e.g. BMJ) and publications informing clinical guidelines (e.g. stroke rehab) she saw that even the most rigorous research isn’t always enough to change clinical practice or improve outcomes for patients. This insight inspired her focus on a key question: how can we put evidence into action to improve care and support better wellbeing for people with disabilities?
Now a Senior Research Fellow at Keele University, Kristen leads regional, whole systems projects that help NHS and community teams use evidence in everyday practice. She brings training in collaborative leadership from The King’s Fund and holds (alongside team members!) a prestigious NIHR Team Science award and a portfolio of research and NHS funding for knowledge mobilisation and evaluation initiatives. Her work applies principles of collaborative leadership to underpin implementation science methods to understand what helps or hinders the spread of new evidence based practice across integrated care systems in many different clinical settings (e.g. community stroke rehab, diabetic foot care, physical activity for long term conditions, wound care etc).