Our people

The National Migraine Centre team

Clinicians

Dr Simone Gregoire / Consultant Neurologist

Dr Simone Gregoire is the National Migraine Centre’s consultant neurologist, bringing with her extensive clinical experience in headache.

Since 2015, Dr Gregoire has been based at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage, where she runs the headache service, as well as general neurology clinics. Her previous clinical neurology work includes posts at the Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

Dr Gregoire has a PhD in Neuroscience from University College London and has published numerous research papers, with a particular interest in stroke. She is a member of professional bodies including the British Association for the Study of Headache, the International Headache Society and the Association of British Neurologists.

Dr Nazeli Manukyan  / Senior GP Headache Specialist and Safeguarding Lead

Dr Nazeli Manukyan is a GP in Surrey and a GP appraiser for south London. She obtained her primary medical degree in Armenia in 1992, where she also completed her postgraduate residency in neurology.

She moved to the UK in 2000 and trained in medical and general practice specialities, leading to the memberships of the Royal College of Physicians (2005) and the Royal College of General Practice (2008).

She has been specialising in headache management since 2011, working at the National Migraine Centre and treating patients with a wide range of headache presentations, including chronic migraine, cluster headache, and medication overuse headache. Her training in contraception and family planning has been beneficial in dealing with hormonal and menopausal migraine triggers.

She manages her own migraine by enjoying her clinical workload, avoiding NHS bureaucratic burden whenever possible, and devoting her free time to yoga and piano practice.

Dr Katy Munro / Senior GP Headache Specialist

Dr Katy Munro was a partner in a Hertfordshire NHS general practice for 24 years. She was the lead for mental health issues in the practice and had a special interest in chronic pain conditions and in bereavement.

She has had an interest in managing headaches for many years and originally attended the National Migraine Centre as a patient herself.

Dr Munro is now one of the senior GP headache specialists at the National Migraine Centre. She is keen to take a holistic approach and has a wide knowledge of therapies other than medication that can help headache.

She has written and contributed to articles for various newspapers and magazines, and for the Royal College of Nursing on headache-related topics. She is the Secretary of the British Association for the Study of Headache Council. 

Dr Munro is the host of the National Migraine Centre’s Heads Up podcast. She has also written a book as part of the Penguin Life Experts Series called Managing Your Migraine (available via Amazon here). She is available to give webinars or talks in the workplace or in GP surgeries.

Dr Rebecca Walker / Senior GP Headache Specialist

Dr Rebecca Walker graduated from Kings College London in 2004. Through her work in neuroscience specialities, including neurosurgery, ENT and ophthalmology, as well as her career as a GP partner in Sussex, she has developed an understanding of the wide-ranging symptoms of migraine and a passion for holistic headache care.

She joined the National Migraine Centre in 2021 to support people experiencing debilitating headaches and those seeking more information about the condition.

Alongside her interest in headache medicine, Rebecca is also pursuing specialist training in menopause care to enable her to provide comprehensive advice for women who experience change and worsening of migraine during this time. 

She has recently moved to Devon, where she works both as a GP and as a headache specialist at the Exeter Headache Clinic. 

Angela Abdallah / Headache Specialist Nurse

Angela Abdallah is one of the UK’s most experienced headache specialist nurses. She has over ten years’ expertise as a headache specialist and is one of the country’s most experienced clinicians in prescribing anti-CGRP medications, including injectable treatments, oral medications and infusions. She is also very experienced in administering Botox for migraine.

Alongside her work with the National Migraine Centre, Angela is part of the neurology team at Northampton General Hospital.

Dr Temitope Adeniji / GP Headache Specialist

Alongside his work as a GP headache specialist, Dr Adeniji is a GP practising across Cheshire and Merseyside, providing care in daytime GP practices, urgent treatment centres, and out-of-hours services. He also works as an out-of-hours supervisor for doctors training to become GPs.

Alongside his clinical practice, Dr Adeniji is pursuing further qualifications in occupational medicine to better support the health and wellbeing of individuals in the workplace.

