Tell us about yourself

I am the Experiential Insight (Qualitative) Lead Researcher at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), based within the Insight Infrastructure Team. This team was set up in 2023 to make high-quality data and evidence easier to access, use, and act on – not just for JRF itself, but for researchers, policymakers, charities and community organisations across the country. I lead Grounded Voices, a rolling programme of research designed to embed lived experience at the heart of JRFs work, amplifying the perspectives of people whose voices are too often missing from public debates around tackling poverty.

I joined JRF from the University of Sheffield, where I co‑chaired the Policing Research Group and conducted research across the law enforcement and public health sphere. This included work on police custody, the policing of mental ill-health, and a Cabinet Office‑funded realist impact, process, and economic evaluation of police‑led drug diversion (PDD) schemes. At the heart of all my research has been the inclusion of people with lived experience, producing insights that sit alongside traditional research and data to build a more complete understanding of social policy issues.

Why did you want to become a Research Affiliate?

I have a keen interest in the work being undertaken at the Centre, particularly (but not limited to) the Mental Health and Routine Police Work project and The Value and Impact of Police-Initiated Diversion with Adults.

My prior research in both areas has also included working with charitable organisations to enable meaningful collaboration with people who have lived experience of being policed in these contexts. I am really keen to continuing supporting the ongoing work of the centre and engaging further with the evidence it produces.

How does your research connect to the Centre’s mission and values?

My work at JRF and previously within academia, is grounded in the same commitments to integrity, inclusivity and meaningful collaboration that underpin the breadth of work being undertaken at the Centre. My mission at JRF, and that of the wider insight infrastructure team, is to build networks, events and partnerships that focus on peer learning and data sharing. Our work isn’t just about analysis – it’s about creating usable infrastructure (dashboards, data standards, and real-time lived experience) that help convert raw information into actionable insights that can influence policy, practice and services. Please do get in touch if you think these insights may be useful to you.