Helen is responsible for all corporate support services across the University, with the exception of Finance. She is also responsible for strategic planning, she chairs the University's Equality and Diversity Committee and she is the University's Health & Wellbeing Champion.
Before joining the higher education sector, Helen completed officer training at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and professional training with the Royal Army Educational Corps. She spent 23 years in the Army and Ministry of Defence, in a variety of roles, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Her first posting was teaching soldiers in Germany toward their promotion exams and she later held posts as Commander Educational and Training Services, Head of PR for the British Forces in Germany and HR Manager at the Army Personnel Centre in Glasgow.
Latterly, she spent five months in Afghanistan where she was Spokesperson for the International Security and Assistance Force, overseeing press officers from 19 different countries and co-ordinating the media strategy.
On leaving the Army, Helen became Director of Strategic Planning at De Montfort University. She worked across all departments, ensuring the University’s Strategic Plan became an integral part of day to day work across the University.
She then joined The Open University as Regional Director for the East of England, based in Cambridge. Her role was to raise the profile of the OU in the region and to look at ways to continue to support students effectively in the wake of major funding cuts.
Helen’s first degree was in Library and Information Studies from the former Liverpool Polytechnic. She also has a PGCE, an MBA from Cranfield, an MSc in Strategic Studies from Aberystwyth, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
