I’ve always been interested in people. At School I was the ‘sensible one’. I was also the one that people came to talk through their problems with and the one convening reconciliations between waring friends on the playground. (Really I should have known that coaching and mediation would feature in my future).

After studying Sociology at university I fell into a career in Higher Education admin and management. And that’s what I did for 13 years. Along my journey I picked all sorts of people centred skills: managing, counselling, coaching, mediation, mentoring, training delivery, facilitation and even celebrancy – yes I can conduct funerals(!?)

In 2020 I realised I was ready to step out of my ‘sensible’ career in HE management and follow my bigger mission.

Now I do work that feels like play. I enjoy my contented life. I set a powerful example for my daughter of what it is to live wholeheartedly and I focus on making the biggest difference I can in the HE sector.

Now I support senior managers in HE who have self belief issues. Together we uncover the roots of their doubts and the patterns of behaviour and thinking which aren’t supporting them anymore. We experiment with replacing them with more healthy approaches so that they can lead and manage in ways that feel good to them. That could be in finding a new direction, in managing their teams, in having those potentially crunchy conversations, in working through change and more. We work together to develop an integrity led approach which takes account of their history and personal preferences and let’s them get the job done with less stress.

What makes me different as a coach is that I know HE. I’ve worked in a Russell Group Uni, a leading Business School and a modern University. I know the tensions that exist between academics and professional services; revenue generating and service provision teams; central and faculty/college.

I also know that for you to thrive you first have to have rock solid belief in yourself. I work at the centre of the Venn diagram that is people, process and action to get you lasting results. And I do it all with a playful, warm and heart centred approach.