LCC Digital Learning Team

Amin Neghavati, Director of Digital Learning

Amin offers over 25 years of diverse international experience from more than 10 countries. His primary expertise lies in education management, workplace learning, and technology leadership. He joined UAL in March 2024 as the Director of Digital Learning to lead the development and implementation of strategies for embedding digital technologies in learning and teaching at London College of Communication.

Amin’s professional journey includes diverse roles, heading professional learning and development at UWCSEA in Singapore, serving as a digital technologies consultant at the British Council in Southeast Asia, and also founding a learning design and technology firm. Prior to joining UAL, Amin was a learning and organisational development manager at University of Bath.

With a background in electrical engineering, an MA in digital technologies and education from University of Manchester and an executive MBA from University of Bath, Amin focuses on effective integration of emerging technologies in education. His leadership style blends compassion and authenticity, building high-performing and happy teams and central to his approach is a commitment to social justice and promoting equity and inclusion. Connect with Amin on LinkedIn.

Sheila Smith, Senior Digital Learning Coordinator

Sheila has spent 20 years in the FE sector with most of them at Lambeth College and has an MA in Radio from Goldsmiths College.

As well as teaching radio, journalism, photography and media Sheila was part of the teaching and learning team.

In her role as Blended Learning Expert Practitioner, she supported staff with digital skills and tools both in the classroom, online and hybrid delivery.

Sheila is the liaison for Media School and Design School (GDC and BDI). She manages the Digital Learning Champions, Staff development programme and leads on communications . Her projects areas are; accessibility, educational videos including learning glass.

Scott Simmonds, Digital Learning Coordinator

Scott has joined the team from the University of Portsmouth, where he managed a team of developers with the Faculty of Humanities for 11 years.

He has experience of developing content on Moodle, supporting and delivering training to staff and students (online and in person), and how web technologies can be used as part learning, teaching and assessments.

See Contact Us for email addresses.

Samantha Birkett, Digital Learning Producer

Sam has worked in education for nearly twenty years. She has been a teacher, teacher trainer and school moderator in various contexts and in multiple countries, including the UK, the US, Mexico and Lebanon. 

Building on a strong foundation in classroom teaching, Sam made the move to digital teaching and learning in her role as Producer for the BBC World Service. Working with colleagues around the world, Sam designed, produced and published educational content across multiple BBC platforms using a range of media to reach and help grow the BBC World Service’s global audience. 

Before joining UAL, Sam was a Learning Designer responsible for designing course content and assessment products for Cambridge University Press & Assessment. As part of the LCC Digital Learning Team, Sam’s primary focus is in the areas of Research and Development and Learning Design.