Ella Ritchie is professor emerita at Newcastle University. Ella is former Deputy Vice-Chancellor and PVC for Teaching and Learning at Newcastle University. Ella has chaired Realising Opportunities, a national partnership of research universities supporting widening participation since 2009. She has since retirement been a consultant and adviser to universities in the UK, Europe and China on Widening Access, Governance and PGR training. She is currently Deputy Chair of Lancaster Council.