About Me

A Creative from the Start

I won three Blue Peter badges for drawing and always dreamt of being a creative. At secondary school, no career path truly spoke to me — until the moment I watched a film about the work of a commercial artist. I can still recall that instant; it was as if a light bulb switched on. That was my vocation, and I claimed it.

Three decades later, I'm a design lead, strategist, and mentor with a Masters in Graphic Design and Typography, and a career spanning educational publishing, branding, digital platforms, and socially conscious design. I've worked with some of the world's most respected publishers and organisations, and I'm just as passionate about purposeful, inclusive design today as I was at the very beginning.

My Approach: Collaborative, Strategic, Human

I believe great design is never just about aesthetics — it's about communication, accessibility, and creating real impact. I guide clients through every stage of the process, from understanding your audience to development, creation, and delivery, translating complexity into clarity and always avoiding jargon so we learn and grow together.

I'm deeply committed to accessible, strategic design solutions that are aligned with brand, audience, and purpose. Whether working with cross-functional teams, commissioning freelance creatives, or mentoring the next generation of designers, I bring a collaborative, thoughtful approach to everything I do.

Experience That Spans Industries and Audiences

My career began at Cambridge University Press in 1989, and I've never strayed far from the intersection of ideas, design, and audience. Over more than 30 years, I've led concept development for complex educational publishing products at Pearson, managed a team of five designers and editors at M&M Communications, and collaborated with major publishing clients — including Penguin, Macmillan, Scholastic, and Oxford University Press — at Gecko Limited.

Since 2014, I've been the Design Lead at Cambridge University Press (UK Schools), developing design strategies across print and digital platforms and supervising work experience placements to support early-career development. Alongside this, I founded Hello Lovely in 2016 — a design practice built to expand my work in digital design, branding, and socially conscious design, where I've delivered website development, brand identity, and print design for events and product launches.

Past projects include printed and exhibition materials for United Business Media, UPS, The Teenage Cancer Trust, South Cambs District Council, Cambridge City Council, Ageing Without Children, Cambridge and Peterborough NHS, and The David Parr House. I organised a full branch launch for Ridgeons, a builders’ merchants — including bus and lorry wraps — and have contributed to brand guidelines and template libraries for a wide range of clients. Much of my foundational work was pre-digital, and that discipline has instilled a rigorous, best-practice approach in everything I do.

Recognised, Awarded, and Always Learning

I hold an MA in Graphic Design and Typography (Merit, Anglia Ruskin University), a BA (Hons) in English Literature, an Undergraduate Certificate in Coaching from the University of Cambridge, and an HND in Graphic Design. I've trained with the Publishing Training Centre, UX Academy, and Interaction Design, and hold qualifications in accessible design (WCAG), frontend development, and CIM branding masterclasses. I'm also a qualified Mental Health First Aider and a DEIB facilitator, trained by We Create Space and trained to use AI by AI For Non Techies.

I was named Unsung Hero of Publishing by Whitefox, listed in the Cambridge People Awards by Cofinitive, recognised as a Digital Woman of the Year, and named as a finalist in the Cambridgeshire Digital Awards and IPSE Podcaster of the Year. I'm an Alliance of Independent Authors approved partner member.

I've lectured at Anglia Ruskin University, presented design strategies at board level, and spoken at venues including The Barbican in London, Storyhouse Theatre in Chester, and Fertility Fest at Shepherd's Bush Theatre. I speak at Work in Publishing events and mentor emerging designers, supporting the next generation with the same encouragement I once needed myself.

I'm acutely aware of the gender balance — and imbalance — in the design industry, and I use my platform and experience to champion the designers of tomorrow.

Design and purpose come together in one of my most meaningful projects: The Full Stop, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company and award-winning monthly podcast for those who are childless not by choice which I co-present and co-direct. I am also the founder of the Full Stop Community, an online support space. I bring my design and tech skills to The Full Stop as the creator of the brand and website. This brand strategy is an accessible design approach covering both the podcast and the community to bring a modern, welcoming digital presence that appeals to all genders, reflecting the diverse and worldwide audience. The Full Stop is listened to in 80 countries. It's a project that sits at the heart of my belief that purposeful, inclusive design can genuinely change lives and give voice to those who are too often overlooked.

Areas of Expertise

Design: Magazine and editorial design · Fiction and non-fiction book covers · Marketing materials · Annual reports · Accessible PDF files · Website design · Social media templates · Branding and visual identity · Print and digital

Tools: Adobe Creative Cloud · Adobe Express · Canva · Squarespace · WordPress · Sketch · Google Workspace · ClickUp · Dubsado · Trello · Dropbox · Loom · Claude · Riverside · Moxie