Sarah West: podcast appearances and interviews

Sarah West is a specialist in perimenopause, menopause, and ADHD coaching. She is affiliated with The Chara Project. West is known for her diverse career background, which includes being the first woman to command a major warship in the Royal Navy. Born in Lincolnshire in 1972, she studied mathematics at the University of Hertfordshire before entering Britannia Royal Naval College in 1995. During her naval service, she was a warfare officer with expertise in large-scale naval planning, mine clearance, weapons systems, and underwater warfare. Her deployments included serving aboard ships such as HMS Battleaxe, HMS Sandown, and HMS Sheffield, with operational experience in the Persian Gulf. West also served as navigator on HMS Cottesmore and as officer of the watch on HMS Sheffield. She completed the Principal Warfare Officers course and specialized in underwater warfare, eventually commanding several ships including HMS Ramsey, HMS Penzance, HMS Pembroke, and HMS Shoreham between 2009 and 2011. She held roles at the Permanent Joint Headquarters and with the Middle East Operations Team. Promoted to commander in 2012, she took command of HMS Portland during a seven-month deployment to the Caribbean. West left this position in 2014 amid reports of allegations concerning her conduct. Since her retirement from naval service, she has developed expertise as a coach, focusing on issues related to menopause and ADHD, and is involved with The Chara Project.