resilience is between us not just within us

While every surgeon brings specialist skills and expertise to their practice, the ability to perform well and stay well under pressure is also shaped by the relationships and dynamics within the team. We are influenced by those we work most closely with, and research consistently shows that team dynamics and peer support make a significant difference to surgical performance and wellbeing.

Team-based training offers a powerful way to learn together, strengthen connection, and build the shared understanding and psychological safety that underpin high performance. I deliver engaging, interactive workshops and talks, nationally and internationally, on topics such as:

High-performing surgical teams
Team dynamics and psychological safety (“resilience is between us, not just within us”)
Team resilience and working under pressure
Coping after adverse events, including trauma and moral injury

My work sits at the intersection of performance, wellbeing, and patient safety. I enjoy collaborating with professionals from across surgical and multidisciplinary contexts to create spaces where teams can reflect, connect, and thrive.

public speaking

I offer inspiring keynotes, plenaries and talks at national and international events.

Recent invited public speaking engagement, below

team
workshops

Engaging and interactive sessions, that provide opportunities to reflect and learn with others and come away with practical approaches to apply in your setting

consultancy

Providing psychologically-informed guidance to support the development of specific programmes of work, or bespoke support for your team.

rcs-england support

I am on the faculty for the Surgeon Peer-led Post-incident Response Teams Improvement Collaborative (SUPPORT), a unique UK-wide improvement collaborative aimed at improving the support provided to surgeons after adverse events.

invited talks

Workshop - National Neurosurgery Finishing School. With Dr Emma Lishman (2025)

Workshop - Back to the Scalpel, Bridging the Gap Back to Surgery. Royal College of Surgeons (2025)

Talk - The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI). (2025)

Plenary - ERS2025 30th Congress of the European Rhinology Society, Budapest, Hungary (2025)

Workshop - British Association of Urology Surgeons (BAUS). With Mr Kevin Turner, Miss Gemma Scrimgeour, Mr Arjun Nambiar (2025)

Talk - British Association of Urology Surgeons (BAUS) (2025)

Keynote workshop - Northwest Deanery Event, How to Survive in 2025. Delivering training in a fast moving world. (2025)

Keynote and workshop - Well Medix Doctors Retreat, Morzine, France (2025)

Workshop - Emerging Leaders - Royal College of Surgeons of England. With Dr Maddy Greville-Harris (2025)

Talk - St Marks Academic institute Board round (2024)

Talk -Royal College Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Annual Scientific Meeting (2024)

Talk - PelvEx – Advancing Pelvic Exenteration Surgery Annual conference (2024)

Workshop - National Neurosurgery Finishing School. With Dr Emma Lishman (2023)

Talk -The Association of Breast Surgeons annual meeting (2022)

Talk - British Burns Association annual conference (2022)

Mr Oliver Warren, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

The session you ran on values was very impactful; a number of delegates were moved to tears during the process. It felt like an incredibly safe space in which to explore why we do the things we do, and who we are.

Mark Stacey. Consultant Anaesthetist

I was lucky enough to attend a workshop on values and lecture on team performance by Dr Donnelly . Her lecture was entertaining, interactive, informative, articulate and full of valuable content. (Her backpack metaphor was brilliant). Every hospital should have an individual of this calibre looking after their staff wellbeing

Back to the Scalpel faculty, Royal College of Surgeons of England

Your talk was truly exceptional

We were all incredibly impressed by your presentation. You have such a gift with delivering thought provoking information and your imagery is outstanding . Your talk here was as memorable as your talk in Budapest. I am glad I struck up the courage to speak to you then .

Professor Claire Hopkins, Professor of Rhinology