About me

With award winning stories in The Guardian and The Sunday Times, my internationally recognised pedigree demonstrates my persuasive and inspiring writing, including blogs, content creation and novels. Being head-hunted to serve as Chief Executive of The International Tree Foundation and receiving a rare Beijing residency before the 2008 Olympics highlights my enthusiasm and ability to deliver large projects under pressure.

I'm a writer who does Crossfit, a Crossfitter who grows their own food, and a gardener who writes ... a non-specialist who works across disciplines and feeds one passion with another. I used to do the tough jobs that changed the world in big ways, now I focus on changing the world one thought process at a time. My skill is to convince your next reader to change their thinking ... and to do that I need to get into their heads, and take your business with me. Forget blue sky thinking; unless a blue sky is full of things your customers want, it's just scenery. My job is to make your blue sky into an attractive prospect for others to choose, and I'm very, very good at it!

If you're interested in compelling narrative, exciting ways to reach people, in print and online, and in being a good business in the broadest sense, I'd love to work with you. Black hats need not apply.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Volunteer Coordinator 4Sight Vision Support - Nov 2022 - June 2024

Responsibilities:
Managing a team of over 200 volunteers
Driving the recruitment of client volunteers to increase the influence of visually impaired people at every level of the organisation from trustees down
Creating and delivering training in safeguarding and case study creation across the organisation
Designing and creating new volunteer roles including a new Telephone Befriender programme
Fundraising

Writer/Educator - May 2003 – February 2013 (Freelance)
Responsibilities:
• Delivering up to five blogs daily for clients from online T-shirt retailers to individual opinion leaders
• Leveraging social media to build brand identity and sales through trend-maker engagement
• Teaching other writers to generate income from creative talents and, as Writer-in-Residence at a Community College, encouraging young people to expand their academic learning into entrepreneurship

Chief Executive (head-hunted) – Feb 2002 – August 2003
International Tree Foundation, Crawley Down, West Sussex, RH10 4HS
Responsibilities:
• Revitalised a failing charity by creating international outreach, unique environmental programmes and new sources of income and membership
• Achieved a high organisational profile internationally through project reports and calls to action

Chief Executive - March 2000 to September 2001
Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability, Shepherd Street, London
Responsibilities:
• Delivered the first Corporate Accountability benchmarking standard: AA1000, alongside structures to train and support corporate accountability specialists
• Created public awareness through public relations and international bodies such as ISO and UN

Programme Administrator – August 1993 to March 2000
World Humanity Action Trust, Putney Bridge Road, London
Responsibilities:
• Researched and publicised global governance in relation to poverty, pollution, resources and political structures
• Reported to and collaborated with WHO, UNESCO, World Water Forum and other international bodies

EDUCATION
BA (Hons) First Class: Politics Philosophy and History, Birkbeck College, University of London, 1997

REFERENCES available on request.