Becoming a Fellow

What first sparked your ambition to pursue Fellowship, and was there a defining moment when you knew you were ready?

Fellowship wasn’t an early career ambition. For a long time, it felt like something you pursued once your career looked neat and linear. The moment I knew I was ready came when my focus shifted. I’d stopped asking whether I was good enough and started asking how I could contribute more. I was already being relied upon for judgement in complex, high-consequence situations. Fellowship felt like recognition of responsibility already being carried, not a reward for ticking boxes.

How has becoming a Fellow changed the way you see yourself as a professional and a leader?

Fellowship didn’t create a sense of arrival; it created confidence in my judgement. It reinforced that leadership in risk and safety is not about certainty or control, but about influence, judgement, and creating space for better decisions, especially under pressure.  It gave me the confidence to slow conversations down, challenge assumptions, and focus on long-term outcomes rather than short-term reassurance.

What do you value most about being a Fellow, beyond the post-nominals – and why does it matter?

Fellowship values thinking, not just compliance. It recognises influence, integrity, and contribution rather than hierarchy or job titles. That matters because today’s risks are increasingly human and systemic. They require leaders who can listen, question and hold complexity, not simply apply rules.

Can you share a specific example of how Fellowship has influenced your career opportunities, credibility or industry voice?

Becoming a Fellow was a stepping stone to joining the IIRSM Ambassadors Network and, ultimately, to my current role as Chair of the group. Fellowship opened the door to contributing at a strategic level and shaping conversations about competence, leadership and the future direction of the profession. It strengthened my credibility not just to participate in those discussions, but to help lead them.

What is the biggest myth about the Fellowship application process that you would like to debunk?

That you need to be exceptional – you don’t. You need to be reflective and clear about your impact. Strong applications aren’t lists of achievements; they show how you think, how you learn and how you influence. Fellowship is about professional maturity, not perfection.

From your experience, what makes a Fellowship application stand out – and what advice would you give to someone considering applying?

Clarity of thinking. Be honest about challenges. Show how your perspective has evolved. Explain the judgement behind your decisions, not just the outcomes. And don’t wait until you feel ‘ready’, most people are more ready than they realise.

Complete this sentence: “I’m a Fellow, but I’m also…”

I’m a Fellow, but I’m also a mum, a wife and a daughter. I'm a mentor who is still learning, just with better questions and greater responsibility.

How do you see Fellowship contributing to greater diversity and inclusion in the profession?

Fellowship helps define who feels they belong. By valuing lived experience and non-linear careers, it challenges narrow ideas of leadership. When people see themselves reflected at Fellowship level, they are more likely to step forward and that is how the profession stays relevant, credible and human.

Find out more and become a Fellow