About

Research

I am a researcher, consultant, and speaker of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism with international recognition in industry and academia. My research focuses on understanding the experiences and behaviours of recreation and adventure participants, including their motivations and barriers; equality, diversity, and inclusivity; well-being; connecting with nature and philanthropy. My research interests also lie in the management of the outdoor sector, including leadership, employment, decent work, media, and marketing.

I employ a range of methodologies including survey research, interviews, focus groups, embodied ethnography, systematic and narrative literature reviews, and social media research. 

I am an experienced project leader, and I have worked with both private and public organisations to collaborate on research and consult on projects. I have experience engaging different stakeholders and user groups in project design, implementation and evaluation. 

My research is referenced widely by the media.

Professional Membership

I am a committee member of the Adventure Tourism Research Association (ATRA), an organisation which seeks to bring together academics, adventure professionals and commercial operators. I am also a committee member of the Outdoor Recreation Research Group, which is a group of Sheffield Hallam University research experts with expertise in diverse areas of the outdoor recreation sector. 

I am a member of the Leisure Studies Association and the World Leisure Organisation, and I am an Associate Editor of the World Leisure Journal.

Outside of academia, I have been appointed a member of the British Mountaineering Council’s Equity Committee and Forum.

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy, ‘Women’s mountaineering tourism experiences: the constraint negotiation process and benefits of participation’, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK
  • Post Graduate Certificate of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
  • MSc Tourism Management and Development, Buckinghamshire New University, UK
  • BA (Hons) Tourism Studies, Bournemouth University, UK