Trustees

Stephen’s career has been built on creating and maintaining strong relationships in investment banking, corporate trust and corporate services. He has been a successful client relationship director and board member within a professional services firm, leading growth through robust relationships with, and professional service delivery, to clients across multiple jurisdictions, and has been a director of over 50 client companies.

His early career was spent in banking with a specific focus on property and asset management, and he has an in depth knowledge of debt capital markets having acted as trustee and director in multiple successful debt restructuring, within the UK, and in the USA and South East Asia. Throughout his career he has mentored junior colleagues and team members, supporting them in their career choices and learning development.

He has built his career expertise through a practical application of relationship building, knowledge gathering and leadership. He is a former President of The Association of Corporate Trustees, and has a longstanding interest in promoting and developing best possible corporate governance which he is now applying to the education sector as a trustee and non executive director for charities including Villiers Park Educational Trust (which focusses on the importance of social mobility, a longstanding passion) and Goldsmiths Students’ Union. He is a Consultant for Independent Directors and Trustees Ltd, which offers expert directorship services to the corporate sector.

A keen if untalented cricketer, he has latterly turned his attention to cricket spectating (for which he has more of a talent), and to the more leisurely (if nonetheless challenging) sport of bowls, and to running a dining club.

As a parent and a grandparent he is keen to apply the enthusiasm and commitment which feature prominently in his personal and business life to optimally contribute to the work of EEEA, and to support all of these connected to it.

Members appointment

John is now retired his immediate past experience was a Head of Governance Services at Independent Governance Group which provide professional trustee and governance services to UK pension schemes. Prior to this John has held senior pensions management roles including with National Grid and Sainsbury’s Supermarkets. He holds a degree in law, is a Fellow of the Pensions Management Institute and a past Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Through the management of multi-billion-pound pension arrangements and board level directorships, John brings a wealth of financial, operational and risk management skills and knowledge of working with Trustee boards.

John has lived in Camberley and surrounding area for fifty years and both he and his two daughters attended the local schools, including Ravenscote Junior School.

Members appointment

Christina retired from full-time role as a public finance professional and civil servant in Westminster in 2019, after 18 years local government experience including Chief Finance Officer and 19 years central government experience in Benefits Agency, DWP, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, MOD, and Dept for Education within an NDPB.

She then set up her own company, Ethikos Consulting Ltd, and her main activity is as a learning coach for Apprenticeships for two accounting bodies, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, at L7, and the Association of Accounting Technicians at L3 and L4.

She moved for work to Fleet in Hampshire in 2004 as a single parent when my son Robert was 7. He went to Church Crookham Juniors and then Court Moor School in Fleet. Unfortunately, her son has recently passed away aged 23.

She stood down as a non-executive/Trustee for CIPFA after 9 years in 2019 and served on the Members & Students Board, Audit Board, and Standards Board. She is currently a non-executive/Trustee for the AAT, commencing in 2012, and has served as Vice Chair Resources Board, Vice Chair Audit Board, Chair, Learning and Development Board and currently Chair for another year of the Audit Board since 2019.

She remains active as a volunteer with CIPFA and is about to start her 4^th year as President of CIPFA South West Region and remains a member of several Technical Panels.

She enjoys being a member of the David Lloyd club in Farnham, and really enjoys swimming and Pilates classes.

She also sponsors a young man at University in Malawi, following an expedition adventure she undertook celebrating her 60^th birthday, and being introduced to a secondary school in a poor area in Malawi, called the Rainbow Hope School.

She is so looking forward to being a Trustee for EEEA and seeing how her experience can contribute to supporting the Chief Executive, his team and Chair of the Trustees continue to achieve great things with the Academy Trust for our young people and their families.

Trust Board Appointment

Elliot is CEO of Salt Recruitment Group, a global recruitment business specialising in digital with 14 offices across the world. Having joined the business as a start-up, Elliot has created and optimised the Group Operating Model from the ground up, encompassing core values and a system of working that drives performance excellence.

