[4] She received a bachelor of arts in film and media studies from the University of Otago, and a masters in creative writing (specifically screenwriting[3]) from Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters in 2014.
[5] Howells completed a PhD in theatre studies from the University of Otago;[6] her thesis, titled "Performing Prison: How Is Life on the Inside Portrayed to the Outside World?
[12] She presented her solo show Glocknid: Dwarf Warrior in 2014, which won the Best Newcomer Award at the 2015 Wellington International Comedy Festival.
[3] In 2023 at the NZICF, she wrote and performed La Soupco, which is "based on a screenplay Howells wrote when she was 11 years old ... a post-World War II nautical-themed romance set in Spain for little reason, where the characters don't have names".
[2][6][16][13][18] The New Zealand Herald wrote that La Soupco "strikes a wonderful balance between a theatrical concept and traditional stand-up".
[17] In 2024, Howells and Angella Dravid formed an improv group called The Improfessionals and performed at the NZICF.
[12] Howells directed the second season of comedy podcast Did Titanic Sink?, hosted by Tim Batt and Carlo Ritchie.