Hollie took part in a Villers Park course in 1997 and went on to study Geography at University of Cambridge. Following a graduate management consultancy role, she began her arts career at Cheltenham Festivals, and has since had fundraising, producing and executive leadership roles with Birmingham Museums, Create Gloucestershire, the Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy Programme and Gloucester Culture Trust. This work fostered a particular interest in the potential of creativity and culture to tackle social and health inequalities, support wellbeing and enable communities to thrive.

Hollie joined Arts Council England in November 2022 as their inaugural Director, Creative Health & Change. She is also a trustee of the Carducci Trust, a music charity in Gloucestershire.