I joined Buckinghamshire New University in 2023 as a member of the Senior Leadership Team within the School of Health and Social Care Professions. In my role, I lead and oversee the development and delivery of the occupational therapy programmes, ensuring they reflect inclusive, evidence-informed, and contemporary practice. My focus is on preparing students to become compassionate, skilled professionals who are capable of addressing the evolving needs of diverse communities and health systems.

Before joining Buckinghamshire New University, I established and led the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course at the University of East London, where I also served as Course Leader, Senior Lecturer, and Admissions Lead. I have worked across a range of health and social care settings, including the NHS in acute, community and mental health services, as well as in social care, public health, prisons, quality improvement, and private practice. This broad experience has shaped my commitment to socially responsive education and practice.

I acquired a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy from Brunel University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (Higher Education), a BA (Hons) in Media and Cultural Studies, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Essex. I am currently completing a Doctorate in Public Health at Teesside University. My doctoral research explores how digital literacy can be harnessed to enhance the skills and opportunities of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET).

My research interests include global health humanities, digital and health literacy, health policy and systems, prisons, social transformation, and community co-creation. The primary aim of my work is to address the needs and challenges faced by marginalised communities. This includes a focus on exploring non-traditional and alternative student placement models as a means of introducing novel approaches to education and workforce innovation.

From 2021 to 2024, I served as the Council Member for England and Chair of the England Board for the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). In this leadership role, I contributed to the strategic direction, governance, financial oversight, and long-term viability of the profession. I was also appointed by the Secretary of State to serve on the Independent Monitoring Board for Prisons, supporting the efforts to ensure the humane treatment of those in custody.

Alongside my role at BNU, I hold a visiting fellowship at the University of Medical Sciences in Nigeria and serve on several national and international advisory and editorial boards. I am a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Open University Press/McGraw-Hill, Chair of the RCOT BAME Expert Advisory Group, Advisory Board Member at the European Forum for Primary Care, and I contribute to and participate in its committees focused on migrant and ethnic minority health, mental health, and health services and policy. Internationally, I co-chair the Educational Products Subcommittee of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH), a member of CUGH’s Global Health Humanities Working Group and the Health Humanities Consortium, where I serve as part of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Working Group based in the US. I am also affiliated with the Mixed Methods International Research Association.

I am a registered occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), a member of BAOT/RCOT and the Faculty of Public Health, and a Fellow of both the Royal Society for Public Health and the Higher Education Academy.

One of my proudest contributions to the profession was collaborating with RCOT and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), contributing to the development and drafting of the 'Principles of practice-based learning'. The primary objective of this project was to enhance and broaden the scope of student placement and workforce possibilities.

My career highlight is serving as the Council Member for England and Chair of the England Board at BAOT/RCOT. In recognition of my contributions to the profession, I was honoured to receive the RCOT Merit Award in 2024. 

View my Research Repository here.