Maddie Mitchell

I am responsible for the design and delivery of MSD’s Inclusive Leadership Programme (ILP) and Fellows’ Programme Pilot (2026). The ILP focuses on the interpersonal aspects of leadership and supports participants to build confidence and skills to foster inclusive cultures. Now in its fifth year, the ILP has over 150 alumni.

The ILP stems from a collaborative project led by MSD’s previous Associate Head of EDI (now Director of OxCIN) Professor Karla Miller in 2022, and we received ‘Highly Commended’ for both the ILP and Lab Handbook research culture initiative in the 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards.

I am currently in training as an executive coach, and integrate humanistic education principles such as Transactional Analysis into the design of programmes and workshops. This helps create safe but challenging spaces for participants to learn and grow, where they take responsibility for their own progress and build self-awareness through reflective practice. I am also Co-Chair of the Leadership Programme Community of Practice which has around 30 members across UK HEIs.

I work closely with the MSDO Research Culture Facilitators and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team to implement learning and best practice from both areas within the ILP. I will continue working to share the OxCIN Lab Handbook initiative across the Division as an example of good practice at the intersection of research culture and EDI.

My role within the Division is also to support colleagues with local initiatives and to foster inter-departmental collaboration in the area of leadership development. If you would like to discuss a project or idea, don’t hesitate to send me an email.