Describe yourself in three words or phrases.
Passionate, people-orientated, highly organised but time optimistic!
What do you like most about your job?
It’s a cliché but every day is different. The sheer variety that comes with leading an international education consultancy keeps me on my toes. I might start my day with an 8am zoom call with one of the global corporations that we partner with in Hong Kong, do a round table with the team before lunch, meet a client family for tea in Knightsbridge at 3pm and go on to industry event in the evening. It’s always non-stop and great fun.
My truly favourite thing though is my work with some of our long-standing clients. There are some who I have known for many years; I really feel part of the family. We might start working with one child and then move on to help their siblings, sometimes working with them from prep school all the way to their undergraduate years – we recently finished working with one family who’d been with us for 10 years, which was quite emotional. It’s a real privilege to share in shaping children’s futures.
Describe a project or initiative you’re currently working on that excites you.
Our newest initiative is our launch into schools via our Art of Interview offering. Rooted in the service we provide for private families, we identified a gap in the market for in-school mock interview support to help students familiarise with the unfamiliar by bringing in external interviewers to help students prepare for 11+ and 13+. It’s going well so far and we are signing on more schools for this year.
What’s a piece of work you’re proud of – and what did it teach you?
That’s a tough one! I am most proud of my team. I was once told that you should never be the smartest in the room, and I can unequivocally say that the success of Quintessentially Education supports that notion. I may be the conductor of the orchestra, but there are many others who make up our truly brilliant team. I genuinely learn from them every day and I am fortunate to be working with some of the very best advisors, tutors, mentors and educators.
I am also really proud of how we have professionalised our offering at Quintessentially Education during my tenure. When I first started in this sector, it was a little like the wild west, with few rules and regulations in place in the UK, and a couple of big players dominating the space selling ‘schools placements’ based on networking abilities.
We approached the issue with great integrity, putting in place a framework for our consultancy team and formalising our processes which means everyone now knows not only what our offer is and how we deliver it but they are also clear on exactly what they need to bring to the table. Ironically, in more recent years the sector has now become far more professional which I am genuinely thrilled about, but I like to think we were ahead of the curve.
What’s a small daily habit that helps you in your work?
Making space in the morning to do exercise. Whether that’s cycling to work or doing a Pilates class. It helps to slow my brain and gives me thinking time away from screens.
I also like to start each Monday by identifying the three most impactful priorities for that week, otherwise my role risks becoming too reactive. I care deeply about leading my team well, so making space to ensure I can still fulfil my strategic and leadership responsibilities is essential.
What’s one change you’d like to see in your sector over the next few years?
I would like the line between consultants and agents to be more clearly identified. I am not anti-agents per se, but if you are receiving a fee from a university for placements, then it should be clear and transparent to everyone involved. Clients have a right to know if they are receiving truly independent advice, or if there are other factors at play.
I would also love to see a different perspective of education become the norm. One that prioritises fit and fulfilment rather than status and prestige. We need to make more diverse pathways the rule, not the exception – so many families we work with have been failed by the mainstream sector – their children have additional needs not met in their school setting or they have been expelled from school or failed to secure a university place. A little like Nanny McPhee, we really don’t want to be needed, but at the moment, in the UK at least, we still see too many square pegs in round holes.
What idea, book, podcast or conversation has stayed with you recently?
After completing my MBA last year, I recently revisited Option B by Sheryl Sandberg, and the idea of resilient, vulnerable leadership has really stayed with me. The book reframes resilience not as stoicism, but as the courage to be open about setbacks and to grow through them.
In education, and particularly in leadership, we often feel pressure to project certainty. But I’ve found that being honest about challenges, inviting collaboration and modelling adaptability creates stronger teams and, importantly, sets a powerful example for the young people we work with. If we want students, especially young women, to take risks and back themselves, we have to demonstrate that growth often comes from imperfection, not polish.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in this field?
Don’t be afraid to carve out your own path. I don’t have a private school background, yet I have made my own way as a business leader in the traditional world of independent education. I think I have been able to shape the narrative of Quintessentially Education and lean into what matters to me which is integrity and doing things the way they should be done.
So rather than running an educational consultancy that’s about making introductions, I’ve been able to ensure I run a consultancy that’s about helping each student on a very personal basis; we aim to empower each and every young person to fully explore their options, helping them to make the decision that is right for them.
