Esther is a senior lecturer in nurisng, and commenced as a lecturer in Nursing at Ulster University in 2016.  She graduated with a first class BSc (Hons) in Nursing Sciences from QUB in 2005. She completed her PGDip in Specialist Nursing Practice in Palliative Care (with distinction) in 2007; and her MSc in Specialist Nursing Practice in Dementia Care (with distinction) in 2009, both from Ulster University. In 2017, Esther completed her PhD at Ulster University.  Esther has extensive knowledge of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research.

She is an associate post graduate tutor within the Institute of Nursing and Health Research. She is course director for MSc Nursing and MSc Palliative Care, and pathway lead for specialist nursing practice in palliative care. Esther is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Esther won the RCN Nurse of the Year in 2019, for her work looking at improving palliative care for people living with dementia. She is the current chair of the Irish Association of Palliative Care, Chair of the  Northern Ireland Palliative Care Research Forum, and the  Chair of the Irish Association of Palliative Care Education and Research Forum. Esther  is a member of the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care Palliative Care Research Network (PCRN).Esther is also past secretary and current Director for the International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing.  

My research interests include advance care planning, enhanced public knowledge and awareness of palliative care, symptom management.  I also have a particular interest in improving palliative and EOLC for people living with Dementia.