My first degree was in Philosophy and Italian, after which I trained as a social science researcher at UEA. Having carried out research and managed volunteer projects in South Africa, Swaziland and Malawi, I then worked with VSO and the Namibia Red Cross Society on a programme for orphans and vulnerable children in Northern Namibia. Collaborating with health and education professionals, government institutions and civil society groups,  I developed a keen interest in diverse responses to health and well-being interventions, and the role of group identities in explanations of risk acceptance.