What is your role and what does it involve? What impact do you hope to make?
I’m one of the Heads of Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and my role covers four key areas; Marketing and Communications, I oversee all comms for Student Support and Wellbeing Services, ensuring students know when, where and how to access support. I manage the Preventative Events and Campaigns (like Beat the January Blues) teams designing events and campaigns that foster connection, belonging and early support. These activities help students build positive routines and support networks when they need them most. In Advocacy and Policy Campaigning creating UCL’s suicide prevention strategy, helping UCL become one of the first five universities to achieve the Mental Health Charter Mark, and shifting UCL’s approach to drug and alcohol use from zero tolerance to a harm-reduction, student centred model. And last but not least our Student Resident Adviser Programme; I oversee the team of 40 Student Resident Advisers who provide out-of-hours welfare support for students living in halls of residence.Across all these areas, my goal is to create a university environment where students feel seen, supported, and part of a community that genuinely cares about their wellbeing.
How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?
I’ve been at UCL for just over four years. Before this role, I was the Student Support and Wellbeing Services Manager, and I’ve loved being able to grow within the department and help shape the direction of our services. Before that, I worked at both King’s and University of Nottingham - my whole career has been Higher Education!Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list.
Right now, I’m focused on leading UCL through the SOS-UK Drug and Alcohol Accreditation, a piece of work that has been years in the making. The journey began in 2022, and in 2024 we secured UMC’s approval to move from a zero-tolerance model to a harm-reduction, student-centred approach. Since then, a small but incredibly dedicated team has been working closely with SOS-UK to make sure we meet the full audit requirements this summer.This accreditation isn’t just a badge; it represents a significant cultural and institutional shift in how universities support student wellbeing. If successful, UCL will be one of the first Russell Group universities to achieve it, so the work we’re producing is genuinely pioneering. It’s exciting to know we’re helping set a new sector standard.
What makes you most proud of your work so far?
When I joined UCL four years ago, preventative support wasn’t a major focus for our service. Now, we have a prevention-focused strategy in place, and participation in our activities has grown by 538%. UCL was named The Times and The Sunday Times’University of the Year 2024, and one of the students interviewed specifically praised our innovative and personable approach to wellbeing, which was a moment I’ll never forget.What started as a small idea has grown into a recognised, respected and impactful body of work. I’m incredibly proud of the team, the direction of travel, and the fact that we’ve created something that will support students long beyond my time here.
What are you most excited about in 2026, UCL’s bicentennial year?
I’m excited to celebrate 200 years of UCL being bold, progressive, and unafraid to rethink how things "should" be done. Values that underpin everything we do in Student Support and Wellbeing Services. As we look forward to the next 200 years, I hope our prevention-focused approach to wellbeing becomes a defining element of what it means to study here: a university that doesn’t just react to challenges but actively helps students thrive.What’s a small habit or ritual that helps you stay grounded at work?
My slow Monday mornings in the office with the team. We spend the first 30(ish) minutes catching up about our weekends, sipping our cuppas and easing into the week together. I’m very lucky to genuinely love the people I work with, and those small, human moments make everything else feel manageable.Who would be your dream dinner guests?
I tried to come up with something profound... but honestly, as a new(ish) mum, the dream is simply to have a dinner party with my friends and family, the people I adore but barely see. Delicious food, a tipple of wine, great conversation... and absolutely no 5:30am wakeup call the next day. That’s the real dream.What advice would you give your younger self?
Enjoy the freedom of each chapter; life moves faster than you expect, and every stage has something worth savouring.What’s one thing most people don’t know about your life outside of work?
I have nine nieces and nephews (and counting), so whenever I’m not at work, I’m usually being climbed on, roped into impromptu talent shows, or negotiating peace treaties over who had the blue cup first. It’s chaotic, loud, and absolutely brilliant.Where do you go (physically or mentally) when you need to recharge? What’s your favourite place?
I go to CrossFit. I’m an avid fitness fanatic, and training completely resets me. It’s my head-clearing, energy boosting, sanity-preserving ritual and one of the only places where my brain finally stops making lists. I also secretly love going to a class and just being told exactly what to do for an hour. No decisions, no planning, no mental load... just lift this, jump here, breathe. Bliss.Are there any links to your social channels that you’d like to share?
You can !- University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (0) 20 7679 2000
