I lead the Strategy, Insight and Evaluation team in Defra strat comms. I recently coordinated the Defra incident comms response to coronavirus and contribution to the cross government brexit readiness campaign ‘Check Change Go’. I’m also responsible for communications strategy and insight (polling, surveys etc) while I previously led a team delivering strategic communications to the fishing sector and highlighting the Government’s work to protect the marine environment.

I developed and delivered a communications strategy to prepare importers and exporters of ‘products of animal origin’ - a classification of goods which includes meat, cheese and groceries containing meat - for the UK’s edit for the European Union. The continuously evolving strategy involved a mix of direct engagement, engagement through trade associations and events, digital and media communications.

I managed a team of press officers in the Defra press office leading on the air quality, flooding, the water industry, chemicals, CBRN emergencies, Natural England. Role included giving communications advice to Ministers and senior leaders, organising media facilities and proactive communications moments as well as responding to media stories

Experience as communications officer for Defra include:Leading press office communications for the 5p plastic bag charge, including drafting communications plans, Ministerial statements and press notices which appeared across national media and responding to national print and broadcast journalist enquiries.Incident communications during December 2015 flooding and leading on incident communications during the winter 2016-2017 avian influenza outbreak.A spell as News Planner for the Department which involved working with the Secretary of State's principle private secretary and the No.10 news planner to strategically time announcements and publications. Issuing spokesperson lines and briefings, ministerial statements and press releases to national, regional and trade journalists on a range of issues including local environment, recycling and waste management, animal health and welfare, plant health, fisheries and forestry. Accompanying Ministers on visits and briefing ahead of interviews with journalists.Providing communications handling advice to Ministers.Speech writing.Drafting social media content and managing social media accounts. Leading on improving system for evaluation of press office output.Contributing towards the Defra communications strategy.

I worked for the Government's Chief Scientific Advisor, project managing the publication of the report 'Animal and Plant Health in the UK: Building our Science Capability' and organising the Council for Science and Technology Science Landscape Seminar series.

I wrote a pre-match articles for the website of the new Watford Fc fan group 'The 1881', and occasionally write articles for the website FTBPro.

Between 2011-2014, I spent a total of around 8 months working as a communications officer in the for the Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England). Whilst in this role, I wrote press releases, internal copy for the staff magazine, staff website and directors brief, and copy for the public facing website. I also regularly contributed to the organisation's social media sites, which I managed on a number of occasions. The role also involved liaising with journalists, and preparing the organisation's scientists for media interviews.

I had a one month internship at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology where I wrote an internal report for a member of the House of Lords. I also wrote a scoping document identifying emerging issues in science and technology that wil need government attention over the next few years

I presented 'Morning Musings' a science radio show at Imperial College

I was the social media manager of Imperial College's Science Magazine I, Science and wrote the magazine's first social media strategy