RESUME

Professional

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Developing two plays: Red Dirt about the Windrush Scandal and Though The Heavens Fall about a 1770's court case.

Completed a range of projects: abridgement of Booker Prize winning Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo for Book at Bedtime for BBC Radio 4, a film script 'Confounded Women' for BBC Film, dramatisations of four of Maya Angelou's memoirs for BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour (which was awarded Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting at the 2020 Audio Drama Awards,) co-wrote an episode of the WW1 drama series Tommies broadcast September 2019.

As of September 27th 2013, named Trustee of the British Museum. Appointed to serve for a second term in 2017.

Included in the BBC New Talent Hotlist 2017 and the Mayor of London's New View 50 Most Influential BAME people in the UK 2017.

EXPERIENCE

From 20013 to 2018, co-artistic director of StrongBack Productions, a company dedicated to exploring Caribbean synergies in British theatre.

From 2006 to 2012, led the UK’s largest Black led theatre company( www.talawa.com) whose award winning work included producing with partners including the West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Victoria and Albert Museum and English Touring Theatre, launching the careers of many young Black British theatre makers, supporting a range of bespoke participation and education projects and residencies and overseeing the archiving of the company’s work in the V&A museum. Also founded and led for two years a London wide umbrella organisation of Black Asian and Minority Ethnic performance arts companies, The London Hub (www.thelondonhub.com ).

Award winning playwright whose plays have toured to the Caribbean, Canada and the USA with a collection of three plays 'Inner Yardie' published in 2015 by Peepal Tree Press. Contributor to text on Shakespeare 'The Diverse Bard' edited by Dr. Dee jarrett McAuley published by Routledge in September 2016. Playtext of latest stage play, Chigger Foot Boys, published by Oberon Plays in 2017. Recently celebrated for my contribution to theatre by the Jamaican Women in Theatre festival 2018.

Writer of radio drama for BBC Radio 4 and World Service including an original series 'One Bright Child' that won the Race In Media award, and adaptations of outstanding novels including The Color Purple - which won a Sony Silver Award- Andrea Levy's Small Island, Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, Marie Ndiaye Trois Femmes Puissantes and Toni Morrison's Beloved.

Also critic and commentator for radio and television including BBC World Service weekend news magazine.

ADMINISTRATION

Trained in organisational planning, leadership, risk management and financial planning with Clore Arts Leadership programme. Project management and arts programming were skills learnt and used extensively on the job.

GOVERNANCE

I am currently a trustee of the British Museum, the George Bernard Shaw Trust and Utopia Theatre Company. Have served on the boards of the London Hub, English Touring Theatre Company, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants Theatre Company and Spare Tyre Theatre Company.

INTERESTS

Current affairs including politics

Sport particularly swimming and athletics

Popular culture after Stuart Hall

Jamaican history and culture

Cooking and baking

Skills

PLAYWRITING

DIRECTING

THEATRE PRODUCTION

RADIO DRAMA

RADIO PRODUCTION

PRESENTING

PUBLIC SPEAKING

BUSINESS PLANNING

ARTS ADMINISTRATION

RISK MANAGEMENT

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

PRESS RELATIONS

ADVOCACY

RECOGNITION

Member of the Order of the British Empire

Fellow Royal Society of the Arts

Trustee, British Museum

Girton College, Cambridge University

MA Cantab Archaeology and Anthropology. Won College Exhibition and was Ladies Captain, Cambridge University Swim Team. Awarded university colours, Full Blue.