I have worked in post 16 education practice and policy for over 40 years.
Prior to my recent retirement, I was Deputy Director for Research and Development at the National Learning and Work Institute. Here I was a member of the Senior Management Team leading on national and international policy R&D concerned with improving the life skills that enable adults and young people to participate in society. During my 20 years at the Institute I was the relationship manager for the Department for Education, overseeing the Institute’s annual programme of research and development activities in agreement with DfE policy officials. This also included acting as the UK National Coordinator for the European Agenda for Adult Learning in collaboration with the DfE and the European Commission prior to leaving the European Union. I was also elected to sit on the Executive Board of a number of European Education (not for profit) Organisations including Vice President of the European Association for the Education of Adults and as Chair of the European Basic Skills Network.
Before joining the Institute, I taught for over 20 years in a local further education college, together with having senior management responsibilities for student learning support.
I became a Governor at Regent SFC in 2009 and Chair of the Corporation from January 2013, overseeing the successful merger with WQE in April 2018. I now sit on the re-constituted Board of WQE as Vice-Chair as well as Chairing the Search and Governance Committee and as member of various WQE Corporation ‘Task and Finish’ Groups. In 2018 I was invited to become a member of the SFCA Governance Policy Committee, a role which enables me to support and inform the WQE Corporation on a range of national policy developments which directly impact on the governance of the College.