What is your role on the board?
Scotland Regional Lead
How long have you been involved with Women in Transport?
2015 (I think!)
Why did you join Women in Transport?
I was at the beginning of my career and wanted to find a support network to expand my understanding of the sector
What do you enjoy most about being part of Women in Transport?
There is no single answer! I love being part of something much bigger than me, seeing how over the past decade we have influenced research, advocated for change and improved outcomes for many individuals working in the sector, one event after the other. I have met so many inspirational people and created friendships. Recently we have embarked on a strategic initiative around intersectionality and I have found this utterly fascinating and crucial to our mission. The podcasts are a particular highlight for me: they provide an amazing format to hear from experts, and I look forward to each new episode. I listen to them on my way to the office and they make my day. I cannot not mention my enthusiasm for our behind the scenes exclusive site visits (I drove a bus! I walked into the Crossrail tunnels! I checked out the Caledonian Sleeper!). I feel so proud and privileged to be part of Women in Transport.
Current job title
Associate Director, Transport Planning and Development
What does your current job involve?
I help design masterplans and planning applications across all sectors of the built environment ; and I also support the development of policy documents and feasibility studies for local authorities - mostly in the field of Active Travel and Parking.
What's the best thing about your job?
If I do my job well then all the operational functions of a successful space (deliveries, waste, car parking etc) will be hidden from the view, and urban spaces will be dedicated for people to enjoy a walk, a ride, or simply seating and having a good time! It's particularly rewarding to get 'under the skin' of how a place operates and come up with solutions so that space can be unlocked and freed up for public realm.
How did you become involved in the transport industry?
I have always been very interested in public realm - I did a university exchange in Italy and was fascinated by urban street life and the piazza. My first job was in pedestrian modelling and people movement planning: I got in depth knowledge of the tools we can use to predict how people will move around a space. But that did not help unlocking space for people as such, so I moved into wider transport and development planning and this is what I have been doing since!
What do you like about working in transport?
We are at a critical juncture in terms of climate crisis. Transport is one of the main emitters. The opportunity to have an impact, be part of the change is very important to me.
What are you most proud of?
In my previous job, I worked really hard to come up with solutions to pedestrianise a street in London, next to a busy exhibition centre with a lot of urban freight. It's nearly completion now and I cannot wait to see it open!
Annual membership of Women in Transport is £60 per year providing access to professional development and networking opportunities. We very much welcome guest blogs from our members - a great way to share the incredible diversity of opportunity in transport, raise your profile and connect with our community. Join us today.
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