We like to start with the basics. So, can you tell us about how you came to join the Capacity team?
I joined Capacity in March 2023, so I’m just coming up to two years as part of the team. It feels like it’s gone very quickly and yet it’s been a busy 23 months!
Prior to Capacity, my career was rooted in the third sector and I’ve had the privilege of working in a range of roles across different organisations.
I started out in HIV prevention, working with WhizzKids United in Durban, South Africa. It was a formative experience—being young and relatively naïve, I was quickly exposed to the realities of public health in a region heavily impacted by HIV. The lessons I learned there have stayed with me throughout my career. After returning to the UK, I moved into heritage management, working for the National Trust, the Churches Conservation Trust and The Bishop’s Palace. I was lucky enough to live and work in some extraordinary places—my favourite being a fourteenth-century gatehouse on a moat, where swans would ring a bell outside our dining room window each day for food (much to the delight of passing tourists!). My last role before joining the team was for a national disability charity, where we used person-centred design to co-create products that improved and enriched the lives of disabled people.
Having spent most of my career in operational roles, I was keen to challenge myself in a consultancy-based role. Almost two years in, I’m still thrilled I made the move.
What are you most looking forward to in your role?
I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible organisations during my time at Capacity, and I’m grateful for the strong relationships I’ve built along the way. I’m excited to continue collaborating with some of the fantastic people I’ve met to deliver meaningful, impactful work in the years ahead.
Liverpool is increasingly being recognised as a hub for innovation in service design and system change. With Capacity positioned at the intersection of service design and delivery, I’m really looking forward to the role we’ll play in driving positive, lasting impact across the region.
Okay, now for some rapid-fire questions. What three words best describe you?
I’ve been told that I’m a ‘safe pair of hands’, almost three words…
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Under promise and over deliver – easy to say, not always so easy to achieve.
What inspires you?
Seeing the impact of the work that we deliver, when ideas that were only theory are translated into real change it’s an amazing experience.
If you could have a superpower what would it be?
As I live over 150 miles from the office and as I love long-distance running it’d be great to have super speed so I could rack up some miles on Strava whilst commuting.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known when you were younger?
Nothing lasts forever, good or bad, so make the most of the good times and remember that the bad times aren’t indefinite.
Who’d play you in a biopic of your life?
Apparently Owen Wilson, but I think that’s mainly because of the broken/wonky nose.
If you had a magic wand, what’s the one thing you’d fix?
If I had a magic wand, I’d reverse global soil degradation and restore biodiversity through regenerative agriculture.
Healthy soil is fundamental to addressing many of our most pressing challenges—from mitigating climate change and reducing extreme weather events to ensuring global food security and combating hunger. By regenerating our soils, we could create a more resilient, sustainable future for both people and the planet.
What’s your favourite place in the Liverpool City Region?
Although I’m not from the Liverpool City Region I’ve got close links to the Wirral and have spent many happy hours exploring the beaches and the countryside. Of all of the places I’ve been, Thor’s Rock in Thurstaston tops the list.
What’s one thing on your bucket list that you want to tick off this year?
My favourite hobby is long distance running, so I’d love to run a trail marathon.
What’s a skill you’re working on mastering?
I love baking bread but I’ve definitely not perfected it yet. I’m always looking for new recipes to try.
What are you most excited about in life right now?
Today and tomorrow, you never know what either will bring.
