Mentorship
Why I mentor
Mentorship is not an add-on for me, it is part of the job. Early in my career, I had people who gave me their time, shared their mistakes, and let me peek behind the curtain at how they worked. Those conversations stuck with me. They made me braver, sharper, and more willing to take on challenges that felt out of reach.
Now I get to return the favour. Whether it’s a student in their final year, a graduate looking for their first big role, or a designer trying to step into leadership, my goal is the same: make the time count, make it practical, and make sure they walk away with something they can use immediately.
UCEN Manchester
My connection with UCEN Manchester began through my work, but I now lead the partnership directly. Since 2022, I’ve been introducing UX to the students and the university, helping shape the course, and returning each year for hands-on workshops and mentoring.
These sessions are not about me talking at a whiteboard. They’re about getting stuck in—using Figma, building interface designs, mapping services, and tackling live briefs that feel close to what they’ll face in industry.
The pace is real. The collaboration is real. And the work is theirs.
It has made a difference. Over 70% of the students who take part land a job within a year of graduating. Employers notice their readiness.
Tutors say our collaboration has brought the course closer to industry reality. The studio visits are my favourite part. You can see the shift happen when students walk into a working design space.
They stop imagining and start seeing themselves there.
Northumberland University
At Northumberland University, I’ve worked with Master’s students on their final projects. It’s the point where ambition meets the hard deadline of submission day. My role is to help them connect their vision to something that would stand up in the real world.
One student I mentored went on to graduate with a first-class degree. That was their win, but I’m glad I was there to help them find the focus and clarity to get it over the line.
ADPList
Through ADPList, I mentor graduates and early-career designers from all over the world. Some are fresh out of university and staring down the “now what?” moment. Others are deep in execution work and trying to break into strategy or leadership.
We talk portfolios, interviews, and navigating the messy politics that can come with design in big organisations. But often, the real work is about confidence—helping people feel ready to ask for the opportunities they want and to say yes when those opportunities arrive.
Speaking and running workshops let me share ideas beyond my immediate teams and projects. They’re a way to explore new topics, challenge assumptions, and give people something useful to take back to their own work.
At Valtech, I lead the Product Design POD, a community dedicated to strengthening design practice.
That means training and up-skilling other designers – improving collaboration, smoothed handovers, and sped up delivery.
I have spoken at events on topics including:
Scaling design operations without losing creativity
Embedding inclusive design in enterprise products
Using AI to accelerate discovery and decision-making
Workshops with real-world impact
I design workshops for application, not theory. The aim is to make the learning practical, relevant, and a little bit uncomfortable—in the best way—because that is when new thinking sticks.
Building intelligent experiences: How data and AI can help products respond to real user needs, and how to decide where automation ends and human judgment begins.
Stakeholder engagement and navigating tricky situations: Ways to earn trust, find common ground, and keep moving forward when priorities compete.
Emerging consumer types: Understanding the habits and expectations of the next generation, and how they will reshape product strategy.
DesignOps in action: Helping teams create governance and processes that remove bottlenecks and improve cross-team efficiency without slowing creativity.
In every session, my goal is the same: leave people with something they can put into practice immediately and the confidence to make it their own.
Recognised leadership
I am also a Certified EGR Leader through the ERG Leadership Alliance (ELA), which recognises my work in fostering inclusive culture and community within organisations.
Shaping design practice at scale
Latest Projects
