Governors

Bernard Doyle - Chair of the Corporation

Bernard was educated at the University of Manchester (BSc Hons Civil Engineering) and Harvard Business School (MBA). He has worked in the public and private sectors during a 45 year business career. In the private sector he was a main Board Director of Booker McConnell plc and FJC Lilley plc. He was also a General Manager of the Bristol and West Building Society. In the public sector he was a Chief Executive of Welsh Water.

Since 1994 he has specialised in senior level recruitment for the public sector. Prior to becoming a governor at Warwickshire College, he served two four year terms as a governor of North East Worcestershire College.

Stephen Wood - Vice Chair of the Corporation,

Chair of the Moreton Morrell Local Consultative Board

Stephen retired early as vice president and Managing Director of Massey Ferguson farm machinery business, owned by AGCO Corporation of Atlanta, USA. He was educated in the Midlands, completing an engineering apprenticeship with Massey Ferguson from 1969, diplomas in production and agricultural engineering, and was awarded Freedom of the City of Coventry in 1975. During his 37 years with the company, Stephen completed overseas assignments in Singapore, Australia and Brazil and spent 16 years in the Senior Management Team at Director level. Stephen has now realized a life long goal to be his ‘own boss’ by establishing a buy to let business, providing quality housing for private tenants and students. Stephen lives with his family on their smallholding and enjoys horse riding, DIY and golf.

Professor Mariane Cavalli - Principal and Chief Executive

Mariane has been a college Principal and CEO for 12 years and has been leading Warwickshire College since 2010.  She is President of the “China-UK National Skills College” in Qingzhou City, Shandong Province; the first British Further Education College in China, which is a joint venture between Warwickshire College and the Beijing Guozheng International Education Investment company.

Mariane is a founder-director of Gazelle-Global Ltd, a company committed to the development of a network of entrepreneurial colleges; which now includes 25 colleges in England, Scotland and Northern-Ireland.  She is a Professor of Leadership Development at the Hebei Normal University for Nationalities in China and Professor of Strategic Management at Hubei University of Technology, China.

Mariane has recently been appointed Chair of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Skills Board. This Board also has responsibility for the development of the sub-regional City Deal Skills Strategy.  She is currently a Commissioner with the Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning. She is involved with various committees and organisations including the 157 Group of Colleges; AoC National Strategic Skills Group; AoC Skills Portfolio Groups for DWP-related work, which she chairs; and the Enterprise Group.  Mariane is called upon to represent the sector at national conferences, discussions with ministers and MPs and select committees.

Philip Briggs - Chair of the Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Committee

Philip graduated at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester before working as an auctioneer in Mid-Wales. On Qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor, he moved to Birmingham working with commercial property with Henry Butcher and Co. and Dovebid before becoming a Partner in Bache Treharne. He now runs his own property consultancy, Auriga Estates advising private and public clients on all aspects of commercial property, investment and development. He has also served in the past on the education committee of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Leslie Kelland - Chair of the Audit Committee

Educated at Plymouth Polytechnic, VDAB Antwerp and Coventry University, Les followed a career in the Civil Service as an Engineer, Leading Engineering and Naval Architect and Senior Trainer before managing training for DML Engineering. After a period as a consultant, he moved to the Midlands and the automotive industry working with Mayflower in Coventry. Then, he moved to Aston Martin in 1999 where he was Training Manager. Les has served as Chair to the PTA, MS Society and Parish Council. He is a member of the Automotive Academy Curriculum Steering Group and works with schools on engineering education schemes. Les is currently an advisor to the MOD-DEMSS Education Panel and a member of the SEMTA BIT Steering group.

Peter Manford - Chair of the Resources Committee

Peter is an MBA graduate of INSEAD. He has 20 years’ experience dealing with commercial transactions, he joined Martineau to lead the firm’s commerce team. Peter regularly takes the lead role in negotiating major outsourcing and other commercial arrangements, leading a team of lawyers. He works with private sector and education clients as well as having experience acting for central government and health service clients. He has particular expertise in outsourcing and franchising and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and the British Franchise Association. Peter also holds a non-executive directorship and manages the family business.

