Meet the Governors

My professional background includes 25 years as a military intelligence officer in the Army, including service in Bosnia, Cyprus, Iraq, Afghanistan, United States, Germany and various locations across the UK. After the Army, I moved to Cirencester and into business, establishing a career change consultancy based in Farm 491, co-located with the Cirencester Growth Hub. More recently, I have been working with Buckinghamshire New University, which places great emphasis on providing educational pathways to under-represented sectors of our national community, to develop and deliver a technical degree in Intelligence, Security and Resilience. I am also a proud “REACT Responder” answering the call when floods and other emergencies threaten the welfare of affected communities across the UK. I hold a BSc (Hons) in Contemporary East European Affairs and Masters degrees in Defence Studies and Rural Land Management.

I had long wanted to be a governor at this excellent and inspiring college, having previously served as Chair of Governors at a service school overseas and then as a Focus Governor at a school in Swindon. I have seen what a positive impact an active and committed board can have when working with dedicated staff and students.

Every time I come into college, I am impressed anew with the passion of students and staff across the wide range of opportunities available. It is clear that our amazing new facilities are inspiring everyone to achieve even more. I believe strongly in the power of partnership, collaboration and cooperation and will continue to work with the community and local employers to deepen our connections for the benefit of all.

After retiring from my professional career, my aim has been to use my knowledge and experience where it was of use in the voluntary sector, including the Citizens Advice Bureau as a debt specialist, and I currently chair a local community charity.

I became a governor of the college in August 2024 with a finance focus and I have taken on the role with the desire to make a positive difference in all aspects of the financial management of the college.

The last twenty-five years, until my retirement in 2018, I was fortunate to work at Cirencester Sixth Form College in roles ranging from curriculum development, pastoral care, customer service, middle and senior management. The opportunity to be part of the growth of a college which holds student progress and well-being as its central goal and, despite growth, maintains an outstanding caring and stimulating community ethos is priceless. I am very proud to be associated with Cirencester College, my daughter went to the College and demonstrated that this bridge between school and life is by far the best place for so many young people. Watching confidence flourish in our students has been an enduring pleasure. When the opportunity arose to join the Corporation, I was delighted to apply. I hope that I can continue in this supportive role for next, exciting phase of the College’s growth. With a specific focus on Safeguarding, student well-being and student voice, I hope to put my experience in these areas to good use.

For over twenty years, I have served on the Board of Trustees at Cirencester Kingshill and I thoroughly enjoy my involvement in this 11-16 comprehensive school, keeping my knowledge of this sector current and being able to specialise in curriculum, pastoral, staffing and student well-being, my areas of greatest interest. I am looking forward to combining these roles to continue my involvement and passion for education.

Focus governor role for Corporation: HSE Focus Governor; member of the newly formed College Sustainability Committee; committee member of the Corporation’s Renumeration Committee

Served as a governor since: November 2023

Reasons for being a governor: The self-satisfaction of serving my local community that nominated me for Cirencester community “Hero “in October 2023; the avalanche of talents at disposal during our corporation meetings is second to none; I am blessed to be part of this wonderful team via things I learn. Having been a student governor in my university days, being a Governor has now given me the opportunity to put the missing jigsaw puzzles into place that will benefit not just the students but the entire college community in most aspects of learning regardless of the enriching diverse atmosphere we work. Estate Management is a new skill I am learning as a Governor at Cirencester College, strategically overlooking HSE.

Following Sixth Form and university, I began my career at a large Further Education (FE) college in Birmingham. After a couple of years working at the college I joined the FE team at Capita which, at the time, was based in Cirencester (opposite the fire station). Over 25 years later, I’m still working in education technology, supporting Sixth Forms and FE colleges across the country.

Outside of work, I chair the Local Advisory Board at a special school in Cheltenham, giving me valuable governance experience. I also have two children, one currently studying A levels and the other at a local FE college. These experiences mean I have an understanding of education and colleges from multiple perspectives.

I’m committed to using my skills and knowledge to help Cirencester College innovate, grow and deliver outstanding opportunities for every learner.

In 2008 I pushed my way into the Education sector at an interview by convincing the Principal of a residential school for autistic children in Newbury, that my HR skills were transferrable and could be applied to any industry. He told me in no uncertain terms that the education sector was "a different beast" and was incomparable with the corporate world. I pushed back and joined their senior leadership team that month with no real educational experience. He was right! I had so much to learn about education; the kids, the culture, the red tape, the safeguarding, the different legislation, trade unions, it was all there..... I loved it and stayed with that school for eight years before I joined Cirencester College heading up the HR department in 2017. After seven fabulous years working at Cirencester College and developing my department and being a member of the SLT team, my long-term plan to retire was upon me.

It's been an interesting year off and retirement makes you think about what is important to you. I am a lover of any animal or reptile that moves. I have a tortoise called Rocket, rehomed from the college Animal Centre, a gorgeous ragdoll kitten, a pond of Koi, goldfish and frogs and a bearded collie who loves me. My days have been filled with long dog-walks with my husband around the beautiful lakes, lazy mornings and copious amounts of coffee with friends and family, followed by the luxury of time - time to think about where you can be useful to someone or something else. I believe I can be useful to the college in many ways but in a different capacity to my previous role here - so here I am again, ready to serve the college and hopefully give something back.

I studied Biological Science at Durham University, followed by an MSc in Ecological & Environmental Science at Lancaster University, and later on an MPhil in Genetics at Waikato University in New Zealand. I dabbled in academic scientific research, in Freshwater Ecology in the Lake District, and then in Polar Ecology in both Antarctica and the Arctic. Prior to teaching at Cirencester, I taught in Zimbabwe, Tetbury and in New Zealand.

It’s a huge privilege to work at the College, which has a unique ethos of support, guidance and care for our students, and unabated enthusiasm that students should succeed in all that they do. The students and staff at the College make this a very special place. I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to assume a different role in the governance of the College and am genuinely excited to contribute more widely to an establishment which is striving for excellence in all that we do.