Benita is a Careers Consultant at Heriot-Watt University and a key contributor to the Professional & Organisational Development coaching team, where she provides staff coaching and facilitates development programmes across Heriot-Watt’s global campuses. She holds an ICF‑accredited M.Sc. in Business Psychology with Coaching and has completed ICF ACC coach‑specific education, with a strong professional focus on the quality and integrity of the client coaching experience. As a higher-education practitioner who has demonstrated effective, evidence-based teaching and learner-support practice, she has been recognized as an Associate Fellow of Advance HE (AFHEA) in line with the UK Professional Standards Framework (PSF).

Actively involved with the award‑winning Peer Coaching Project led by the Heriot-Watt Coaching Lab, Benita delivers training and supervision to Peer Student Coaches and Coachees throughout the full coaching cycle. She collaborates closely with the global Coaching Lab team on programme design, implementation, and evaluation.

Passionate about supporting students of determination, Benita leads the university’s Watt Inclusion Programme, an EDI initiative, supporting students with learning profiles in developing employability skills through internships, mentoring programmes, and job‑shadowing opportunities. Her work spans university‑wide collaborations, research partnerships, and industry engagement to strengthen inclusive pathways into employment.

With a professional background across private and non‑profit sectors, Benita has lived and worked in diverse global markets. This international experience informs her culturally responsive coaching approach and her contributions to widening participation initiatives. Her research and practice interests include Coaching, Neurodiverse Learning & Development in Academic and Corporate environments, Leadership Development, Executive Education, and Women’s Empowerment.