Elliot has become an expert on globalisation having opened his first international office in Sydney in 2014, followed by further organic builds in New York and Dubai a year later. In 2016 Elliot entered the world of M&A, part-acquiring a business in Auckland (New Zealand), along with their sister company in Asia, adding on offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Further acquisitions in 2019 and 2020 brought more locations into the Group (Melbourne & Cape Town), followed by more organic builds in Austin (Texas), Johannesburg, Amsterdam, and Brussels.

Elliot’s development in the world of recruitment and business encompasses expertise in sales, marketing, HR (including learning & development) and of course hiring great talent. He has nurtured multiple leaders across the globe from junior and mid-level positions to those commanding countries and entire regions. Elliot’s leadership style is influenced by a sporting background having been a semi-professional footballer and captain of Surrey FC, further evolving through Life Coaching and Mindfulness trainings.

Influenced by his yoga teacher wife, Elliot has brought mindfulness, wellbeing, and mental health awareness into the businesses he runs, becoming a speaker on mindful living and self-care which he encourages openly on social media.

Elliot is passionately driven by “creating futures” (Salt’s mission statement), thus his appointment onto the EEEA is a natural step having recently become a coach to Camberley Town Under 7s, and his daughter attending one of the Academy schools. Supporting the futures, both educational and wellbeing, of young children is extremely close to Elliot’s heart and he is delighted to be part of the next stage of the EEEA growth and development.

Trust Board Appointment

Jenny Wood’s experience has been rooted in marketing and branding over the last 16 years, encouraging, and connecting people to make a positive impact on teams globally. With a strong belief in digital communities and the power of the collective to make a difference, she has led marketing and communications to deliver for a multitude of markets and audiences.

Jenny is the Global Head of Marketing at Salt, supporting the vision to create futures and drive messaging around careers, mental health, work/life balance, and diversity in the workplace. Working with leadership teams in global settings to build internal and external branding. Her passion for storytelling from fiction to business builds a foundation for bringing values to life authentically.

After graduating with a degree in drama and theatre studies from Roehampton, a career in marketing was formed in recruitment advertising, witnessing the shift from print to digital job boards. Becoming a digital champion and establishing a role for social media within an education job board, her career took a step into technology and global communications for over 9 years. Jenny became the global marketing lead for technology in the public sector, building education white papers and engaging with the tech community across UK and Europe. Specialising in technology for education and lifelong learning, social marketing, women in business, sustainability, and content excellence.

Born in Farnham and living in Aldershot, Jenny is passionate about the importance of community.  Over the years she has danced and supported local dance school Fusion Dance Academies, witnessing the difference that positivity in many forms can help shape wellbeing. Her passion extends to creative writing, and a love of film and nature. Her biggest personal project recently is taking on an allotment while studying horticulture in her spare time.

Trust Board Appointment

Graham is currently Head of HR for a Multi-Academy Trust in South London, leading their HR strategy linked to their development and growth. Graham has over 30 years’ experience of HR within the education sector and previously was Co-Head of an HR service providing guidance and advice to a range of school clients nationally. This has included working with EEEA as a client and so has a sound understanding of the development journey that the Trust has been on. He has also worked for four different local authorities. Graham has worked in HR for over 35 years and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

He has extensive experience in working alongside senior leaders on a wide range of people management issues, including complex and sensitive ones, coaching and mentoring them, providing insight and offering flexible solutions, whilst ensuring appropriate legal compliance. He also has a strong understanding of the strategic HR challenges that schools and MATs face and is eager to bring his experience and knowledge to support EEEA with these challenges.

Graham has previously been Vice Chair of Governors at an infant school and is currently a Non-Executive Director of a social enterprise organisation supporting other organisations in respect of the age discrimination agenda.

