ABOUT ME
I am a consultant, researcher and journalist specialising in governance of food policy and the food system.
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As an associate of the RUAF Global Partnership since 2018, I work with a number of cities, NGOs and universities on projects to advance sustainable urban and city region food systems.
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My areas of expertise include:
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​Participatory multi-stakeholder planning
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Food policy assessment and monitoring
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Training and capacity-building
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Case studies and knowledge systematisation
Previous experience
In 2016 and 2017 I worked with the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) on a report investigating the factors that enable the development and delivery of urban food policies ('What makes urban food policy happen').
In 2015 I was employed by Cirad in Montpellier, France, to conduct research for the UNESCO Chair on World Food Systems on cities' sustainable food aims and policy levers they can utilise.
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I received my PhD in food policy from the Centre for Food Policy, City University London in 2015 (thesis title: 'A new institutionalist analysis of local level and urban food policy in England between 2012 and 2014'). From 2011-2014 I was a Marie Curie Fellow at the Centre for Food Policy, under the PUREFOOD project (EU Seventh Framework PEOPLE programme).
Prior to this, I worked as a journalist for over a decade -- including six years as editor of food industry publication FoodNavigator.com, and two years as a researcher for 'Planet Food', a food and travel TV series for the Discovery Channel.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Governance of urban food systems
Governance of local level, urban and regional food systems, including participatory mechanisms, processes and fora, multi-level governance, reflexive and adaptive governance.
Resilient city region food systems
Assessment of the vulnerability of city region food systems to climate- and pandemic-related shocks and stresses, and multi-stakeholder planning to increase resilience.
Social equity and inclusion in urban food systems
Special interest in gender and intersectional inequalities, and enabling participation of underpresented and marginalised groups in policy discussions
Contribution of food policy to the Sustainable Development Goals
Particularly interested in contribution of the food system to SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 12 responsible consumption and production.
EDUCATION
2011 - 2015
Centre for Food Policy, City University London
PhD in Food Policy
Thesis: A new institutionalist analysis of local level and urban food policy in England between 2012 and 2014'. Supervised by Dr David Barling and Prof Tim Lang. My PhD was funded under the PUREFOOD programme, a Marie Curie Initial Training Network.
2008 - 2010
Centre for Food Policy, City University London
MSc in Food Policy
2004
London College of Printing
Postgraduate diploma in Periodicals Journalism
1994 - 1997
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
BA (Hons) in Classics