Chair of the Governing Board

Skills Governor

Expertise / Experience

I am now largely retired but had a varied working life as a civil servant at the Department of Trade and Industry, an economic development consultant and as HR Director of a company running serviced offices which I helped to set up. I was actively involved in education / business activities in Buckinghamshire for some years before becoming a governor at Chesham Bois School in 2009.  I am passionate about giving all our children the chance to be the best that they can be and to give them the skills and opportunities to live life to the full. When my term of office at Chesham Bois ended in July 2021 I was delighted to have the opportunity to support Woodside, another of the ODBST schools.

When not governing:

My husband and I have lived in the Amersham area for over 40 years and have two grown up children and four grandchildren. I love the countryside and gardening and am a volunteer with Amersham in Bloom as well as being an active member of several local environmental charities. I am a keen supporter of the arts and am involved in organising several classical music concerts each winter; during lockdown, I have started to learn the piano.

Skills Governor

Resources Committee

GDPR

Experience/Expertise: Industrial Engineer with 20+ years' experience in M&A, strategy development, investment management and business planning.  Currently work as Mobility Business Development and Ventures Manager for an energy company.  I have lived in Amersham for the past 11 years. I am passionate about the energy transition, education and STEM. I have been a volunteer of Inspiring the Future campaign for the past 5 years.

When not governing: I am married with two children and a dog. I love open water swimming, reading, acquiring new skills and walking.

Skills Governor

Resources Committee

Expertise/experience: I have been a finance professional, working across the industry and financial services with over 10 years for RBS group within investment banking. I prioritise and manage a portfolio of clients to make their money work harder for them. I bring together lots of different financial information, then interpret and evaluate them to make business investment decisions. I enjoy solving problems and coming up with imaginative solutions. I manage challenging budgets and propose plans for the future. Academically, I am a Diploma qualified Financial Adviser and have a Masters in Finance and Management.

When not governing: In my spare time, I enjoy pilates, as well as cooking and baking with my children. I love being outdoors and enjoy long woodland walks.

Skills Governor

SEND

PP

Inclusion

Expertise/experience: I am a political economist with ten years of experience providing policy advice to governments in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. For nine years I worked as a project manager and advisor at the OECD. My final role was in the Organisation’s Directorate for Education and Skills, where I provided policy advice on evaluation and assessment in education. Prior to this, I managed one of the OECD’s largest voluntary grants, implemented with most (eight) OECD Directorates and the governments of all ten ASEAN countries. Before joining the OECD, I worked for the ILO’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Geneva, and I hold an MSc. from the London School of Economics (LSE). I have substantial experience in strategic planning, data analysis and leadership, and I am passionately committed to education improvement, as one of the most fundamental ways to progress as a society and help give all young people a good start in life.

When not governing: I am married with two young stepsons. I enjoy swimming, exercising, cooking (particularly baking), travelling (I have visited 50+ countries), reading (I am currently in love with Eric Newby, Clive James, and William Dalrymple), and visiting museums and the ballet (particularly those of Crystal Pite and Mats Ek). I also have a keen interest in economics, innovative finance, and impact investing, particularly in the field of education. I speak French and basic Hindi and Italian.

Skills Governor

PSHE

Safeguarding

Performance Management

Expertise / Experience

I have lived in Amersham for 25 years and became Woodside School’s Safeguarding Governor in September 2021. I have worked in education settings since 2012 in roles as Finance Officer, School Business Manager and Family Support Worker. I am currently a Designated Safeguarding Lead for a large local secondary school. I passionately believe every child deserves to feel safe, that safeguarding should be proactive, rather than reactive and therefore the heartbeat of any education settings ethos and policies. In my previous role as School Business Manager, I have had experience of all aspects of school finance and believe that good financial management is crucial to educational outcomes for pupils and the long-term stability of a school.   Prior to being a School Business Manager I have over 20 years commercial experience in the retail buying sector.

When not governing:

In my spare time- I am a mother to three teenage boys !  I love to do Zumba and walk my dog.

Experience/Expertise: System manager/Solution Architect with 20+ years' experience in HR, strategy, customer operation and development.  Currently work as IT platform manager with Vodafone.  I have lived in Amersham for the past 3 years. I am passionate about bringing kids into sports and leading various charity activities to bring the community together . I have been a regional lead of Sewa Day, a charity organization for 5 years and a Level 3 Badminton England Certified Coach and trained in Volleyball.

When not governing: I enjoy time with family and enjoy coaching/play Badminton and Volleyball.

Headteacher

Deputy Head Teacher