I’m a strategic leader with extensive experience in designing, launching and scaling engagement programmes. Recognised for award-winning communications, innovative event delivery, and the ability to build strong networks across diverse communities.
Storytelling has the potential to build stronger networks, through engaging people, inspiring them to get involved and connect with others.
My mission has been to reflect our large, international and diverse audience through a wide range of stories, features, and social media posts.
Getting to know and understand your audience is key to defining your comms strategy.
Through conversations, events, readership surveys and engagement analytics, I’ve enjoyed learning what attracts attention and initiates action from our global community. Using this knowledge I can bring new ideas and improvements to multi-channel communications.
After identifying low student uptake in an existing alumni careers programme, I researched, planned and delivered a programme which enables easier student access to alumni volunteers plus peer-to-peer alumni networking.
Developed collaboratively with internal stakeholders, the programme enables members to access resources, search for useful contacts and potential mentors or mentees, and receive regular newsletters as a reminder of their membership benefits. Since its inception in 2018, I have scaled Sussex Connect to a 12,700+ membership and last year saw a 6% growth in new members.
To build stronger engagement, we introduced an annual mentoring scheme, evolving each year via survey-driven feedback. Recent graduates are encouraged to serve as both mentees and mentors, supporting the development of a sustainable volunteer pipeline.
To stay on members’ radar, regular newsletters are sent and targeted messages build further engagement by offering members other volunteering opportunities, such as speaking engagements and alumni case studies.
Annual themed events focusing on topics such as wellbeing and entrepreneurship enhance the programme’s professional focus and foster meaningful connections between students and alumni.
Engagement is monitored through evaluation surveys, platform analytics, and user growth. All volunteers agree to a code of conduct, and further safeguarding processes are in place to ensure a trusted environment.
Throughout my career, I have been actively involved in events organisation, as a leader, co-deliverer and a hands-on helper.
From organising popular large-scale public events for a publishing company to co-delivering professional development events for recent graduates and students, I am highly experienced in working on hybrid, online and in-person events that generate great feedback from attendees.
