Rachael began her career in the training department at Pinderfields Hospital before joining the Trust as unit personnel manager at Chapel Allerton Hospital in 1984.

Between 1987 and 2001 she undertook a number of roles in the Bradford health community, including senior posts at Bradford Health Authority and within community mental health and primary care.

Rachael returned to Leeds in 2001 as Deputy Director of HR and was appointed Director in 2004.

For the last 10 years Rachael has been a visiting lecturer at the University of Leeds and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Her area of special interest is employment law, in which she has a masters degree.