Sarah sees the world differently.
She brings creativity, colour, and joy into people’s lived experiences. Her work is human-led, authentic, and evidence-driven. She listens deeply, validates emotions, and designs with purpose—to inspire visions of what could be and brighten the everyday. Her core values:

1. Creativity should energise, delight and inspire trust

2. Design must be human-centered and emotionally aware

3. Innovation should be insight-driven and meaningful

4. Authenticity guides every decision

5. Deep listening shapes vision and practice

Sarah grew up in Eltham, South East London, where her love of drawing, the arts, and languages first took root. These early interests shaped a career that blends creativity, strategy, and education. 

education

She began her formal creative journey with an Art Foundation in fine art at St Martin’s School of Art and earned a First Class BA (Hons) in graphic design from the University of Portsmouth, including a year-long internship at IBM UK. Driven to explore the broader cultural context of design, Sarah completed a Master’s in cultural studies, researching contemporary art galleries and the balance between consumerism and contemplation. She then earned a Doctorate in Business (DBA), investigating how hospital space design affects patient wellbeing—a subject she shared in her 2025 TED Talk on why the design of spaces matters.

professional journey

Before moving into academia, Sarah gained extensive experience in both client and agency roles. She began at IBM as one of their first UK graphic designers, creating digital experiences for clients including WH Smith, Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Lloyds Bank, and Disney. She then joined a creative agency in Covent Garden, developing digital campaigns for clients such as Royal Mail and Compaq, before moving to Sony Europe as Senior Manager of Customer Communications, where she led a major digital transformation including the B2B website relaunch.

studio & creative practice

Freelancing allowed Sarah to combine strategy with hands-on creativity. She consulted for brands including Axa PPP and Sainsbury’s, explored jewellery making in resin and acrylic—with her work stocked in UK galleries—and opened a studio and workshop in Winchester. There, she sold prints, curated homewares, ran workshops with other resident artists, and in 2011 led a week-long arts festival at a local primary school, engaging 32 artists and over 400 children and families followed by the establishment of a mini-design school for over 300 children per week. 

academia

Sarah began her academic career at Southampton University, teaching on the MA Design Management course at Winchester School of Art. She went on to lead Master’s programmes in Digital and Marketing at the University of Winchester, overseeing programme revalidations, developing curricula, and receiving the Outstanding Lecturer of the Year award in 2024. She now teaches at the University of the Arts London (UAL), sharing her expertise in brand, consumer intelligence, creative futures, and digital strategy with students on the BA Advertising course. Sarah was nominated for the award in Outstanding Teaching in April 2026 was awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) in March 2026.