Shirley Samuels is a Research and Engagement Coordinator at SACMHA, where she encourages African Caribbean communities to think differently about and engage more confidently with health research. With many years of experience in health and social care, including work in standards and regulation, Shirley brings a strong understanding of quality, accountability, and the importance of culturally responsive services.
She also serves as the Deep End Partnership Lead for the Deep End Research Alliance, helping to build and coordinate sustainable capacity for community engagement in health research across Sheffield’s global majority communities and underserved neighbourhoods. A key part of her work involves developing and supporting a network of Community Research Link Workers to strengthen trust between researchers and communities.
Shirley is passionate about ensuring that lived experience and community voices shape research, policy, and practice to create more equitable and inclusive health outcomes.