How did you become involved with adoption and Adoption UK? 

I first became involved with Adoption UK when my partner and I adopted a four year old girl seven years ago.  We were given a high degree of support in the months leading up to our daughter’s placement with us and in the year following her arrival.  We knew that was unusual, and my years of involvement with AUK have only served to underline how unusual it was.  I have received a great deal of support and insight from meeting other adopters through AUK, as well as the staff and volunteers who work here in Wales.  I would like to think that by being involved I can help ensure that future adopters have the kind of positive experience that we had at the outset.

Any specific skills or areas of expertise relevant to the work of Adoption UK? 

I have worked in the media for most of my adult life - first as a print journalist, then as an investigative reporter and producer for ITV, and later as a programme commissioner for the BBC in Wales.  This has given me an in-depth knowledge of how newsrooms  and the media generally work, which I hope to use to help AUK get our key messages across .  It has also given me an understanding of how messages need to be tailored to reach different kinds of audiences, and how campaigns of different sorts need to be able to tell a strong “story”.  I sit on the Boards of several organisations and have learned that offering constructive challenge and lots of support is what works best at this level - and there should always be space to celebrate achievement.