I hold a PhD and MSc in Regional and Urban Planning from the London School of Economics and a Master of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.

Currently, I am an ESRC-funded research fellow based at the LSE. My research focuses on the urban environment, particularly how urban greening is integrated into the built environment to address contemporary challenges, namely climate change and public health. I explore how a fragmented approach to planning and development limits the ability to leverage urban nature for human and ecological health. In doing so, I engage with governance and funding issues, as well as well-entrenched cultural preferences regarding cities and green infrastructure. As planning advisor for the Covent Garden Community Association, I collaborated with a range of stakeholders, including architects, planners, local residents and policymakers, to address issues from heritage preservation to public amenity space. A common theme was addressing how individual projects connect to the broader urban landscape. I served on the Mayor of London’s Green Infrastructure Task Force and as a consultant to Parks for London. Before completing my doctorate, I had an 18-year career in policy, economic development and planning across the public, private and non-profit sectors.