Anne Whitcombe – Wiki Biography of the President of IHPE

Anne Whitcombe (born September 1953) is a British public health expert and teacher who is the President of the Institute of Health Promotion and Education (IHPE). Her registered address is in Cheshire, England, suggesting she resides in the North West of England. She has lectured on public health at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and edited IHPE’s newsletter.

A Career Anchored in Evidence and Education

Anne Whitcombe’s professional life has centered on health promotion, information, and education. As IHPE notes, “Anne has worked in health promotion for over 25 years”, bringing deep experience to her leadership. Trained as an information scientist, she managed health information services for both professionals and the public, supporting public health campaigns with evidence and evaluation. In her own words from IHPE’s materials: “She supported health promotion activities with evidence, evaluation and managed strategies for public health learning and development.”

Whitcombe has taught advanced public health and health promotion courses at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, helping train the next generation of health workers. She teaches and facilitates postgraduate modules in public health and health promotion at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, demonstrating her long-standing role in health education across diverse fields. Whitcombe has held various roles in the UK public health sector. She was invited to join IHPE’s Board of Trustees. In May 2021, she was appointed a Director of the IHPE charity, and by 2022, she was serving as the IHPE newsletter editor. Under her editorial leadership, the newsletter “has flourished and provides an informative view of…” health promotion topics.

At the May 2024 AGM, Whitcombe was elected President-Elect of IHPE, and she took on the role of President in late 2024 or early 2025. Now, as IHPE’s President, she guides the organisation’s main plans and efforts to support its cause. IHPE is a small UK charity (Reg. Charity No. 1156738) that promotes the ideas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. As IHPE’s materials proudly state, it is “the only organisation in the UK dedicated to supporting health promotion and education.” Under Whitcombe’s guidance, the Institute is focusing on “enhancing health promotion and support [for] professional roles,” actively seeking members’ input on training and advocacy (for example, she invited feedback on how to “enhance health promotion and support professional roles” as part of IHPE’s strategy).

IHPE and the Bigger Picture

The Institute of Health Promotion and Education (IHPE) provides the backdrop to Whitcombe’s current mission. Founded in 1962, IHPE is a membership organization and journal publisher (International Journal of Health Promotion and Education). Its remit is to promote the science and practice of health promotion within public policy and services. The charity is run by a board of trustees and relies on professional volunteers. Whitcombe’s election as President signals a generational handover: she follows past IHPE leaders like Professor Patricia Owen and Angela Towers. In her presidential address, Whitcombe has spoken of forging partnerships and networking across the public health and academic sectors, reflecting IHPE’s goal of convening practitioners and educators.

Under her leadership, IHPE continues projects like its 60th anniversary celebrations, which included online seminars and publications in 2022. She has also helped write IHPE position statements, such as one on mental health at work (a 2026 IHPE paper lists her as President). In June 2026, she published an editorial titled “Positive steps in workplace mental health and wellbeing” in the International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, showing her active role in promoting ideas. That paper highlights ways organizations can support mental health at work, an important public health issue. She is also a fellow or member of several professional groups (FRSPH, MIHPE, AHEA, MCLIP, as per IHPE bio), reflecting a career focused on both public health and information science.

As President of IHPE, Anne Whitcombe is poised to guide the Institute through a post-pandemic landscape of public health challenges. She has signalled priorities such as expanding IHPE membership, modernizing communications, and reinforcing the relevance of the Ottawa Charter today. Under her watch, IHPE is updating its strategic plan (as of 2025) to better advocate for health promotion in UK policy.