Alison Drury - Chair of the Leamington and Henley Local Consultative Board

Alison is a market research, communications and brand consultant specialising in the public sector in engagement and participation projects for the NHS. In the commercial world Alison has provided market research and consultancy to many leading companies including J Sainsbury, Alpro, Tesco and O2. As a Governor Alison has a special interest in the Learner Voice and is a member of the Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Committee (ASQA). Married with two teenage children, Alison enjoys singing and travel whenever time permits. She is a management committee member of the Coventry Rape Crisis Centre (CRASAC).

Monica Fogarty - Chair of the Rugby and Trident Local Consultative Board

Monica Fogarty is Strategic Director for Communities for Warwickshire. With twenty years’ experience in local government, Monica has held a number of senior roles, until 2011 she was Assistant Chief Executive for Warwickshire prior to which she also held a range of Head of Service posts including Head of Policy and Head of Change Management. Before joining Warwickshire Monica worked for Coventry City Council until the late nineties. Particular areas of expertise are performance, strategic planning and organisational change with some significant service based change achievements along the way.

With Irish roots, Monica and her family live in Kenilworth. Monica is married to John, an electrochemist with Coventry University, and they have two young children - Benny and Hattie.

David Kinnersley - Chair of the Pershore Local Consultative Board

David was educated at Reading University, BSc Hons (Agriculture) and subsequently gained an MBA. David worked for a farm management company before joining Bidwells as an Agribusiness Consultant in Northampton, heading up the consultancy team for the Midlands.

In 2008 he joined Fisher German LLP in Banbury to develop their consultancy services in the Midlands. David specialises in business strategy, restructuring and diversification enterprises, for a variety of principally private clients.

Josh Egan-Wyer - Student Governor

Vice President of the Student Union

Josh started at Warwickshire College in 2010, on the BSc (Hons) in Horticulture at our Pershore centre. Now in the final year of his degree, he is currently undertaking an independent study, whilst also holding the position of Overall Student Union Vice President, working with the Sabbatical President across all 6 centres. Josh was a centre President last year, and this year is keen to get involved at a wider college level. He has also been involved in a lot of College projects, namely the Student Ambassador Scheme, and also heading up the new plant identification database and labelling enterprise that will roll out initially at our Pershore and Moreton Morrell centre's this year.

Sue Georgious

Sue began her working life as a teacher in schools and then worked in adult learning for many years in a variety of senior management roles including FE and Open College Networks and latterly as Director at the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) where she worked for a number of years leading on the UK Vocational Reform Programme and as Director for Policy and Strategy. She has experience of local, regional and national initiatives with young people and adult learners managing and leading national remits for government. She has active networks across the whole education and training sector and has worked with colleagues in Europe on vocational education initiatives both for schools and higher education. She is passionate about developing people and their potential.

Josie Murray - Student Governor

Josie began studying at Warwickshire Colleges Moreton Morrell Centre in 2006 undertaking a National Diploma in Horse Management followed by a BSc (Hons) in Sports Science (Equitation Coaching). During this time Josie participated actively within the Student’s Union undertaking a variety of roles including campus vice president, sports and social chair. Following graduation she was elected into the position of Sabbatical President. Josie joined the Student’s Union as she felt that students’ ideas and opinions should be heard and action taken to improve the students’ social and learning experience; this driving her passion to empower students. Josie has a keen interest in horses and enjoys dressage, eventing and racing as well as playing netball and managing the first aid for marauders senior rugby team in her free time.

Alongside her current role as Sabbatical President, Josie is training to lecture within the Further Education sector with an ambition to complete a Diploma in Teaching. She also works within the residential wardening team at the Moreton Morrell centre as well as the college bar.

Linda Simpson

Linda has extensive experience of working in the education sector, starting out as a teacher in secondary school and then moving on to become a lecturer and manager in the FE sector. After seven years as a senior manager in a large FE college in London, she moved into working across the Learning and Skills sector in a national capacity at the Centre for Excellence in Leadership. Linda has worked for some years as the Head of Governance and Leadership at the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, leading on a range of programmes and activities to support leaders and managers in the Learning and Skills sector in England. For the coming year she has accepted a secondment as Head of the Leadership College to work on behalf of LSIS with the wider Project Board to establish the offer of the Leadership College by September 2013. Linda has a degree in education from London University and is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute. She has recently completed an advanced coaching qualification. In her spare time she enjoys the theatre, gardening and taking care of her cats.

