Rachel leads the programme management team for the Agile Initiative, also known as the Agile ‘Engine Room’. She took up this role in April 2023, moving from the Strategic Research Development Team in Research Services at Oxford University.

From 2011-2021, Rachel was Head of Research, then Director of Research, Learning and Communications at INTRAC, an international charity which aims to strengthen civil society globally through consultancy, training, research, learning and advocacy. In that time, she worked with hundreds of organisations and institutions, and thousands of individuals around the world focused on transformative social change. She was involved in research projects and networks with academic institutions, including the Rethinking Research Collaborative which focused on improving research partnerships.

She has a PhD in African Studies from the University of Edinburgh and has published academic and non-academic outputs in African Studies and Development Studies.