It is with great sadness that ISBE must share the news that one of our longest running members, Christine Atkinson, has passed away. Christine is particularly remembered by members of the Gender and Enterprise Network, an ISBE Special Interest Group that Christine supported from its foundation.
ISBE Fellow Professor Julia Rouse has offered the following tribute to Christine and we will be lifting a glass to celebrate her work at the ISBE Conference.
Julia’s tribute:
Like many others, I was shocked and sorrowful to hear about the untimely passing of our wonderful colleague Christine Atkinson. Christine did so very much to raise the profile of women’s entrepreneurship in Wales and to gather the funds and teams to enable many, many women to start and thrive in business. She also converted all her knowledge into a brilliant guide to developing business support that works for women for the Welsh Government. Christine is also remembered by the many trans-national partners with whom she worked on multiple projects that raised the profile and effectiveness of support for women’s enterprise internationally. We also remember Christine as an enthusiastic contributor to the Women’s Enterprise Policy Group.
Given her hard work and effectiveness, it is no surprise that Christine received many awards, including the Queens Award for Enterprise and the Enterprise Educator of the Year.
Relentlessly warm, passionate and determined, Christine was a huge encouragement to me and many others in our research community. She conducted interesting research and made sure the interventions she designed were evidence-based. Heaven knows, we need more people like Christine that link research, practice and education and – even more so – those who advocate for women. It is all the sadder, then, to have lost her far too soon. Sister, you will be sorely missed.
It is at times like these that we are jolted into realising how precious life is, and that we must enjoy it together! Christine would want us to remember that. I look forward to raising a glass to Christine among the joy of academic friendship at the ISBE Conference. Meanwhile, I am sure you will join me in sending our sincere condolences to Christine’s family, friends and colleagues.
Professor Julia Rouse