Rajinder Singh

Educated at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (BSc) Rajinder went on to study part-time in the field of Systems and Control, Microelectronics and Programming whilst working as a Quality Control Engineer in the electrical and electronics industry. He later bought a corner shop and started R S Computer Systems in Coventry in 1981, adding a further showroom in Birmingham in 1985. Over the last 25 years he has served numerous businesses of all sizes, from ‘one man band’ to well known multi-nationals, Colleges and Universities. Rajinder has served on numerous bodies including, Police Authorities, Chambers of Commerce, Regeneration Programmes and two FE Colleges. Rajinder has lived in Leamington Spa for the last 30 years and is married with two sons. Apart from studying part-time for a further MSc in E-Commerce and some charitable voluntary duties, he enjoys gardening and world travel.

Katherine Skudra- Staff Governor

Katherine Skudra gained a Law Degree at Reading University and after passing her professional examinations practised as a Solicitor for 10 years before having children.

During her time at ‘home’ when the children were younger she volunteered for local charities and was Chairman of the now national charity BabyLifeline in its early years. Katherine has worked in welfare and liaison at College for 15 years enjoying the links with the students in good and not so good times for them.

Raj Vitish

Raj is a qualified accountant (FCCA) and has worked for KPMG for over 12 years, having joined from the FEFC (predecessor to the LSC) in 1998. At KPMG, Raj is currently the national lead on funding audits and funding assurance at colleges. Raj has worked closely with the LSC either on a secondment basis or project basis to help shape audit approaches since 2004. He led on the development on current audit approach adopted by the Skills Funding Agency.

He has lived in Leamington Spa for over 30 years and studied at Warwickshire College in 1987 before going to Leeds University.

Peter Wilkes- Staff Governor

Having worked in Education during the last 20 years, Peter joined the college in 2008 as an Assistant Facilities Manager and was responsible for small/minor works across the six centres.

Since becoming the Facilities Manager for Moreton Morrell and Pershore last year, he is now focused on developing/implementing the maintenance programs for both sites whilst working on long term solutions to provide staff and students with the best possible learning environment.

Rita Booth - Independant Member of Audit Committee

After attending Tamworth College of FE, Rita went on to become a commercial apprentice with Reliant Motor Company and achieve a Business Studies degree at Coventry University. Initially she worked in the automotive/engineering industries developing a career in HR and gaining a MA in Industrial Relations at Keele University. She then joined Lichfield District Council where she became Strategic Director for Organisational Development, responsible for a wide range of support services including Customer Services, ICT, risk management and delivering community based learning programmes. Rita has recently moved to the area and is keen to get involved with Warwickshire College, building on previous links she had with South Staffordshire College. She also intends to spend more time on voluntary activities as well as developing her interests in photography and the National Trust.

Caroline Menadue - Clerk to the Corporation

Educated at Leicester University (BA History), Caroline trained with KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock prior to joining BhS Plc as a departmental manager. Caroline was Graduate School Manager at University College Worcester responsible for co-ordinating research weeks and the publication of the College’s research bulletin. Caroline was seconded to HEFCE as a national panel secretary for the Research Assessment Exercise 2001, and acted as Project Officer for the University Title Project Group at Worcester. Caroline became Clerk at Warwickshire College in 2006. In her spare time Caroline plays cello in two local orchestras and the Fantasia string quartet, and has a busy family life.

Susan Black - Deputy Clerk to the Corporation

Before joining Warwickshire College Susan worked at Warwick University progressing in positions in the International Office, Warwick Arts Centre and finally the Business School. Prior to her experience in Higher Education, Susan worked at Coventry City Council supporting Elected Members.  Susan has gained the Introductory Clerks' qualification (level 4) validated by Warwick University, and is now closely involved in the development of Local Consultative Boards at Warwickshire College.  In her spare time Susan also plays cello in a local orchestra and a string quartet, and enjoys long walks with her dog.