Richelle's expertise mainly focuses on higher education pedagogies, role transition into higher education, and the construction of blended academic and discipline identities. This includes the design of institutional-wide educational programmes to support early career teachers to develop academic leadership skills from diverse discipline backgrounds. She also supports staff working in full-time educational roles within the healthcare sector to develop innovative and inclusive educational programmes. 

Her research vision embeds a commitment to constructivist approaches and qualitative methodologies, particularly grounded theory.  Her Doctoral research examined the construction of academic identity in nurse educators, and she designed a conceptual model for use by the higher education sector to enhance understanding of this phenomenon.

Committed to student-centred pedagogies she works with a broad range of academic and support teams across the institution and sector to examine how we can foster constructivist approaches to teaching, learning, and assessment with our students to promote engagement and foster a sense of belonging within the HE sector.

Richelle has extensive experience working within the higher education sector and has held a variety of roles including Assistant Subject Head (Undergraduate Curriculums), Director of Teaching and Learning, Work Based Learning Lead (Health Programmes), and numerous Programme Lead and Module Lead roles.  She also undertakes a range of consultancy roles such as periodic reviewer, curricula approval and validation events, and external examiner roles for several Higher Education initial teacher preparation programmes. Her current role within the institution is Programme Lead for the Academic Apprenticeship Award -Teaching Specialist Route for early career teachers and Deputy Programme Lead for the institutional wide Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice. Working within the department of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health she leads the department Peer Observation and Support Scheme and the Northumbria University Professional Recognition Scheme.

Richelle’s research centres around constructivist approaches, grounded theory, and qualitative research methods. An experienced supervisor she has supported students undertaking PhD, Professional Doctorate and PhD by publication routes both within the UK and internationally. She also chairs a number of PhD progression panels and acts and subject expert.