Linda Kelly, RN, BSc(hons), PGDip, MSc, Honorary Professor of Nursing Practice QUB
Chief Executive, NIPEC
Linda has been a registered nurse with the NMC since 1990. She has enjoyed a wide spanning career across acute and community sectors, including, District Nursing, Care Management and Governance Lead posts. In 2011, Linda took up post as Assistant Director of Nursing: Safe and Effective Care, in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust where she worked for nine years. Following two years working as Deputy Chief Nursing Officer and Interim Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health, Northern Ireland from 2020-2022, she has held the post of Chief Executive of NIPEC.
Linda completed her BSC (Hons) in Nursing, Post Graduate Diploma in Healthcare Management and MSc in Public Health before progressed her interest in continuous quality improvement through completion of the Institute of Health Improvement (IHI) Improvement Advisor Programme in 2016. In 2019, she graduated from the Aspiring Nurse Director Programme (London South Bank University) and completed the IHI Chief Quality Officer/Quality Leaders Europe Professional Development Programme in 2024. In 2025, Linda was delighted to be offered a Honorary Professor of Nursing Practice with Queens University Belfast.