Nicola Harper - Chair of Trustees 
(2023)

Audit and Finance Committee 

I am a CIMA qualified Government Finance professional, currently working in Central Government leading corporate services, business intelligence, business change and transformation. I have 15 years' experience across four Government Departments; working within justice, international trade, education and the Cabinet Office. This experience means I am focused on delivering value for money through critical challenge, ensuring the right outcomes for society and the successful delivery of public services.  I joined in 2019 as a Trustee and am passionate about supporting the Trust to ensure effective governance to deliver maximum value for everyone within the school communities.

 

Bob Roberts

Pay Committee

Bob is a communications specialist and board member with extensive experience in the City of London and Westminster.

Bob has run major communications departments in two high-profile organisations, giving strategic guidance and working with elected representatives, including the Lord Mayor of London and the Leader of the Opposition. He has driven significant service improvements and cultural change.
He also offers a rare expertise in reputation management, crisis communications and stakeholder engagement.

Bob has expertise in article and speech writing, media training and building a media operation from scratch.
He previously worked for the City of London Corporation, overseeing the Corporate Affairs Team responsible for external affairs and engagement with business leaders, trade associations, government departments and politicians of all parties.

He is now working with Sadiq Khan supporting the communication function for the Mayor of London.

Malcolm Stevens

Malcolm Stevens is a leading Independent Consultant (criminal justice, correctional services, secure care and children’s services).
He is a Trustee of The ExPat Foundation and Executive Producer with the UK Film School.

He provides expert evidence to civil, criminal and coroner’s courts, courts of appeal and similar tribunals in respect of critical incidents, deaths in custody, negligent/abusive practice and miscarriages of justice.
He is a former senior civil servant, HM Inspector, CEO and Director of private and public sector criminal justice, care and custodial services.

He was the first UK Commissioner to the International Juvenile Justice Observatory in Brussels, Deputy Chair of the (all party) London Gangs Forum, and a former adviser/co-author with the Centre for Social Justice.

As a senior civil servant and HMI for 11 years, Malcolm was responsible for children's services and youth justice policy, as well as being responsible for children detained ‘During Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.
During this time he received commendations for his handling of the Bulger case, for advising Nelson Mandela (during secondment to the South African Govt), for the UK’s feasibility study of USA Boot Camps and for certain high profile investigations into institutional abuse.

He has chaired and written independent assessments and investigations in high profile gang-related murders, cases of child sexual exploitation and in cases of institutional and professional malpractice in mental health settings, immigration detention centres, custodial and residential care settings.

Brenda McHugh

Pay Committee

Brenda is a Consultant Psychotherapist and Family Mediator at NHS and has worked in the North London Family Therapy Practice, supporting schools and delivering training in developing Family Group Therapy to increase the chances of sustainable change for children through the engagement of parents / carers in the process.

Brenda McHugh worked with her colleague, Neil Dawson, from the Anna Freud Centre to establish a unique and ground-breaking free school - The Pears Family School was founded and is sponsored by the Anna Freud Centre,
The Pears Family School, co-located with the Anna Freud Centre, is a school for children who have been excluded from mainstream education, and successfully returns children to the most appropriate full-time education.

The Pears Family School puts families at the heart of all its work. Parents, carers and pupils learn together. Parents and carers receive training and guidance to support their own learning and that of their children. The Pears Family School has continued its ground-breaking work during coronavirus, where looking after vulnerable children and their families has been crucial.

Dave Lancaster

Pay Committee (Chair)

Having left school at sixteen to become an Apprentice Electrical Engineer, I found inspiration and a love of learning at work and day release at college. I achieved A Level Human Biology and an HNC in Electrical engineering whilst an apprentice. This gave me the confidence to follow my dream of being a PE teacher.

I now have thirty-three years’ experience within education. The last ten as Headteacher/Executive Headteacher/Trust Leader. I have a clear track record of strategically and sustainably improving people, students and, ultimately, schools. I build teams with a clear vision and culture. This creates sustainable improvement.

I am now retired and work for my company, Garibaldi Education. I offer leadership support for trust/schools, executive leadership coaching and mentoring and an on the ground capacity. Recently I have gained experience in system leadership working alongside a newly appointed CEO, recruitment and strategic growth support for Trusts and Free School bid writing. I also coach several senior leaders, voluntarily, as I commenced my Level 7 Coaching course with the ILM this summer.

Daniel Selman

Audit and Finance Committee 

I spent 15 years working as a Civil Servant in the Ministry of Defence, largely in the area of Data Protection and Cybersecurity - with two roles of particular significance, firstly as Chief of Staff to the MOD's Chief Information Officer and subsequently leading a project with Defence Suppliers to improve the protection of information in the supply chain.  Both roles involved regular interaction with senior officials both from government and industry, briefing programme boards and regular presentations at conferences, seminars and other events.

Since making the move into the private sector in 2016 I have gained experience of working in a more commercial environment, and whilst I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of doing so, I also miss the sense of contributing directly to wider society.

I see this opportunity as allowing me to bridge these two worlds and bring to bear the experiences I have gained from each to help make a small but real difference to the children you are educating.

Ms Jo. Southby - Chief Executive Officer, Illuminate Minds Trust

Audit and Finance Committee