Simone has over 25 years of experience working in a range of academic and leadership roles in a diverse range of universities in England and Wales. Simone taught undergraduates during her doctoral studies and worked as a post-doctoral research fellow on an interdisciplinary history and computing project before beginning her career in professional services. She joined Harper Adams in August 2020 having previously held similar senior leadership roles in other universities relating to her current role, and others relating to HE Governance, Research Management, Strategic and Academic Planning.
Simone has experience of leading successful change management programmes relating to educational course portfolio redesigns and restructuring of professional services. She also led an early proof-of-concept sector project on the use of AI and student services (funded by the Leadership Foundation, HEFCE and JISC) and was the project lead for a Strategic Investment Fund programme of organisational change funded by the former Higher Education Funding Council for England (worth £5.7M). Earlier in her career, Simone also ran a hospitality business.
In her current role, Simone is responsible for the learning and teaching, educational development and enhancement, and professional services supporting students: student Services, Accommodation Services, Learner and Disability Support, Admissions and Visa Compliance, Careers and Placements, Registry Services and the Assessment Office, Academic Quality and Standards, Library Services, Planning and Policy.
Simone has represented the sector and individual universities on a range of committees and working groups. In a former role, she was Vice Chair of a shared service relating to internal audit for a number of universities. She is currently a Board member of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership. She has extensive experience of working with higher education governing bodies and their sub-committees, as a member of the senior university leadership team and as a professional secretary directly accountable to the governing body, providing training, professional advice and support services to the Board.
Simone graduated with a first-class honours degree in History from University of Wales, Aberystwyth and was awarded a PhD in History from the same University. She taught undergraduates during her doctoral studies and worked as a post-doctoral research fellow on an interdisciplinary history and computing project before beginning her career in professional services.