emergent studio
Supporting change-makers to navigate complexity and co-create systemic change
I believe that real change - in conservation, funding and social systems - emerges not from rigid plans or individual expertise, but from how we work together. I envisage a world where systems of change are grounded in trust, reflection and equity - and where the way we collaborate is part of the change, not just a means to it.
I help people working in conservation and systems change to collaborate more effectively through: strategic facilitation, designing and holding space for clarity and action; reflexive partnerships, transforming how funders and implementers work together; and skunkworks for systems change, supporting bold ideas to grow inside existing organisations.
Strategic facilitation
Clarity, alignment and collaborative action in complex contexts
I design and hold spaces where people can think well together - across disciplines, roles or worldviews. Whether you’re developing a new strategy, navigating tensions in a collaboration, or seeking to move forward with shared purpose, I provide structure and care to help groups navigate complexity and act with confidence.
What I bring:
Deep experience with interdisciplinarity and multi-stakeholder teams
Skills to navigate difficult conversations and diverse worldviews
Creative use of visuals, reflection tools and emergent structure.
Why this matters:
When organisations come together, across sectors or cultures, what’s needed is not just a facilitator - but a sense maker, Bridge-builder, and trusted guide. That’s the role I play.
Reflexive partnerships
Transforming how funders and change-makers work together
Too many funder-grantee relationships remain extractive or transactional - even when both sides are striving for something deeper and based in trust. I support funders and change-makers to co-create approaches centered on mutual reflection, learning and adaptation.
What I bring:
Experience in strategy, developmental evaluation and collaborative learning
An intuitive and thoughtful presence to directly support trust building and navigate power dynamics
Why this matters:
When we create space for dialogue and honesty, we unlock deeper impact and healthier relationships - for funders and implementers alike. Amazing things can be achieved when conservation actions are co-created with funders as a key partner.
Skunkworks for systems change
Incubating new approaches within existing organisations
Sometimes, transformation needs insulation. I work with organisations and funders to design and support skunkworks teams - small, trusted groups embedded within larger systems who are given the freedom to test, reflect and prototype new ways of working.
What I bring:
Expertise in collaboration design and systems thinking
A track record of guiding innovation in complex systems
Facilitation, coaching and learning support for internal ‘experiments’ and translation into the wider context
Why this matters:
Conservation organisations are full of bold ideas - but short on funded spaces to try them. Skunkworks teams help bypass inertia and experiment at the edges of possibility.
“I know there is strength in the differences between us.
I know there is comfort where we overlap.”
—Ani DiFranco