Welcome Becca and Sharon

Dr Rebecca  Khanna – Becca (left)

Dr Khanna, Becca, qualified as an occupational therapist in 1984. Her original area of practice  was working with individuals and groups in various mental health settings, before finding her ‘passion’ as someone who could speak up for the development of occupational therapy and rehabilitation services.

Originally working in the NHS for over 16 years, she pioneered one of the first integrated therapy services leading several re-design initiatives and commissioning capital development projects in Coventry & Warwickshire. Becca moved to higher education in 2000, and enjoyed a variety of senior academic responsibilities at Coventry University before moving  to Sheffield Hallam University where she became Associate Dean (Academic Development) within the Faculty of Health & Wellbeing. There, she pursued interests in student participation and staff retention, contributing to national programmes with the Health Education Academy and Health Education England, and also sering as an Aurora mentor, supporting leadership development with women in HE.

Since 2019 she has expanded her non-executive board level expertise within the NHS, charitable, post-16 education sectors and established a consultancy and coaching practice. Presently, roles within the Health & Care Professions Council, Social Work England and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists complement my interest in curriculum development.

Sharon Tuppeny (right)

Sharon Tuppeny  has been an occupational therapist for nearly 30 years and spent much of her career working in services for children and young people, as a clinician and a manager in community and inpatient rehabilitation services . Her most recent role was as Head of Therapy Services – Rehabilitation , at The Children’s Trust.

Sharon has experience of supporting the commissioning process through my role on a Professional Executive Committee and through her work reviewing services and producing service specifications. She also represented AHPs England wide on the NICE committee responsible for setting outcomes for Clinical Commissioning Groups.

She  has served as a Trustee for the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and was Vice Chair of Council for two years. She was also Chair of the Children, Young People and Families Specialist Section for three years and a national executive committee member for six years.

Sharon has spent much of her career supporting services to embed tiered working and have advocated for the re-allocation of resources to address wider population needs. She is currently undertaking an MSc in Leading Quality Improvement and working with Hackney Ark Children’s OT Service as a consultant.

In her spare time she is a year- round sea swimmer and an enthusiastic novice gardener and allotment owner.

Please join us in welcoming Becca and Sharon to the Trust.