As Director of Practice, Helen is responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of programmes to maintain and enhance the high levels of technical competence and expertise across the whole practice, to ensure legal and best practice compliance. Helen’s commitment to sustainability, diversity and inclusive design, supports the implementation of new initiatives to assist the practice in achieving its quality management, sustainability and corporate social and environmental responsibility objectives. Specialising in education design for many years, particularly early years, primary, secondary and special schools, further education and technical colleges, she led the SHaW Futures Academy project which led to a book entitled “Urban Schools: Designing for High Density” published by RIBA. This was awarded the AJ100 Collaboration of the Year award in 2020.

Helen is passionate about cross industry collaboration, engagement and research. She was a founder member of Architects for Change, the RIBA’s Equality & Diversity Forum, elected both a RIBA council and board member, and awarded Fellowship of the RIBA in 2020. She played a significant role in the establishment of Modern Apprenticeships in Architecture, and is an external examiner at the Bartlett and an Associate Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University.