James worked as HR Director at The Funding Agency for Schools and as Head of Employee Development at Yorkshire Electricity. More recently, in addition to chairing the North Yorkshire Learning Partnership, he carries out high profile HR commissions, and lectures at the University of Leeds and at York St John University.
Alan has been Principal of Craven FE College in Skipton , North Yorkshire for the last twelve years. He also acts as Business Ambassador for the Yorkshire & Humberside region via Government Office. He previously had a variety of roles as lecturer, middle and senior manager in FE – and long ago , worked for the Inland Revenue!
Craig is the Headteacher of Stanley Primary School in Blackpool – one of the largest primary schools in the country. He has a particular interest in professional development and is the headteacher representative on the TDA’s Postgraduate Professional Development steering group. With over 20 years experience in primary education Craig has held a variety of roles including class teacher, senior teacher and deputy headteacher. Prior to training as a teacher, Craig worked for Nat West Bank.
Leigh has a wide range of senior management experience at board level and has worked internationally with Blue Chip organisations in a variety of markets – especially electronics engineering and software. He was managing director of a Siemens company and of Supervisory & Industrial Process Control Ltd. In the last few years he has concentrated on Interim Management roles and has been involved in the turn-around of a number of companies.
Felicity is Principal of Blackpool Sixth Form College and she specialises in Quality Assurance and Curriculum Development. She has worked for Ofsted both as curriculum inspector and leadership and management inspector and was a founder member of the AQA Quality Committee. Previously she worked as Vice Principal, Curriculum at Blackpool and Fylde College and Assistant Principal, Standards at Exeter College, Devon.
Geoff is a Supply Development Engineer at BAE Systems in Preston. He has long experience of working in Manufacturing & Project Management roles with medium to high volume blue chip manufacturing companies. Geoff brings to the board both practical and business focussed observations based on his industrial experience, to compliment the educational experience of other board members.
Rob is Executive Director of A4e (an international organisation working across a variety of markets including financial inclusion, learning and skills and fund advice); he is responsible for managing the competitive tendering and business development arm of the business. Rob has over ten years experience in business development, successfully leading diversification through assessing new markets and exploiting opportunities. Since joining A4e in 2004, Rob has been at the forefront of the company’s expansion into new markets, ensuring that A4e remains dynamic and responsive when tackling economic and social exclusion. Rob has worked in the education and training sectors, as well as the finance and equity markets.
Steve is Principal of Lancashire College, an adult education college in Chorley. He is also a member of the strategic management team of Lancashire Adult Learning, a large adult education service of which Lancashire College is a part. Steve is an inspector for Ofsted and an associate inspector for the Adult Learning Inspectorate. He has significant experience of inspecting literacy, numeracy and ESOL provision in further education colleges and local authority providers. Steve’s main areas of professional expertise and interest are leadership and management, quality assurance and improvement, adult learning, skills for life (literacy, numeracy and ESOL), languages and teacher education.
