٠ In pursuit of a new narrative to dignify life & work ٠
ABOUT
It took me a while but, eventually, I realised that I have spent my whole life between two (sometimes more) worlds. This is what brings a unique perspective to my work. More than that, it defines me to the core.
I was born in the mountains north of Beirut, to an Irish-English mother and a Lebanese father. We came to London when I was three years old to escape the civil war. I grew up on a friendly housing estate and fell asleep against the hum of passing lorries, far from the pine cones and cicadas of my early years…and the leafy campus of my first year at university.
Speaking my first word at eight months old, I was able to translate between Arabic and English by the age of two. Yet, lost all confidence – and stopped speaking at all for a while – when no-one in the UK understood my Arabic; the language I had believed all people (apart from my mum) spoke. Now, having meaningful conversation is the thing I love most – whatever the subject, wherever the context, whomever the participants.
I began my holistic journey, whilst building my experience at a leading PR agency in London. Since then, I have maintained a portfolio career, as a communications consultant and holistic wellbeing practitioner. After several decades, I am as comfortable supporting a family as they say farewell to a loved one as I am managing a PR agency or sitting in a board meeting.
Like most, I have experienced several major transitions so far in my life. Amongst them: fleeing a war zone as a toddler; the sad ending of my first marriage; learning to live with thyroid issues and adrenal fatigue; meeting and marrying my husband; adjusting to life without having the children I longed for; traversing the menopause and balancing my corporate career and academic pursuits with my work a holistic therapist, birth doula, independent celebrant and group facilitator.
So, who am I? I’ve been known to describe myself as a ‘five-star hippy’, given my equal love of afternoon tea in a country house hotel and greeting the dawn at an ancient stone circle. I take as much enjoyment from a front-row seat in the theatre as I do outside, bare-foot around a fire under a full moon. My dedication to binge-watching the latest boxset is as enthusiastic as it is joining a holistic community or residential retreat. Put me in a labour room or a board room and I’ll be just as comfortable. Give me an obscure book about ceremony and ritual or a best-selling novel and I’ll lap them both up. You get the picture.
And, wherever it is that our paths cross, you can be sure that I’m neither one thing, nor the other; I will always have my eye open for an alternative perspective and I believe that (at least) two things can be true at the same time.
CAREER OVERVIEW
Communications
For the past 20 years I have worked in premium lifestyle comms, primarily in the UK but with a five-year international stint. Prior to this, I spent ten years agency side. With a degree in Public Relations, my training and real-world experience spans earned media, talent & influencer programmes, sponsorship amplification and partnership integration across travel, sport, music, fashion, motor & retail sectors. I am a trusted brand guardian able to collaborate with founders, senior leadership and marketers to create impactful and insight-led campaigns, whilst managing risk.
Consulting Director, Premium & Brand Communications – American Express UK (since 2004)
Numerous PR campaigns, including:
- Global roll-out of new advertising platform
- UK and pan-European product launches
- Sponsorships amplification, incl. Wimbledon, F1, London Film Festival, Somerset House Summer Series, London Fashion Week
- Ambassador programmes with diverse range of celebrity talent across film, fashion, music, sport
- Partnerships with creative individuals and cultural institutions, incl. Harry Styles, Alexander McQueen, Nile Rodgers, Princes Trust, Abbey Road Studios, Calm App, Soho House
- Annual ‘Shop Small’ campaign to promote local, independent businesses
Influencer strategy and implementation, across platforms.
Commercial media partnerships.
Agency liaison and stakeholder management.
Crisis preparedness and senior leadership media training.
Campaign measurement and financial planning.
Previous Roles
Strategic Project, Women’s Football Association.
Research and analysis into possible routes for creation of a profitable professional league in the UK (2003).
Associate Director, Activate UK. Development and implementation of grassroots sporting programmes for clients including Channel 4, BBC Sport, Lawn Tennis Association and Ford Motors (2001–2003).
Grad. Trainee to Account Director, Hill & Knowlton.
Broad range of PR experience across consumer (brand & retail) and healthcare divisions (1995–2001).
Public Relations Intern, Benefits Agency. Full-time placement as third year of degree (1993 – 1994).
Holistic Wellbeing
I am an active Independent Celebrant, helping people honour their personal stories through ceremony and am undertaking postgraduate research to understand the impact and value of supporting life’s major milestones with intention. Also, I am serving as Board Chair to a CIC which guides women to support preteen girls. Over the last 20 years – alongside my comms career – I have trained in, and practised as, a holistic therapist, doula and group facilitator. Previously, I co-owned a holistic training academy and supported accrediting bodies with internal and external communications.
Non-Exec Director & Board Chair – Rites for Girls CIC (since 2023)
Governance and advisory to support delivery of mission and long-term sustainability including:
- Strategic planning and financial oversight
- Management accountability
- Brand guardianship and comms counsel
- Ambassador onboarding and liaison
- Recruitment support
Academic Researcher with the Research Centre for Transformative Change: Educational & Life Transitions and the Menstruation Research Network (since 2021)
- Particularly interested in how the various milestones experienced throughout the Menstrual Lifecycle – from menarche to menopause – can be better supported through ceremony and ritual.
