Stephanie is the Founder of Leeds Ahead and its current Chief Executive. She is also the Company Secretary. Stephanie is a commercial solicitor by profession, having qualified in the City in 1994 and moved to Leeds in 1996. In 2001, she became a partner in international law firm Pinsent Masons, specialising in commercial litigation. She is also qualified as a German lawyer and a translator. She stepped out of her profession in 2004 to start the work that led to the genesis of Leeds Ahead. She has been the driving force behind the development of the model and the expansion and sustainability of Leeds Ahead since then. In 2005, she was appointed to the panel of national Neighbourhood Renewal Advisers specialising in private sector engagement.