Elle joined the Senior Management Team at Collaborate in 2020 and leads our system leadership practice, working to share our learning and increase our impact.
Elle started her career as a diplomat and economist in central government, including negotiating the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She then shifted to focus on disparities in economic development within the UK, working as Head of Policy for Liverpool City Region and as a Project Director at FutureGov, supporting 101 places to bid for the Towns Fund.
At Collaborate, she has delivered transformative place-based and leadership programmes for change-makers across the public and third sectors. She coordinates our work to take a more systemic approach to multiple disadvantage, and sits on the DLUHC Expert Stakeholder Group.
Elle has a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and coached there in Adaptive Leadership. She is also Treasurer of Open City, a charity which seeks to make cities more equitable, accessible and open.
In their own words:
From my experience in local and national policy-making, I learnt that the most persistent challenges often have either a known solution that is resisted, or no known solution but lots of costly activity in its place. I’m excited to work at Collaborate because we tackle this head-on by thinking systemically and developing collaborative people and organisations to lead change and progress despite uncertainty.
I value the team’s deep commitment to honesty and learning, and the determination to make the most of different skills and perspectives. Having come from much bigger institutions, it’s really refreshing and empowering.
The team says I’m good at looking at a problem from different angles, I see patterns and connections that others may miss, and I explain complex ideas clearly. They also say I love an analogy and am often laughing!