International Women’s Day - Michelle Brogan

This International Women’s Day feels particularly special for me as I mark 30 years since starting my career in the NHS. It’s a milestone that’s made me pause and think about the twists, turns, challenges, and unexpected opportunities that have shaped my career journey.

I’ve moved from a career in Speech and Language Therapy into national digital health leadership roles, and now into leading digital innovation programmes at DHI. I’m genuinely proud to work for an organisation that believes in collaboration, creativity, and doing work that makes a real difference. Supporting the scale‑up and adoption of digital health and care innovation—especially around diabetes, prevention, and healthier lives—has shown me just how much is possible when technology and people come together in the right way.

The biggest constant over these three decades has been the people - in particular, today I am celebrating the women around me who’ve been beside me at every stage—colleagues, managers, mentors, friends and family. They’ve pushed me when I needed it, backed me when I doubted myself, and reminded me to keep going even when the path felt uncertain.

I really believe that women supporting women really does matter. Not in a slogan‑y way, but in the everyday actions—sharing opportunities, being honest about the tough moments, celebrating each other’s wins, and creating space where we don’t have to be perfect to be valued. The difficult moments, the missteps, and the failures have taught me just as much as the successes. Sometimes more.

So today, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all the women who empower me—at work and at home. Your support is woven into everything I’ve achieved.

And as we all navigate uncertain times, my call to action is simple: let’s keep lifting each other up, advocating for one another, and being the steady ground when things around us feel less certain. We’re stronger when we do this together.

Happy International Women’s Day.