I’m an EMCC accredited coach at senior practitioner level, mentor and Chief Executive with over 20 years’ experience leading, influencing and developing people across healthcare, the charity sector and public policy.
My career began as a mental health nurse working in acute and drug treatment services, where I learned the importance of building trust, listening deeply and recognising that lasting change starts with relationships. Those foundations continue to shape my coaching today.
For the past 14 years I’ve worked at Scottish Drugs Forum, where I now serve as CEO. I am also a Trustee of Harm Reduction International, giving me experience of leadership from both an executive and governance perspective. During that time I’ve led organisational change, developed leadership teams, influenced national policy and represented Scotland’s harm reduction approach internationally. I’ve worked alongside organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), presented at conferences across the world, delivered training extensively, and regularly contributed to parliamentary inquiries and national media discussions.
Leading in this environment has given me first-hand experience of working alongside ministers, parliamentarians, civil servants and senior leaders, while navigating political landscapes, organisational complexity, public scrutiny and the difficult decisions that come with leading people through uncertainty.
Alongside my executive role, I’ve completed the ILM Level 7 Diploma for Executive and Senior Level Coaches and Mentors. Coaching has transformed the way I lead. It has strengthened my belief that the best leaders don’t need to have all the answers – they create the conditions for others to think, grow and thrive.
My coaching is grounded in real-world leadership experience. I work with purpose-driven leaders who want to lead with courage, compassion and influence, while protecting their own wellbeing and creating the conditions for the people around them to develop.
Leadership isn’t about becoming someone else.
It’s about becoming the leader you’re capable of being.
