Meet the committee

Growing up in the North East has meant that the coast has always been a big part of my life. When I moved away to study Environmental Geography at the University of York, I missed living by the coast and it was a big factor in my decision to move back home after graduating. Since then, I have been lucky to secure a job with Stronger Shores. I work with a fantastic team committed to protecting and enhancing the North East’s coastal environments. I am incredibly proud of my local area, and it is fulfilling to know that I am part of a project that is making a difference in the North East as part of the Flood and Coastal Innovation Resilience Programme.   

I am proud to co-lead the Early Careers Network. I am passionate about encouraging people to pursue a career within the environmental sector. I am excited to watch this network grow to provide a space for early career individuals to learn and support each other to achieve their full potential. 

I am a Climate and Sustainability Assistant Analyst at JBA Consulting, and my background is in climate change risk, management, adaptation and mitigation. I joined JBA because it is a multi-disciplinary consultancy leading in society’s pursuit for resilience to climate change. As part of my project work, I provide business support to the 25 FCRIP projects and the Environment Agency Programme team. 

Having been born and brought up on the coast in Cornwall, my work has supported my understanding of the effects of climate change on coastal erosion and flood resilience across the UK. 

As the co-lead of the network, I am excited to see what the year ahead brings for the ECN, having seen it grow from an initial conversation in late 2022 to the ever-growing, supportive community that it is now.

Having grown up near the North Norfolk coast, it has played a vital role in developing my passion for the coast and environment as a whole, especially around the impacts of coastal and climate change on the local area. Joining Coastwise at North Norfolk District Council as Coastal Transition Programme Assistant in 2023 has been a great opportunity to contribute and support the wider team as we look to transition and prepare coastal communities where the coast is changing. 

The Early Careers Network is a great community and resource for people starting out in the flood and coast industry. I'm excited to work with the committee to contribute to the networks development and mutually support other early career individuals in flood and coast. 

From a young age I have had a keen interest in the natural environment around me. The days spent with my family by the coast are one of my earliest childhood memories. Having volunteered during my GCSEs for Essex County Council (ECC) to map local ordinary watercourses, I was set on a career in the water industry. Since graduating from the Geography Department at Royal Holloway University of London in 2022, I have been assessing flood risk and sustainable drainage designs for new planning developments in my role as a Development and Flood Risk Officer at ECC. The role has furthered my professional development in climate resilience, biodiversity, and flood asset inspection.

I am delighted to be appointed as a Committee Member of the Flood and Coastal Innovation Early Careers Network to support and be a part of its ethos to unite individuals in the Flood and Coastal sector. I am passionate about creating a nurturing environment for all and collaborating with others to develop the network.

Growing up on the East Norfolk coast, calling it my home for over 25 years, and witnessing some of the most impactful natural processes taking place has no doubt played a vital role in the development of my passion for the environment and natural processes that can take place within it. Additionally, focusing my studies on geological and climate sciences has put me at an ideal crossroads to develop my career in consultancy with emphasis on flooding and coastal erosion-based projects. Since 2021, I have worked as an environmental consultant at Risk & Policy Analysts, and been fortunate enough to work on the evaluations of all three Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, and see all of the work that is being done to meet the vision of making the country more resilient to flooding and coastal erosion.

The Early Careers Network has been a fantastic resource, both through the training and networking opportunities that it has provided for those beginning their careers in the flood and coastal sector. I look forward to working alongside other members of the committee to continue supporting other early career individuals, by providing them with the space to learn and support each other.