Richard joined Policy Connect in October 2021 and left in April 2022.

As Head of Education and Skills, he had strategic responsibility for the Education and Skills team including the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Skills, Careers & Employment, the Higher Education Commission and the Skills Commission.

Prior to joining Policy Connect, he has worked across equalities and in education, including leading services at a disabled people’s organisation, providing advocacy, advice, and coproduction including on public health. His career in colleges and universities was across Sussex, Tower Hamlets, Bristol, and nationally.

While at the National Union of Students, Richard undertook policy work supporting the liberation campaigns, including the NUS programme of work addressing the Black attainment gap. He also delivered research on Muslim student experience, worked collaboratively with Universities UK and Student Minds to deliver “Stepchange: mentally healthy universities”, and successfully campaigned for changes to the Office for Students’ approach to access and participation.

Richard holds an LLB Law degree from the University of the West of England and maintains an abiding interest in devolution and constitutional law and practice. Some of his spare time is dedicated to cooking Japanese cuisine and debating the literary merits of genre media.