Personal information
Biography
I am a creative and dedicated leader within Higher Education who has a particular passion for enhancing teaching, learning and the overall student experience. I have led major strategic initiatives from conception through to delivery, and have a track record of championing evidence-informed approaches as well as inspiring, connecting and mentoring colleagues to enhance learning and teaching approaches. I have also gained the highest level of professional recognition for learning and teaching, becoming a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) in 2015 and a National Teaching Fellow (NTF) in 2018, the first year that the NTF scheme ran in Scotland. I champion teaching excellence at a national level, having initiated and facilitated new Scottish networks for Principal Fellows, and National Teaching Fellow (NTF)/Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) winners.
My early portfolio was achieved as an academic in my ‘home discipline’ of Veterinary Education (I am a qualified veterinary surgeon), and I established an international reputation in this field and was recognised for my scholarship, leadership, and advancement of this relatively new academic discipline. I then built on this strong foundation to translate and apply my leadership skills in cross-disciplinary contexts at both Advance HE and the University of Edinburgh, and I am now a strong advocate of adopting cross-disciplinary approaches, particularly in combination with 'Students as Partners' and inclusive curricula approaches.
I currently hold an institutional level role as Director of Academic Development and Learning Enhancement at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh which includes strategic oversight and leading enhancement of the student experience and all aspects of learning, teaching and assessment at the institution.
Prior to this, my role with Advance HE included strategic liaison and networking with Executive Teams across the entire Scottish HE sector and beyond, as well as the design and delivery of impactful interventions to support institutions with their COVID responses, leadership of Learning and Teaching, and enhancement of the Student Experience.