Cathy joined the University of Leeds in June 2021 as part of the Health Data Research UK North team looking after the national secure data environment for cancer, DATA-CAN. Cathy programme managed the delivery of the DATA-CAN national cancer SDE prior to taking up her current role as Head of Data Services at the University of Leeds in August 2022, overseeing the delivery of the data strategy for the university.

Cathy continues as the secure data environment lead for DATA-CAN, hosted at the university, and a member of the DATA-CAN Management Group. This includes managing the DATA-CAN data sharing agreement with NHS England and research access for projects across the UK within the NHS England secure data environment.

The Leeds team led the building of the Healthy & Sustainable Places Data Service portal https://hasp.ac.uk/ early in 2025 and is now working on a data portal for the University.

Her role at University of Leeds includes overseeing the delivery of the data transformation programme and the development of career pathway and development support for the wider data profession, which numbers around 600 data professionals across the organisation.

Cathy also looks after external partnerships and strategic communications for the Data Services team. One of the key partnerships is with Women in Data, who supported the recruitment campaign to establish the new service in Leeds in late 2022. Cathy is a member of the Women in Data Women’s Health Steering Group, a pro bono programme supporting key research topics in women’s health.

Cathy is an expert project delivery professional and graduate of the Civil Service/University of Oxford Major Projects Leadership Academy with experience in the fields of strategy, policy and delivery in the public sector, specifically focussing on property, accommodation and IT/data programmes. She has particular expertise in the programme management of complex projects and change programmes, procurement in the public and private sector, public policy and customer service.

She regularly speaks at events on issues of diversity in the data profession and how to navigate your career path. Cathy has held senior roles in the Civil Service at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), Office for National Statistics and the National Portrait Gallery as director and head of profession for project delivery. Her experience includes operational delivery, portfolio and investment management and £multi-million transformation programmes, including as Senior Responsible Owner for key projects in the FCO’s £1.1 bn global technology transformation programme and £2bn estates rationalisation and ways of working programme.

As an architect and construction lawyer, Cathy is currently the UK representative and Vice President on the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Buildings, having held the role of President from 2016-2018.

www.linkedin.com/in/catherinearnold

Jyoti is an experienced Operations Lead with a strong enterprise background in project management, business analysis, process optimisation, and change management. She is PRINCE2 qualified, with experience of Lean Six Sigma and a proven track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder programmes and improving operational effectiveness across large-scale digital and data initiatives.

Jyoti joined MetadataWorks, the UK’s fastest-growing public sector data network, as a Senior Project Manager in 2021, after over eleven years working in business consultancy and business improvement roles, followed by a career break to be a stay-at-home mum. Jyoti is motivated by a desire to help the public sector unlock the power of data for good. Her focus is on making data FAIR — Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable for her clients.

She leads projects that deliver intuitive data cataloguing solutions for innovators, ultimately improving public sector outcomes across areas such as healthcare, education and policy making. Jyoti has worked across the full data and software delivery lifecycle, leading structured planning, coordinating delivery teams, and acting as a bridge between business and technical stakeholders. She brings extensive experience in workshop facilitation, requirements management, user-centred design, and operational readiness.

Jyoti has played key roles in nationally and internationally significant programmes including the NHS England Standards Directory, Office for National Statistics, adult social care data programmes, IPCC data discovery initiatives, and public sector data projects. After leading several successful projects at MetadataWorks, most notably the Healthy & Sustainable Places Data Services data catalogue for the University of Leeds and the Project Accreditation Service for the Secure Research Service for Office for National Statistics,

Jyoti was promoted to Head of Operations in 2025. In her current role, Jyoti leads a team of dedicated Account Managers delivering best-in-class open and secure data discovery and access projects. She works closely with the MetadataWorks technical team to ensure a unified and effective approach to project delivery.