Dr Cyriac Athappilly / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Athappilly graduated from Barts and the Royal London in 2012 and works as a GP in Buckinghamshire. He has had a longstanding interest in neurology and headache medicine, partly influenced by his wife’s experience with migraine.

Other interests include lifestyle medicine and mental health. Outside of medicine, he is a keen photographer and father of two young children.

Dr William Brenchley / GP Headache Specialist

Dr William Brenchley is a GP working in Manchester. He qualified in Medicine at Cardiff University in 2016 and has experience working in neurology, acute medicine, psychiatry and ENT. He trained as a GP on the Greater Manchester Deprivation Programme and is passionate about reducing health inequalities. He is currently studying a PGCert in Clinical Education through the University of Aberdeen and holds a BSc in Medical Pharmacology.

Dr Suzy Duckworth / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Duckworth is a GP based in Norfolk, with a particular interest in women’s health and global medicine. She qualified in London in 2008 and completed research in women’s health before moving to Norfolk, where she trained as GP. Suzy also has extensive international experience and enjoys travel with her family in her spare time.

Dr Nazia Hussain / GP Headache Specialist and Headache Specialist Trainer

Dr Nazia Hussain is a GP based in South Wales. In addition to her headache specialism, Nazia’s special interests include women’s health and family planning.

With a keen interest in medical education, Nazia was a Deputy Editor for InnovAit, the official journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and has contributed to the Oxford Handbook of General Practice (5th edition) as a guest author.

Dr Deborah Kerr / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Deborah Kerr qualified from the University of Leicester in 1995, and after four years in hospital medicine, trained as a GP.  She has been a GP in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire since 2000, with a special interest in diabetes and in women’s health.  Dr Kerr has a personal history of migraine and a CSF leak, which in part sparked her interested in working with the National Migraine Centre. 

Dr Sarah Kwan / GP Headache Specialist and Headache Specialist Trainer

Dr Sarah Kwan is a GP headache specialist with interests in women’s health and family planning. She is a GMC examiner for the Professional and Linguistics Assessment Board and enjoys teaching. She developed an interest in headache medicine while studying neuroscience at King’s College London.

Dr Kwan is currently on leave and not taking new appointment requests.

Dr Katy Kyprianou / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Katy Kyprianou is a headache specialist GP based in the West Midlands who runs her own headache clinic in Stourbridge. Since 2019, Dr Kyprianou has developed expertise in various neurological conditions by working on a voluntary basis at a local hospital neurology clinic. She is involved in teaching and has led webinars nationwide for clinicians who are interested in enhancing their knowledge of migraine.

Dr Kyprianou completed her clinical postgraduate neurology studies with distinction at University College London, and now works as a GP with a Special Interest in Neurology.

Dr Katie Lambert / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Katie Lambert is a Devon-based GP with interests in headache medicine and women’s health. Qualifying from Warwick Medical School in 2007, Dr Lambert holds qualifications in contraception, general gynaecology and the British Menopause Society advanced certification in menopause care. Dr Lambert is personally affected by migraine and is passionate about providing patient-centred care and broader, holistic support.

Dr Cheryl Manna / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Cheryl Manna graduated from University College London in 2002 and has been a partner in a Milton Keynes GP practice since 2007. Alongside headache, Dr Manna’s particular interests include diabetes and mental health. Her interest in headache medicine began while studying studying neuroscience. Dr Manna, who has personal experience of migraine, is a GP medical student tutor and a primary care network director.

Dr Chirag Mehta / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Chirag Mehta is a portfolio GP based in Birmingham, who works as an appraiser and educator at Birmingham University Medical School and as GP training programme director for East Birmingham and Solihull.

Dr Mehta is personally affected by migraine and is passionate about improving care and services for those with headache.

Dr Surangi Mendis / Headache Specialist and Consultant Audiovestibular Physician

Alongside her work as a headache specialist with the National Migraine Centre, Dr Surangi Mendis is a balance, dizziness and hearing specialist, with her clinical experience in diagnosis and management of vestibular migraine.

