Sophia has been Chief Executive at The Glass-House Community Led Design since 2005 and is an impassioned champion of design quality and place equity.

She advocates and enables design processes that empower organisations and communities to work openly and collaboratively, and that unlock potential in both places and people. She has extensive experience in delivering strategic support, training and practical resources for professionals and community groups alike, and is also a leader in the field of community-led, participatory and co-design research. Sophia is passionate about cross-sector and interdisciplinary working.

Sophia was a CABE Enabler, Design Council Built Environment Expert and now works with Design Council both as a Specialist and through the Corporate Partnership between The Glass-House and Design Council. Sophia has sat on numerous design reviews, panels and advisory groups such as Minister Jake Berry’s High Streets Expert Panel, the Historic England’s Advisory Committee and Historic Places Panel, The Redbridge Growth Commission (which she Chaired), and the Civic Voice Design Awards. She is a Visiting Fellow at The Open University, a Fellow at the Royal Society of Art, and an Academician at the Academy of Urbanism. Sophia is also External Examiner for Newcastle University and The University of Sheffield.