About me

I have been fortunate to have made my career in the outdoors, working with children, young people and adults in some of the most stunning parts of the UK to create experiences that are both memorable and impactful. After nearly 30 years in the sector, including the last 10 years leading and managing residential outdoor education centres in the English Lake District, I changed path to study for a PhD at the University of Cumbria, looking into progression and access to outdoor learning. The result was a deep understanding of the breadth of the outdoor learning field and the challenges that many people face in accessing the potential benefits associated with time spent outdoors. That knowledge now underpins my approach to increasing participation and challenging inequity.

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Over the course of my career I have worked at a high level as a practitioner, holding numerous national governing body awards. As a manager I took an active role in supporting the sector, holding roles at regional (Chair and Secretary) and national (Chair) level in the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres. In the wider sector I am a coach for the Institute for Outdoor Learning's Accredited and Leading Practitioner professional accreditation schemes, and a primary school governor.