Introducing Our New CEO and Chief Ambassador at Make Birth Better: Laura-Rose Thorogood and Illiyin Morrison

Change is in the air at Make Birth Better, and as we welcome an exciting new chapter, we want to take a moment to thank our outgoing CEO, Nikki Wilson, for her incredible dedication and impact over the last five years. Her legacy will continue to inspire the work we do.

As we look to the future, we’re thrilled to welcome two inspiring figures to our Make Birth Better team: Laura-Rose Thorogood as our new CEO and Illiyin Morrison as our new Chief Ambassador. Both bring a wealth of experience, lived insight, and unwavering passion for improving maternity and perinatal care for all women and birthing people.

Laura-Rose Thorogood 

Laura-Rose Thorogood is a trailblazing activist, educator, and founder of LGBT Mummies and Proud Foundations. She brings invaluable lived experience in operative birth, miscarriage, infertility, and birth trauma. Over the past decade, she has dedicated herself to supporting over 80,000 people globally and training healthcare professionals in inclusive care.

Laura-Rose is a trusted voice in policy, education, and research, collaborating with influential bodies like NHS England (NHSE), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to drive meaningful, lasting change in perinatal care. Her commitment to creating a safer, more inclusive maternity experience has made her a leading voice in the field.

Reflecting on her new role, Laura-Rose said: “After working in maternity for the last decade and sadly having my own personal experience of birth trauma, I’m grateful to be using my experience as a force for good at Make Birth Better. I’m looking forward to working with such a passionate, knowledgeable team to educate and support healthcare professionals to improve birth for women and birthing people nationally. It’s a mission I feel honoured to take on, and I will give my all to drive positive change forward.”

Illiyin Morrison 

Joining Laura-Rose in this exciting new chapter is Illiyin Morrison, a dedicated midwife, birth debrief facilitator, birth educator, and author with 10 years of experience in women’s services. Illiyin is deeply committed to addressing the impact of racial inequality in maternity care and reducing birth trauma for all women and birthing people.

In 2023, she authored The Birth Debrief: Reflecting on Pregnancy, Reframing Birth, Redefining Post-Partum, a powerful book rooted in her work with families affected by birth trauma. Illiyin also facilitates training in bias and cultural competence for women’s health workers, pushing for urgent changes to the stark statistic that Black women and birthing people are four times more likely to die in pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

Reflecting on her new role as Chief Ambassador, Illiyin said: “What an exciting next chapter that awaits Make Birth Better! Change is always good, and I’m overjoyed to be part of it. Our missions align, our visions are the same. It’s a perfect partnership.”

Together, Laura-Rose and Illiyin will drive Make Birth Better’s mission to create a world where all women and birthing people receive the care, respect, and support they deserve. 

We’re excited to see the positive impact their work will bring to the world of perinatal care.