Dr Mendis’s NHS base is at The Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals, UCLH where she assesses patients with dizziness, vertigo, unsteadiness, tinnitus and hearing difficulties. Her training in audiovestibular medicine took place across London in both adult and paediatric centres.

She has published various research papers and has written online training modules for junior ENT and audiovestibular clinicians and is a member of professional bodies including the British Association for the Study of Headache and The British Association of Audiovestibular Physicians.

Dr Melanie Mountain / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Melanie Mountain works as a GP at a university health centre in London. Alongside her work as a headache specialist at the National Migraine Centre, Melanie also teaches medical students at Queen Mary University of London. Since graduating from Imperial College School of Medicine in 2002, Melanie has worked as a doctor in the UK, India, Belgium and Dubai. Her interest in migraine and headaches has been inspired by the exciting new developments in migraine understanding and treatments.

Dr Lisa Rodolico / GP Headache Specialist, Headache Specialist Trainer and Neurodivergence Lead

Dr Lisa Rodolico graduated from Norwich Medical School in 2011 and pursued passions in paediatrics, mental health and women’s health.

She developed headache medicine as a specialism, working with the National Migraine Centre since 2022, where she enjoys the variety of presentations, the complexity of the conditions and the wide range of patients she sees. As a headache specialist trainer, she is involved in recruitment, new clinician training and media work. Dr Rodolico is the charity’s neurodivergence lead and is currently studying to become a neuroaffirmitive coach.

In her spare time, she runs a toddler nutrition charity in Malawi.

Dr Amanda Statham / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Statham is a GP with a special interest in headache medicine, based in south-west London. Since graduating from St George’s University of London in 2014, she has pursued her interest in headache alongside that of women’s health, including menopause and contraception. Outside of her working life, Dr Statham enjoys yoga and artistic pursuits.

Dr Lauren Wellburn / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Wellburn is a Leeds-based portfolio GP, who also works in paediatric forensic medicine and medical education. She has special interests in headache disorders, mental health, safeguarding and health inequity.

Her interest in migraine and headache disorders developed following her own diagnosis as a young child. This drove her passion to increase awareness, reduce barriers and improve people’s quality of life through specialist care.

Dr Nicole Wild / GP Headache Specialist

Dr Nicole Wild is a portfolio GP, based in Stockport, who works as an appraiser, lead educator and a North-West GP Training Programme Director. Dr Wild previously worked as a GP partner, leading on safeguarding, children’s health and mental health, and has eight years’ experience in psychiatry prior to becoming a GP.

Her interest in the National Migraine Centre was triggered by a personal diagnosis of TAC, which drove her passion to improve patients’ experiences of headache disorder management.

Note: clinicians are contractors and not employees, providing their expert services at charitable rates. 

Clinical Training

Dr Michael Long / Education Fellow

Dr Michael Long is a GP partner in Guernsey, with a special interest in headache. He qualified from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in 2008, working in several hospital and GP roles across Devon and Cornwall before relocating to Guernsey. Michael holds a Masters in Headache Disorders from the University of Copenhagen.

Dr Richard Wood / Education Fellow

Richard is a GP with a Special Interest in Headache and runs a weekly community headache clinic for the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. He is also a member of the Council of the British Association for the Study of Headache, through which he is involved in teaching and national headache pathway configuration.

He spends two days each week working as a GP in Buckinghamshire and is a GP Trainer. He is also CEO of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Local Medical Committee.

He graduated from Cambridge University in Medicine in 2009 and has a degree in Psychology from St Andrews University (2001) and a DPhil in Cognitive Neuroscience, Oxford University (2005).

Trustees

Dr Bal Athwal / Trustee

Dr Bal Athwal is a consultant neurologist at the Royal Free Hospital and honorary consultant neurologist at UCL Hospitals. Bal trained in neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and the Royal Free Hospital prior to being appointed consultant at Barnet Hospital and the Royal Free. In addition to general neurology practice he is lead for the specialist headache service at the Royal Free and consultant in hyperacute stroke at the HASU at UCLH.

