Virginia is an EU Negotiations Advisor in the UK Civil Service, a Digital Ambassador for global children’s charity Plan International, and an Ambassador from two One Young World summits in Johannesburg and Dublin.

She’s also been selected by the Future Leaders Network as Head of the UK’s Delegation to the G7 Youth Summit in Washington DC in June 2020. She currently lives and works in London, but has lived in 6 other countries across Europe, South America and Asia, has visited over 65 countries, and writes the award-winning travel blog www.TheWell-TravelledPostcard.com.

After graduating with a degree in Spanish, Italian & Portuguese from the University of Exeter, she started her career in the private sector by joining O2/Telefonica’s European Graduate Scheme, working in the CEO’s Office, Global Partnerships and Digital Strategy roles in London and Madrid. She then led a team of International Citizen Service volunteers on a 4-month sustainable development project in rural Nepal following the 2015 earthquake, for the charity Raleigh International, before obtaining a Double Master’s degree in European Politics, Society and Culture at universities in the Netherlands and Sweden, using her thesis to research the impact of Brexit on EU27 citizens living in the UK.

Inspired by her experiences at One Young World summits and volunteering in Nepal, she followed her growing passion for tackling global and societal challenges at the international level, by leaving the private sector to join the 3-year Civil Service Fast Stream, specialising in UK-EU relations. Now in the public sector, she’s worked on UK Government foreign policy, trade policy, international negotiations and diplomatic engagement at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the Department for International Trade; and the Department for Exiting the EU.

She’s passionate about tackling gender inequality in the UK and abroad, empowering young women to reach their potential through mentoring, organising Women in Leadership events, public speaking, fundraising for Plan International and raising awareness of their campaigns to advance girls’ rights and education in developing countries.