I am an educator, leader, and writer with over twenty years of teaching experience across Canada and England, including fifteen years in senior and middle leadership roles. My career has been shaped by a deep commitment to improving teaching, learning, and the wellbeing of children and young people. I have led on curriculum design, teaching and learning strategy, safeguarding, mentoring and coaching, and whole‑school professional development, working closely with colleagues at every stage of their careers.

A significant part of my professional life has been dedicated to supporting children with special educational needs, particularly those with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and neurodiverse profiles. I have taught and led in settings where vulnerability, complexity, and resilience sit side by side, and this experience continues to inform the way I write, advocate, and support families, educators, and communities.

My academic background spans science, mathematics, education, and research. I hold a Bachelor of Science Honours in Biology, a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, a Bachelor of Education (Professional Degree), and a Research Masters in Education. This blend of disciplines shapes my approach: analytical, evidence‑informed, and grounded in real‑world practice.

Alongside my professional work, I am also a parent, which adds another layer of insight into the challenges young people face today. I have extensive experience supporting children and adolescents experiencing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other mental health difficulties. I am a committed mental health advocate, passionate about helping families and schools understand the early signs, respond with compassion, and build environments where young people feel safe, seen, and supported.

The Youth Thread brings together these strands of my life — education, research, leadership, and lived experience. It is a space dedicated to clear, accessible guidance on the issues affecting children and youth: mental health, confidence, resilience, behaviour as communication, neurodiversity, school avoidance, exam stress, and the everyday challenges that shape growing up.

My interests are wide‑ranging and continue to shape my work. I am deeply engaged in mental health in education and beyond; curriculum design; mentoring and coaching programmes; philosophy; reading; medicine; and the ways in which science, humanity, and learning intersect. Outside of work, I value time with family and friends, travel, and animals — reminders of connection, curiosity, and the things that make life feel full.

Through The Youth Thread, my aim is simple: to help adults understand children better, and to help children feel understood.