I believe great design thrives on collaboration and shared knowledge. Throughout my career I’ve been an active member of the design community — attending conferences and festivals, connecting with other creatives, and staying engaged with emerging trends and best practice.

In 2022, I co‑founded a professional design community at the University of Oxford. Now known as Oxford Creatives, the group brings together designers from across a complex collegiate institution — central teams, four academic divisions, 36 colleges, and numerous schools, departments, and spin‑offs. We’ve built a peer‑led, supportive space where designers can collaborate, mentor one another, share reviews, and keep the creative spark alive.

Over the last few years I’ve also organised and led a series of in‑person workshops for communications colleagues, covering brand, design principles, social media, photography, and video. These sessions regularly attract audiences of up to 60 people and help colleagues in small or isolated teams develop confidence and capability in visual communication. As trained design professionals with commercial experience, I believe we have a responsibility to raise the overall quality of creative output across the University — guiding colleagues on what good design looks like, when to involve us, when they can work independently, and how to stay on brand without feeling overwhelmed.

Alongside our regular design drop‑ins, I’ve also hosted specialist creative sessions in areas such as letterpress and observational sketching. These workshops not only strengthen our community but also support creative wellbeing — something increasingly vital in high‑pressure environments.

Leading Oxford Creatives has enabled me to join the steering committee for the University’s Communications Community of Practice. Through this role, I contribute to institution‑wide decisions, broaden my professional network, and help shape a culture where knowledge‑sharing, creativity, and collaboration are celebrated.