I completed my PhD in 2023 from Trinity College, the University of Dublin, on ‘Establishing a co-operative inquiry group for people with intellectual disabilities to explore relationships and sexuality in their lives’. For the past 15 years, I have lectured in higher education in Social Care, disability studies, childcare, and custodial care. I began my academic career lecturing at the Atlantic Technological University Sligo, Ireland and then at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.  I am now based in the Department of Social Care and Social Work at Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2023, I became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and have previously won two teaching awards. I am actively engaged in research, writing for publication, presenting and peer-reviewing. My undergraduate qualifications include Social Care Practice, Teaching and Learning, Addiction Studies, and Community Development and Leadership. My postgraduate qualifications include Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, and Sexual Consent Promotion. I have extensive experience working as a Social Care Practitioner in the fields of disability, addiction, community development and management. As well as this, I have trained as a sexual health facilitator.  

Lecturer:

I am a Lecturer and Personal Tutor in the Integrated Health and Social Care programme at Manchester Metropolitan University. I also supervise students who are doing a thesis for the MA in Social Work. I am passionate about student-centred teaching, learning, and assessment. Having first-hand experience entering higher education as a non-traditional student who is neuro-divergent and from a working-class background, I am passionate about supporting students to see their potential and succeed.

Researcher:

I am a researcher with the Learning Disability Cluster. I specialise in research on intellectual disability, relationships and sexuality, collaborative research and creative research methods. I am currently facilitating a collaboration between the Relationships and Sexuality Research Team in Ireland (researchers with intellectual disabilities and neurodivergence), the Learning Disability Cluster at Manchester Metropolitan University, and faculty in the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Centre at the University of Cincinnati. I am passionate about using research as a social justice tool to work towards change for disabled people.