I joined the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at UEA in 2015 and work within the suite of Physical Education, Sport, and Health degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Before arriving at UEA I worked across Psychology, Sport Sciences, Teacher Education, and Education fields in the UK and Australia and this reflects my research and teaching interests and expertise. 

My work is situated at the intersection of gender and sexuality diversity, wellbeing, inclusion, and applied practice in educational as well as sporting and other professional contexts.

I am a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist within the British Psychological Society's Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology and I am psychologist for the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme here at UEA. I also work with teams and organisations in developing their mission, vision, and values work. As an experienced Motivational Interviewing Trainer and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers MINT I am able to provide both bespoke and generalised training in this behavioural change counselling style. I also recieved an MA in Teaching Mindfulness from Bangor university and now deliver mindfulness training to students, staff, athletes, coaches, and the general public and incorporate this knowledge into a number of research activties.

I am Chair of University Research Ethics Committee.

My research focuses on the intersections of gender and sexuality diversity, health, identities, body image, mental health, wellbeing, education, and sporting issues for both adults and youth populations. My current research interests includes the negotiation of gender and sexuality in a range of sporting, leisure, and educational contexts including teacher training.

My other main area of research lies within the broader area of mental health, wellbeing, and mindfulness. Current research focusues on the Mental Health Trainee Teacher project which explores the provision of mental health and wellbeing provision of trainee teachers. An ESRC funded research project explores the potential of mindfulness for supporting teachers  in school contexts. A Joyce Morris Legacy funded project investigating the role of mindfulness based wellbeing programmes in supporting speeach and communication development in early years settings.

I also have experience of working in the Child Protection in Sport and teacher education fields having conducted projects in football in the UK and about teacher training in Australia.

Previous projects undertaken in Australia investigated the experiences of LGBTQ+ pre-service teachers in New South Wales exploring the ways in which trainee teachers negotiate and manage their sexual identities in preparing to teach in both primary and secondary school settings. 

Another project focused on the 'self-representation of Australian female and male athletes', studying the impact of photographic representations of the sporting body on meanings of sporting identity for adult and youth sport participants. 

I currently teach on the BSc Physical Education, Sport and Health degrees covering a module on sport advocacy called Sport, Culture and Society. I also supervise students on the undergraduate dissertation module.

I also provide training to our Educational Psychology doctorate candidates on the role of Mindfulness as a therapeutic practice and to Clinical Psychologists around the role of mindfulness for their professional and personal development.

Starting in 2025 I will be the Course Director MSc Professional Practice in Sport.

I have specialisms in LGBTQIA+ related areas in sport, exercise, health, and education contexts with a focus on wellbeing and inclusion agendas.

Other specialisms are in the use of qualitative research methods and in the use of creative methods for exploring gender and sexuality. 

As a HCPC registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist I also have a specialism in the use of ACT and mindfulness as a way to support performance (exercise, sport, eductaion, leadership) as well as wellbeing in general.

I am interested in supervising students who have an interest in educational or sporting contexts who wish to take a critical look at gender and sexuality diversity, mental health, wellbeing, identity work, mindfulness as a pedagogical tool, or the use of mindfulness to support wellbeing in sporting or educational contexts.