Communications and Engagement Specialist

Summary

Sarah has communications expertise at both strategic and operational levels with experience engaging diverse audiences to inspire action.

Sarah’s podcast - How to Be Good? - is finalist in 16th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards

Listen here

Highlights

Career

  • Communications Consultant (2011 to present), working with organisations on both short and long-term communications contracts. Longer engagements include:

    • New Books in German, Communications Associate (2025-present); Digital Lead (2021-2025).

    • Academy for Systems Change, Director of Communications (2016-2021)

    • INASP, Communications Co-ordination (2014-2016)

  • Communications Manager, UK Collaborative on Development Research (UKCDR) (2012-2014)

  • Project Development Officer, RSPB (2011-2012)

  • Research Communications Manager, Sustainable Uplands Project (2009-2011)

  • Field Researcher, Zoological Society London (2008)

  • Seasonal Field Biologist, Texas A&M University (2008)

  • Project Coordinator, Energy Savings Trust (2007-2008)

  • Events Fundraising Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Society (2006-2007)

  • Internship with Secretary of State for Education, UK Government (2005)

Education

MSc Ecology and Environmental Sustainability (Distinction)
University of Aberdeen, 2009

BA (Hons) English Literature and German (First Class)
University of Southampton, 2006

A-Levels: English Literature, Media Studies, Business Studies, German
College of Richard Collyer (A,A,A,B), 2002

Training

  • UK Tea Champion, certified by UK Tea Academy (UKTA)

  • Systems Mapping for Social Change; software for mapping social systems (focus on Kumu)

  • Awareness-based Systems Leadership, trained by Peter Senge and Robert Hanig

  • Advanced Facilitation Skills

  • Writing for the Media

  • RSPB Working with Volunteers Advanced Training Course

  • Introduction and intermediate Web-Authoring

  • Managing and Sharing Participant Data

  • Good practice Stakeholder Participation

  • City & Guilds 6176 Energy Awareness

Sarah is bilingual (English/German)