Independent Celebrant with Fellowship of Professional Celebrants (since 2013)
- Creating and officiating bespoke ceremonies to honour important life events, from the birth of a baby through to saying farewell to a loved one.
Previous Roles
Accredited Facilitator & Mentor with Rites for Girls. Supporting girls as they transition into and through puberty (2018-2025).
Co-Director & Exam Tutor at Academy of Natural Health. Training holistic massage therapists (2007 – 2009).
Recognised Birth Doula with Doula UK. Supporting women prior to and during birth (2007–2016).
Founder & Editor, In Touch Magazine: Publication for members of Massage Training Institute (2005–2008).
Holistic Therapist: Reiki, Holistic & Thai Massage, Modern Energy Tapping, Emotional Transformation (2002–2020).
QUALIFICATIONS
My qualifications – all from leading organisations in their respective field – mean that I have received a solid foundation from well-respected experts across every aspect of my work.
The Centre for Educational and Life Transitions and Menstruation Research Network
- Independent Researcher (2021- )
I am a member of The Centre for Educational and Life Transitions, at Dundee University and the Menstruation Research Network at the University of St. Andrew’s as I work (slowly) towards a PhD exploring what value and impact marking our menstrual milestones (from menarche to menopause) might have on our lived experience of them.
Lara Owen
- Contemporary Menstrual Studies: Year One (2022); Year Two (2025)
Masters-level academic programme created and taught by pre-eminent author, Dr Lara Owen to explore menstruation in multiple contexts, from business and health to popular culture and technology.
Red School
- Menstruality Leadership Programme (2022)
Red School was founded by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer to promote menstrual cycle awareness and a conscious menopause.
Rites for Girls
- Girls Journeying Together Facilitator Accreditation (2019)
- Girls’ Net Mentor (2021)
Rites for Girls is a ground-breaking Community Interest Company (CIC) created to support girls’ rites of passage around the world. My training was led by the founder, Kim McCabe and the late, Helena Løvendal – both of them passionate and highly experienced facilitators and therapists.
The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants
- Certificate in Marriage & Family Celebrancy (2013)
- Certificate in Funeral Celebrancy (2015)
At The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants I studied with founder Terri Shanks, one of the most respected Independent Celebrants in the UK.
CPD & Supervision
- Menopause Wellness with Gateway Workshops (2023)
- Supervision (Ongoing)
Undertaking regular CPD keeps my knowledge up-to-date with the changing environment and Supervision encourages me to critically question my practice to ensure I am undertaking my best work.
The Academy of Natural Health
- MTI Diploma: Holistic Massage, Anatomy, Physiology & Pathology (2003)
- ITEC Diploma: Holistic Massage (2003)
- ANH Certificate: Indian Head Massage (2003)
The Academy of Natural Health, founded by the visionary and inspirational Anja Saunders in 1989, was one of the trailblazing schools of holistic bodywork in the country; although, sadly, now closed it was based in Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden.
Well Mother
- APNT Diploma: Massage in Pregnancy (2005)
- Well Mother Certificate: Massage in Labour (2007)
Well Mother is a pioneering force in the field of supporting natural pregnancy and birth; I trained under the tutelage of founder, Shiatsu and massage therapist and author, Suzanne Yates.
Christina Tinkler
- First Degree Reiki Initiation (2001)
- Second Degree Reiki Initiation (2002)
Initiated by Reiki Master, Christina Tinkler, I am a tenth generation Usui Reiki practitioner in Madam Hawayo Takata’s lineage; Madam Takata was initiated in 1939 by Dr Churijo Hayashi, the dedicated student of Dr Mikao Usui who rediscovered Reiki in the early 1900s.
Emotional Freedom Training
- Practitioner of EmoTrance (2008)
- Advanced Practitioner of EmoTrance (2010)
My studies were led by Kim Bradley, as an officially licensed trainer of the techniques developed by Sylvia Hartmann, co-founder of the Guild of Energists – the world’s first certifying body for modern energy.
Silvia King
- Foundation Certificate in Modern Energy Tapping (2017)
- Modern Energy Tapping Master Practitioner (2017)
Also certified by the Guild of Energists, my training with Silvia has given me another raft of additional techniques to support emotional transformation. Modern Energy Tapping was formerly known as Energy EFT.
Thai Massage School of Chiang Mai
- TMC Level I: Foundation of Thai Massage (2007)
- TMC Level II: Thai Massage Enhancement (2007)
The Thai Massage School of Chiang Mai was launched in 2001. This award-winning training academy is dedicated to offering a high value of education to students seeking knowledge of compassionate and sincere Thai massage.
HOLOS Healthcare & Training
- Emergency First Aid at Work Certificate *
Training developed and primarily delivered by experienced Registered Paramedic, Alex Brazkiewicz.
*Held since 2003, renewed every three years.
Leeds Business School
- BA (Hons) Public Relations (1995)
The first degree programme of its kind in the UK – blending communications theory with real-world application.