ABOUT ME

I believe in change

As a young woman growing up in rural Lancashire, UK, I railed against the mainstream education system. Conformism. Hierarchies. Control. At thirteen a Quaker summer-school showed me the magic of sharing spaces in which people aren’t just accepted for their individuality, but valued for it. It was a short-circuit to connection, love and joy.

I changed. I believe anyone can.

And that means we can change the world.

I am a doer

My life’s commitment is to take practical action. To make tangible, reverberating change. To step up to Mary Oliver’s unforgettable challenge and give fully with my ‘one wild and precious life’.

I work in the room where people are planning and building the future, a few doors down from those just talking about what the future might look like.

I am human, we are human.

To do this work well, every person needs to show up. Fully. Wholeheartedly. We have to feel it.

I come to our work with honesty. With humour. Love. Enthusiasm. Fun. Curiosity. And I will be straightforward when it’s called for.

How are you coming to this?

''You are not powerless. In fact, your every action is suffused with meaning… know that you are incredibly lucky to be alive at a time when you can make a transformative difference to the future of all life on earth”

- Christiana Figueres, Climate Change Leader

Gratitude to my teachers

Everything I do stands on the shoulders of the time, creatively and commitment of other space holder, thinkers and artists.

My current key influences are quakerism, the Circle Way, The Way of Council and other Circles practices, regenerative leadership, models of systems thinking and being, nature connection and the work of the Bio Leadership Project, feminism, Theory U, emergent strategy, and learning about indigenous wisdom and practices.

All the work I do in the world is with deep gratitude for my mentors and teachers who include Gemma Brady, Julia Lynch, Joanna Macy, Laura Storm, Priya Parker, Sharon Blackie, Suzanne Biegel, Margaret Wheatley, adrienne maree brown, the team at Huddlecraft, and Andres Roberts and all the Fellows from the Bio Leadership Project.

You can read more about the supplies that keep me going for the journey in my Field Guide.

Stella is a phenomenal leader, facilitator and coach. She re-defines what leadership is – filled with kindness and radical generosity.

Lora Krasteva - artist, cultural producer and activist.

‘Net Zero’' was co-created by lionesses (a co-creation story)

In 2013, an informal network of women co-created what would become the foundation of the Paris agreement, the legally binding international treaty on climate change. They didn’t only show up as their job titles (impressive as they were), they showed up fully, as mothers, daughters, citizens and as deeply concerned human beings. Instead of collaborating to work towards a predefined goal, they set aboout co-creating a new vision for humanity. Climate activist Farhana Yamin described them as lionesses, saying, “There are many mothers of this goal.”.

This small story represents the world I am building towards.

A world where we come together to co-create, acknowledging and welcoming everyone as their full selves – with unique histories, families, outlooks – the unique contribution of every person is alchemy.

I believe we are powerful when we are connected in this way and I am committed to making spaces to bring this idea to life.