Sarah is Director of Capacity Building and Standards, a role focused on building the capacity of public servants and practitioners, and developing the body of evidence, principles and standards that support participatory and deliberative practice
Sarah joined Involve as Engagement Lead in 2014, becoming Head of Engagement in November 2017, and Director of Capacity Building and Standards in April 2021.
Her work at Involve has included a number of high profile citizens' assemblies, including Climate Assembly UK (UK Parliament, 2019-2020), National Assembly for Wales Citizens' Assembly (2019) and the Citizens' Assembly on Social Care (UK Parliament, 2018). She was Design and Facilitation Lead for the Citizens' Assembly on Brexit (2017).
Beyond citizens' assemblies, Sarah has worked with the Houses of Parliament and National Assembly for Wales to author guidance and training on how parliamentary committees can better engage the public in their work. She also develops and leads projects that focus on giving people with particular lived experince a say in decisions that affect their lives. She co-developed and co-led MH:2K, Involve’s youth-led project on mental health (2016 - 2018). She was also project lead for the Residents' Reference Panel on Building Safety in High Rise Residential Buildings for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (2018-2019).
Sarah is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Constitution Unit, University College London, and an Associate Member of the University of Leeds' Centre for Democratic Engagement. She was a member of the Wellcome Trust's working group on patient engagement.
Sarah holds a 1st class degree in Politics and Parliamentary Studies (PPS) from the University of Leeds.