Maria Symeonaki

Maria is a midwifery leader with a diverse clinical, managerial, and international background. She is currently the Professional Lead for Midwifery and Women’s Health at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), a role she feels privileged to hold, advocating for and representing RCN Nurse and Midwife members at a national level.

Maria is deeply passionate about supporting and empowering midwives, nurses, and support workers, enabling them to be innovative, thrive in their roles, and create meaningful, sustainable improvements in care. Alongside her national role, she works within the NHS as Lead for Education and Workforce for Maternity, leading on multidisciplinary education, workforce development, and training strategy.

Academically, Maria has completed a range of postgraduate clinical and leadership qualifications to strengthen her clinical practice and leadership capability. She is currently undertaking a Master of Business Administration (MBA), which has broadened her understanding of organisational systems, strategy, and how to drive sustainable change at scale.

She continues to undertake clinical shifts, valuing the opportunity to work alongside frontline staff, maintain clinical credibility, and remain connected to the realities and pressures of clinical practice.

Maria trained as a midwife in Greece and has worked across maternity services in Belgium, the UK, and Melbourne, Australia, bringing a rich international perspective to her leadership and practice.