Appointed by original (signatory) members from 02/01/2020

Appointed by original (signatory) members from 02/01/2020

I am a qualified Chartered Management Accountant with considerable experience in Engineering, Construction, Business Services, Pharmaceutical, Publishing, Manufacturing and FMCG sectors.   Having worked mainly in large FTSE100 companies early in my career, I moved 12 years ago to Finance Director roles in SMEs across a variety of industries.  In addition to my financial management expertise, I bring a wide range of other skills and experience, including regulatory compliance and strategic planning.  

I have lived in Hampshire for 15 years and have 2 late teenage children, both of whom attended Thornden.  I was first elected a parent governor at Thornden in 2013 and then community governor in 2016, serving on the Finance and Curriculum committee during this time, before recently moving into the Trustee role on the MAT Board.  I am also a Trustee and ex-Treasurer of the Age UK Southampton charity.  In January 2023 I became a Member for the Trust

I joined the Trust Board in November 2020, and I am chair of the Audit & Risk Committee. I am a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience leading Finance and Risk Management teams across the Banking and Energy sectors. I am passionate about leveraging this experience to support the Trust in achieving its objectives, to the benefit of current and future pupils. 

As an energetic, customer centric business leader, I have experience of leading change, innovation and sustainability in a range of customer markets. I decided to become a trustee as I am incredibly passionate about what a strong foundation in education can bring to enriching the lives of young people.  I’m also incredibly excited about developing visions that support future growth and see an opportunity to bring those two things together here at the HISP MAT. With a career rooted in strategic development, communications and value creation, I intend to use my skills to enhance the Trust’s offering to its students and to academy communities, with effective steering and strong governance.

I am married, and a mother of two children, living in the heart of the glorious New Forest, which we all enjoy exploring by foot and bike. I am a keen gardener and enjoy painting in my spare time.

I began my professional life as a secondary school teacher in Reading, progressing to become a local authority education adviser, Ofsted inspector and finally an Education Adviser for the Department for Education, working across the Midlands and South East. After my retirement, I became a governor and then Co-Chair of the Isle of Wight Education Federation (IWEF), stepping down in November 2022.

The focus of my work has always been on school improvement to raise standards, create opportunities and reduce inequality in outcomes. I believe that the best way of achieving this is for schools to work together, sharing their expertise and ambitions, and I see the HISP MAT as a potentially outstanding vehicle for delivering this in schools across the region.

As a retired headteacher, I have been involved, and passionate about, education throughout my professional life.  I believe that all children are entitled to the same high-quality educational experiences to enable them to attain the best possible outcomes.

As a teacher in London, Portsmouth and Southampton, I was involved in many initiatives relating to the teaching of literacy, and I wrote a number of non-fiction titles, for children and teachers.

Since my retirement, I have been a governor in the Thornhill and Weston communities and was instrumental in the development of the Hinkler Academy Trust.  I am currently Chair of Governors of an outstanding primary special school.  I am also a Trustee of the Charity ‘Simon Says’ that works with bereaved children, and I volunteer at CAB.

I joined the Trust Board in September 2023 as a Parent Trustee, with a commitment to playing a strategic role in shaping the direction and policies aimed at advancing education opportunities for young people.

With over 20 years’ experience of Communications and Public Affairs within the intricately regulated Financial Services sector, I have steered teams in executing corporate strategy, facilitating change, and managing issues, all while prioritising impactful stakeholder engagement.  Additionally, I oversee the CEO office, including the governance of the senior executive team.

As a Trustee, I aim to foster collaboration, ensure accountability, and champion initiatives that enhance the education outcomes and well-being of pupils and teachers across the Trust. I’m passionate about leveraging my skills and experiences to make a positive impact on the successful development and long-term sustainability of current and future member schools.

I am originally a research scientist, but subsequently retrained as a secondary school science teacher, teaching at schools in Southampton and Hampshire. Since 2009, I have been at the University of Southampton, in the Southampton Education School, leading a programme called ‘LifeLab’. One of the main aims of LifeLab is to engage children and teenagers with understanding the science behind the health messages, giving them the opportunities to understand why the choices they make at a young age can impact their future health. I am also a passionate advocate for opening up the world of science to school students, giving them opportunities to learn about the wide range of possibilities for using science in their future careers.

Previously, I was a parent governor at a local infant school, and am currently a co-opted governor at a Junior School in Southampton and will bring this experience, along with my experience of working across the education communities in Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire to this role as parent trustee to support HISP MAT in providing the best possible educational experience for it’s children and young people.

I am a former journalist, editor and senior manager at BBC News, now working as an executive coach, mediator and leadership consultant.  I am also a media industry expert in mental health and trauma and was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours in 2020 for services to mental health and journalism. 

At the BBC, I developed a lot of experience of leading teams, working collaboratively and inclusively, developing talent and implementing change.  In 2014, alongside my BBC career, I joined Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School in Islington, London, first as a Governor and then, from 2016, as Chair of Governors. Over the next three years, I led EGA into a federation with 3 other schools in Islington to create Islington Futures Federation.   This change was based on an understanding that schools are stronger when they work together and, together, in partnership, they can offer the best life changes and outcomes for all the young people in the schools. 

I now live in Lymington and I am looking forward to bringing my professional and volunteer experience to the HISP MAT and to supporting its exciting vision for its schools.    

I’m an authentic leader with a strong background in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and change management gained with BT Group and more recently, at one of Britain’s best loved charities, Macmillan Cancer Support.  Both roles have been a fantastic opportunity for me to gain a deeper understanding of the intersectional EDI arena in different sectors. I lead with warmth and integrity, to empower teams to think about diversity, promote inclusion and to create sustainable solutions in psychologically safe environments, to achieve cultural change and belonging.

My skills are transferable and I’m really looking forward to utilising them to ensure that we’re set up for success and equipping all colleagues and students with the tools and techniques they need to thrive whilst also ensuring that HISP MAT is representative of the communities we serve.   

I’ve previously held several roles as part of the Governing body at The Hamble School from November 2009 – September 2018;

Parent Governor 2009 – 2015

Vice Chair of Governor 2014 - 2018

Chair of Learning and Achievement Committee 2011 – 2018

I live in Netley Abbey with my husband, my two children (aged 28 and 25) and our two dogs. I’m really looking forward to leveraging my lived experience to benefit HISP MAT and further support realisation of its vision.