Dr Clare Lesley Hughes is a Critical Ecofeminism Scholar and Wortcunner, and the founder of Herbal Hegemone, a space for plant-based complementary therapies and ecospiritual workshops and sessions. Her first PhD, in Biology, was awarded by the University of York and she is currently undertaking a second PhD in Humanities, Religion, and Philosophy at York St John University, exploring the Enchanted and Queer Worlds of contemporary plant practitioners (Wortcunners) in Britain. Alongside her research, she is deeply engaged in the wider academic community, contributing through editorial and organisational roles that foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. She is editor in chief for “Curiositas”, a York St John (YSJ) postgraduate-led journal, and is a Course Tutor for the YSJ Converge initiative, delivering ecospiritual art-based workshops. She is also the membership officer for the British Sociological Association’s Sociology of Religion Study Group.