Trust Board Appointment

An EdTech professional with an extensive background within education,I have taught, led and developed teams within specialist and mainstream settings as a SENCO and Head of Student Support. I have sat as a trustee on college board and served on the Society for Education and Training Professionals Advisory Group. Previously a Commercial Business Manager for an Edtech Start up taking to market innovative products to support students with disabilities. I now oversee strategic accounts for TES, working at C-Suite level with some of the countries largest Multi Academy Trusts.

When not exploring National Trust walks and country pubs with my wife and two children, I like to be found mostly in the stands of Craven Cottage watching Fulham or on the golf course. 

Trust Board Appointment

Gayle is an Education Director at Bourne Education Trust where she is Primary lead and leads on safeguarding, attendance and behaviour over 26 schools.  She was a Headteacher in a three form entry primary school for 16 years whilst also being an NLE. She amalgamated two schools and improved standards and ofsted gradings. She has also been executive Headteacher in two other primary settings, working in schools within different contexts.

Gayle is highly experienced in providing support and challenge to schools and is passionate about ensuring that all pupils and staff are given every opportunity to succeed in every school setting regardless of starting points. She is a mental health lead and understands the need for well being needs to be met in order to achieve.

Gayle enjoys long walks with her dog , especially exploring new seaside locations. She completed the London Marathon 8 years ago but now; her favourite forms of exercise is yoga and weight training classes at the gym.

Trust Board Appointment

Gavin joins the Board of Trustees as a parent trustee with a daughter in one of our EEEA schools and another joining in September 2024. 

Gavin’s employment background is in statutory education services for children with special educational needs in a 20 year career, working across three Local Authority areas. Initially working in Dorset, Gavin and his wife relocated to Surrey in 2012 so he could take a leadership opportunity within the Local Authority. Gavin has led SEN Services in different parts of Surrey since that time and more recently has moved into a role within the NHS in South West London, leading the commissioning of community health services that support young people with additional needs. 

As a consequence Gavin has significant knowledge and experience of all aspects of the SEND system, as well as education more generally, and will bring this with him as a trustee. In particular his understanding of the range of partnerships required to deliver high quality SEND provision as well as arrangements for admissions, exclusions, appeals, schools funding and experience of the SEND Inspection Framework are an asset.

A keen if not talented sportsman Gavin spends a lot of his free time participating in or watching sport and supporting his children to do the same.

Trust Board Appointment

After 43 years Karen has recently retired from the NHS. Her clinical training as a nurse has led to a varied and highly successful career working across Surrey and Hampshire mainly within the field of Intensive and Coronary Care Medicine.

A conscious decision to move away from clinical roles into management positions led to further diverse roles including working at the Department of Health where she supported several challenged NHS Trusts in developing services and in the strategic development of national policy. Further roles at Board level followed, most notable of these being leading a Trust during the Covid pandemic. A most scarry but privileged role. Having worked in a number of NHS Trusts she is passionate about nurturing future leaders and the values of partnership working.

Most recently and before retirement Karen returned to her local NHS in Frimley to work firstly in the acute hospital and then in the Integrated Care Board implementing solutions and systems to support productivity. Karen holds a BSc in Health Studies from the University of Surrey. She is currently working for the Health Care Professions Council.

Born in Norwich she moved to Surrey to start her nurse training and has remained in the area. Karen has lived in Farnham for the past 40 years. She has a son and daughter both of whom attended Potters gate School and from where lifelong “playground girlfriends” friendships for her and her husband were made

Her whole family have a passion for all genres of music, she has joined numerous NHS choirs and has herself participated as an adult in a school choir. Her other interests include baking, especially bread and being outside in her garden nurturing her veg beds. And when not doing this, she has a Peleton bicycle.

Having recently become a grandparent, supporting the educational and wellbeing of our young children is something which Karen is very passionate about. She is thrilled to be joining EEEA at this stage of their journey and is excited for the benefits the Academy can bring for our young people and their families.

Trust Board Appointment