About
Connecting people, place and planning
I am a Chartered Town Planner, Chartered Manager, Recognised Practitioner in Urban Design and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with over 15 years’ experience spanning professional practice, research and teaching. I work across planning, regeneration, placemaking, community engagement and climate resilience, combining practical experience with research-led approaches to help organisations and communities navigate complex place-based challenges.
Professional Background
My professional career has included roles with local authorities, housing providers and public agencies across Scotland and England, including The Regenda Group, Aberdeenshire Council, West Lothian Council, SEPA and Invest Aberdeen. My experience spans planning, placemaking, community engagement, community development, regeneration, environmental planning and economic development, alongside project management, stakeholder engagement, partnership working and community consultation.
Alongside my professional experience, I have developed specialist expertise through research and teaching in sustainable urban planning, climate resilience, participatory planning and co-design. This includes creative engagement approaches such as Planning for Real®, LEGO® Serious Play® and serious games.
My work explores how planning can bring together people, place and environmental systems to support more liveable, inclusive and climate-resilient places. This includes research into participatory planning, blue green infrastructure and Water Sensitive Urban Design, which informed the development of Blue Green Placemaking through my doctoral research.
My Approach
I am interested in how planning can bring together different perspectives and forms of knowledge to better understand places and the challenges they face. I have long been interested in how places change over time, an interest first developed through studying archaeology and now reflected in my approach to planning. I combine professional planning expertise with research, community perspectives and lived experience to help clients understand complex issues, explore new possibilities and develop priorities that reflect the needs and aspirations of the people involved.
I see community engagement as an opportunity to understand local experience, build shared understanding and contribute to planning and decision-making in ways that are relevant to the place and the people who live and work there.
Professional Journey
Planning & Regeneration Practice
My professional practice spans planning, regeneration, community engagement, housing and placemaking, with experience across local authorities, housing providers and public agencies in Scotland and England.
Climate Resilience & Applied Research
My research explores how blue green infrastructure and participatory placemaking can support liveable, flood-resilient urban environments.
Education & Knowledge Exchange
As a Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Planning, I connect research, professional practice and planning education to support future-ready planners.
Qualifications & Professional Recognition
Qualifications
PhD 'Placemaking and Blue Green Infrastructure for Liveable, Flood Resilient Urban Environments'
University of Dundee
MSc Spatial Planning with Urban Conservation
University of Dundee (Distinction)
MA (Hons) Cities, Culture and Regeneration
University of Liverpool
BA (Hons) Archaeology and English
University of Liverpool
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Academic Practice
University of Dundee
CMI Level 7 in Strategic Management and Leadership
Chartered Management Institute
Professional Recognition
Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI)
Recognised Practitioner in Urban Design
Urban Design Group
Chartered Manager (CMgr MCMI)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Certified LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator
Professional Leadership & Collaboration
I contribute to the planning profession through roles with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), supporting planning policy, education, accreditation and professional development.
I also contribute to wider knowledge exchange through external examining, research collaborations and international expert groups exploring how creative approaches can strengthen connections between science, policy and practice.
Research & Knowledge Exchange
My research explores how collaborative approaches can support more inclusive, resilient and sustainable places. I am particularly interested in the relationship between participatory planning, environmental resilience and the ways knowledge can be translated into practical action.
Through research, teaching and knowledge exchange, I connect academic insight with professional practice to support innovation in planning and placemaking. My work brings together participatory approaches, creative methods and interdisciplinary perspectives to explore how communities, practitioners and researchers can work together to address complex challenges and create more liveable and resilient places.