I graduated as a Geographer/Urban Planner in Lisbon in 1997, including one year in The Netherlands. I have gathered since relevant experience in different areas of Transport Planning, including Traffic and Transport Assessments, Masterplanning, Streetscape, Sustainable Transport and Transport Strategies.
My first job was with the Lisbon Metropolitan Transport Authority, where I participated in the Transport Plan for World Expo '98 in Lisbon and was involved in multi-modal interchange studies.
After moving to Ireland, I joined SIAS, where I worked in Land Use and Transportation Studies for towns in Ireland and was also involved in the 2003 Special Olympics Transport Strategy. I moved to the UK, where I worked for Atkins in partnership with Hampshire County Council. I also worked for WSP on Transport Assessments for residential and commercial developments and providing masterplanning advice to large developments.
Since joining Arup in 2006, I have worked on a wide variety of projects, including transportation assessments and mobility management plans for large developments, as well as masterplans. I managed Movement Framework Plans for towns and cities in Ireland and have provided transportation advice to institutions such as University College Dublin. I have also been involved in the transportation aspects of masterplans, strategic plans and design competitions in Russia, Romania, Switzerland, Brazil, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Italy, Denmark and Germany. I have led the technical team that delivered a Cycle Masterplan for Ankara, in Turkey, and more recently, a Transport Masterplan for Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
My career as a transport planner, and especially my role within an engineering set-up wasn’t planned but has provided me with the opportunities to do exactly what I dreamt of: To contribute to projects that have a positive impact on the way cities function and people live.
I have developed a particular interest in the manner in which movement, especially pedestrian and cycling mobility, can be a determining factor in the quality of urban life, and especially how quality design for all modes can be reflected in successful schemes, no matter how small.