Katie Cotton / Trustee

Katie leads the major gifts fundraising department at two West Sussex hospices, building on over 20 years’ experience leading major gift fundraising in the charity sector.  Katie was director of development at both the Royal Institution and the Chichester Festival Theatre, and was director of major giving at international eye-health charity Sightsavers.

Matt Bray / Trustee

Matt Bray is a corporate development executive with expertise in finance, collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital. His professional experience includes both advisory and in-house positions, concentrating primarily on cleantech, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals. He currently serves in the strategy and growth division of a multinational pharmaceuticals company.

Simon Kingsnorth / Trustee

Simon Kingsnorth is a leading marketing expert with over 20 years’ industry experience. He is the author of bestselling books including Digital Marketing Strategy and The Digital Marketing Handbook. Simon currently leads his own marketing consultancy business, having previously held several senior marketing roles at large brands such as Citi Bank and Vodafone as well as at start-ups.

Aji Michael / Trustee

Aji Michael is a chartered MCIPD and transformation specialist with over 15 years’ experience in the NHS and public sector, leading programs that enhance patient care and workforce development. Formerly head of programmes for Health Education England, she improved junior doctors’ training and advanced women’s career opportunities. Now, as managing director of Redefining Living, she pioneers at-home care solutions.

Julie Price / Trustee

Before taking early retirement, Julie worked in corporate roles for 40 years. Her career spanned the private, public and charity sectors, working as a director at Marsh Insurance Brokers and Zurich Re, as a director in the NHS (both primary and community care) and as a director for a young persons’ charity, Place2Be. Following retirement, Julie has become more involved in the charity sector both as a hands-on volunteer and as a trustee.

Vishal Shah / Trustee

Dr Vishal Shah is a GP and digital health executive combining clinical practice and innovation. As chief medical officer at Thriva, he leads clinical governance and development of digital health solutions. He brings his experience as a former headache specialist at the National Migraine Centre, alongside his expertise in technology innovation and preventative healthcare.

Anthony Stratton / Trustee (Chair)

Anthony Stratton has had an extensive international FD career across the pharmaceutical, medical devices and FMCG sectors, including several VP finance and finance director roles of multi-billion dollar multinational pharmaceutical companies. His most recent executive post involved a senior leadership role in a global neurosciences business. Anthony is currently focused on non-executive and trustee roles.

Penny Wilson / Trustee

Penny Wilson is a voluntary sector leader who brings particular expertise in effective charity governance. Penny’s career in the sector includes appointments as chief executive of Getting On Board, a trustee recruitment and diversity charity, chief executive of Styleability, and director of partnerships at The Brilliant Club. As head of community affairs at the University of Cambridge, Penny established partnerships with Cambridge charities, overseeing large community events and promoting volunteering by university students and staff.

Senior management team

Charlotte Burr / Operations Director

Charlotte Burr leads the National Migraine Centre’s operations work, which includes responsibilities for fundraising, compliance, facilities and human resources. She also works alongside Swati Raina on the social media profile of the charity. Charlotte is an experienced operations professional, with previous experience within the information risk and security field. She began her career working freelance in public relations, events and sales for international brands.

Swati Raina / Communications & Clinical Director

Swati Raina coordinates the work of the National Migraine Centre’s clinic, liaising with the clinicians and managing the reception and volunteer teams. She also heads the charity’s communications functions, including producing the award-winning Heads Up podcast. Swati’s career began in marketing, working internationally in prominent roles for multinational corporations. She has a master’s degree in marketing communications and expertise in digital marketing functions.

Dan Tickle / Chief Executive

Dan Tickle is a charity leader with over 20 years’ experience in the sector. Prior to joining the National Migraine Centre, Dan worked as consultant to Social Enterprise UK and was a director at international animal charity SPANA. As chief executive of No Smoking Day, he led an influential health charity and fronted the eponymous UK-wide public health campaign, working with government, NHS bodies and the voluntary sector. Earlier in his career, he led marketing and comms functions for a wide range of national animal welfare, health, youth, and disability charities.