I want more people to live in a decent, affordable home - and I’ve been lucky to spend my career to date working with brilliant people and organisations who share my values - and that ambition. Oak Foundation's housing and homelessness programme believes in a society where more people live in decent homes and fewer people experience homelessness and housing insecurity - so it's a great fit for me. I lead a team of seven colleagues based in London, supporting organisations in the UK and United States to end homelessness and create housing opportunity.Before joining Oak in 2024, I was Executive Director (Policy & Public Affairs) at the Northern Housing Consortium, overseeing policy, communications, and member engagement. We worked with over 140 councils, housing associations and combined authorities across the North to develop insight, influence and solutions that enabled our members to create better homes and places. I was part of the organisation’s Executive Management Team, ensuring that the NHC was a strong, sustainable well-run business, and an organisation our staff and members were all proud to be part of.Professionalism is really important to me - I’m proud to be a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, and to contribute to improving the operating environment for fellow housing professionals through my role on the Institute’s Policy Advisory Committee. I chose a career in housing, joining the graduate scheme at a housing association, spending time working in a housing office, on stock transfers and then in their policy and performance unit. Those early days knocking on doors, serving customers in a housing office and working with frontline staff to improve customer experience have underpinned everything I’ve done since.A former boss told me I had an incredible thirst for knowledge, and I think there’s some truth in that. I loved my four years at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, working directly with leading academics and blending research, policy and comms skills to create compelling and authoritative outputs. I’ve been lucky to join two unique degree programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I’m still a voracious reader for work and for pleasure.Outside of work, I spent four years as an elected local councillor in a London Borough; and more recently, six years as a school governor, seeking to champion the needs of disadvantaged pupils and contribute to the continued improvement of our ‘good’ school. That’s me - how about you?