ABOUT

Designing and leading successful Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB), Employee Wellbeing and Engagement strategies and culture change programmes. Experienced in setting and delivering tangible targets, by combining research and data with lived experience and a hands-on approach.

Committed to delivering impactful change projects both within organisations and across the UK through voluntary work and appointments to National Student Pride’s Advisory Board and Student Mind’s Anti-racism Council.

Recently awarded the Diversity Champion Corporate Award and International Inclusion Award, which form the International Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2023, by awarding body Diversiton for the development and early implementation of Unite Students DEIB and Wellbeing strategy. Shortlisted as a Rising Star for Property Week’s Student Accommodation Awards and Diversity Team of the Year at the British Diversity Awards 2024. 

“As an intersectional woman, I’m passionate about promoting understanding and acceptance, over tolerance, and the workplace being an inclusive space where people can bring their full selves and feel like they belong.”

Trusted by

Peer reviews

  • An asset to any organisation, Sam supported Unite Students with passion, expert knowledge and critically, compassion and understanding, to achieve a step change in our approach to diversity, equality, inclusivity and belonging. Sam supported the leadership team to tackle what can be a challenging area and at the same time was a success in engaging teams right across the business, delivering positive change, but also effectively managing expectation.

    Richard Smith, former CEO, Unite Students

  • Sam’s tenacity and sheer passion to improving the experience of students who don’t identify as White while at university and living in student accommodation has been nothing short of outstanding. Without doubt, her work in DEIB is changing the student accommodation sector for the better – we’re all the better for it.

    Rebecca O’Hare, ResiLife, University of Leeds

  • Sam is incredibly engaging, knowledgeable and approachable. I believe her approach to be incredibly inclusive, accessible and value-led. She's generous with sharing her own experiences and insight to progress change. Her achievements have left a mark on the Higher Education sector and resulted in tangible action being taken to better support students.

    Dominic Smithies, Student Minds

SERVICES

Get in touch for a free consultation to discuss your project. Let’s create positive change together.

Advisory Board and Trustee

Culture change management

Keynote speaker

Policy development

Report commissions

Research and innovation

Strategy design, developlement and implementation

Training design, development and facilitation (Inclusive leadership)

Reports & Publications

Living Black at University

Research into the experiences of Black Students in UK accommodation. Commissioned by Unite Students and carried out by Halpin, with the aim to create meaningful change through collaboration.

The intersectionality of identity

An exploration of identity as an intersectional and multi-faceted concept, written for Queermunity, a community-focused magazine that aims to amplify the voices and celebrate the stories of LGBTQIA+ people and their allies.

The future of race and inclusion

Podcast on the future of sustainability within purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), focusing on the steps the sector has made towards greater race equity since Living Black at University was published.

Diversity & Inclusion in HE

Podcast with fellow sector experts to consider race and inclusion in Higher Education (HE) after a year that has thrown race equality into sharp focus across all walks of life, and how to create spaces where all races can flourish.

Embedding EDI & Wellbeing

An interview on Sam’s experience of embedding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion & Wellbeing withing the UK’s largest and leading PBSA, Unite Students, to provide equal opportunities for all.

Instinctively inclusive

Empowering positive change

Wellbeing champion

Instinctively inclusive Empowering positive change Wellbeing champion