Renata studied Drama and English at Goldsmiths College, London before starting her professional career as an actress. Her favourite acting job was playing Olivia in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night for ATC and touring to Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
Her interest in writing for children began after her own two were born. Her writing began with three traditional pantomimes that were performed at the Oldham Coliseum. She then wrote a series of plays that were performed by The Oxford Stage Company.

The first of these, THE WITCH AND MAGIC MOUNTAIN, was performed at The Warwick Arts Centre in 1989 and toured again in a new production in 1994 when it was nominated for a Martini/TMA Regional Theatre Award.

THE MAGIC STORY BOOK opened at The Oxford Playhouse in 1991 and won the Regional Theatre Award for Best Production for Children and Young People (1992) More recently SANTA AND NICOLAS played at The McRobert, Stirling over the 2000/2001 Christmas season.

Other writing includes DAYS OF HOPE (Hampstead 1990) - a musical set in the Spanish Civil war written with Howard Goodall, GIRLS WHO SCORE, a youth theatre piece (Manchester and Chichester) and the scripting of a Commedia dell'Arte piece, LOVE IS A DRUG, directed by Antonia Fava and devised with actors from Oxford Stage Company.

As well as writing, Renata has taught Drama GCSE and A Level for 12 years. She started part-time at two different schools in Oxfordshire and for the last 6 years she has been full time Head of Drama at St. Dunstan's College, Lewisham, London. As a teacher she has directed a great many productions for young people to perform and encouraged young people to lead and direct themselves.

Together with Leisa Rea she has created the gap theatre project and directed the pilot project in 2003.

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