Governors

Governors make an important contribution to the life of a college and its students, helping to ensure that it is run well and serves the needs of local people.  Governors bring a formidable wealth of diverse experience which supports the work of the college’s Leadership team. With the exception of the Principal (the Chief Executive) of the college, all the other Governors are non-executive appointments (not part of the Senior Management Team which manages the college).

 

The Board of 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

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.

 

Dr John Powell  - Chair of the Human Resources Committee

John was educated at Harris College, Preston; New University of Ulster, Coleraine, N. Ireland (D. Phil); and the University of Aston, Birmingham (Dip. in Safety & Hygiene).

He is a Chartered Chemist and member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and has worked as a Health and Safety Inspector for HM Factory Inspectorate, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in Scotland, West Midlands and East Midlands. From 1999 to 2005 he was head of HSE’s Engineering National Group.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

David Williams
Chair of the Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Committee

David qualified as a Chartered Town Planner before moving to South Africa. He was a pioneer of economic development within Warwickshire County Council and was County Economic Development Officer until 2007. He became an adviser to the Local Government Association and was a founder of the LGA’s Chief Economic Development Officers’ Society.

His involvement in education began with teaching English in Africa - he is now Director of Warwickshire Education Business Partnership.

 

 

 

Peter Manford  -  Chair of the Finance and Estates 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.

 

 

 

Mariane Cavalli   -  Principal and Chief Executive

Mariane joined Warwickshire College after nine years as Principal & Chief Executive of Croydon College, which she successfully led from its position in the bottom 10% nationally, to one enjoying success rates in the top 10%.    After leaving school with no qualifications she  combined full-time work , parenting and study to achieve a BA (Hons); M.Ed and MBA, teacher training qualification and Postgraduate Diploma.  She was made Honorary Professor of Hubei University of Technology, China, in 2010.  Her achievements include: Board member of the London Region Association of Colleges; founder member and Chair of London Capital Colleges;  Non-Executive Director on Mayor Boris Johnson’s London Skills and Employment Board; Regional Champion for “World Skills”; Member of the AoC Strategic Skills Group and  the LSN’s “Foresight” group, Mariane regularly represents FE,at government level.

 

 

Philip Briggs

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.

 

 

 

 

Alison Drury 

Alison is delighted to be returning to the Governing Body at Warwickshire College and is proud to have been asked to do so.  Alison is a market research and brand consultant specialising in the public sector in engagement and participation projects.  In the commercial world Alison has provided marketing 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 will be 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

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

David Kinnersley

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.

 

 

 

 

Douglas Mackay - Student Governor

Vice-President of the Student Association

Douglas joined Warwickshire College three years ago as a student on the National Diploma in Horticulture at the Pershore Centre. Keen to become more involved in student life Douglas joined the Student Association as an under-18’s representative, organizing events for residential students eventually becoming treasurer and a student warden and ambassador. Douglas was awarded the Chelsea Cup and Hurrans’ Shield for his achievements with the college garden at the Chelsea Flower Show and finished fourth in the National Final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition. Douglas has now embarked on a horticultural degree, and remains keen to use his experience of student life to actively contribute to the continual improvement of student provision.

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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 currently works as the Head of Leadership and Governance 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. 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Mark Williams

Mark studied at Rugby College as an apprentice at GEC Alsthom, gaining an ONC and HNC in Engineering. He went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham and gained a PhD from Manchester University. After graduating, he worked for Jaguar Cars and became a chartered Engineer and Fellow of the IMechE. He is currently a Principal Fellow, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), at the University of Warwick, and leads high profile research projects in the automotive and healthcare industries.

Mark was awarded the Freeman of the City of London and elected as a liveryman of the worshipful company of Engineers. He is also an elected Borough Councillor for Rugby.

 

 

 

Co-opted Members

Christopher Purser - Co-opted Member of Audit Committee

Christopher was educated at RAF College Cranwell, Kings College, London (BA Hons German), and Warwick University (MBA). He spent over 30 years with Glynwed – the Midlands based engineering multi-national company where his responsibilities included marketing services, administration, corporate treasury and investor relations.

His professional qualifications are FCIS, FCMA, FCT and MCIM. Since retiring from Glynwed, he has set up as a consultant and trainer in corporate finance and euro-preparations.

 

 

 

 

Jan Morgan - Corporation Advisor 

Jan is a member of the British Institute for Learning and Development (MBILD) and the Society of Education Consultants (Retd). She is passionate  about developing and promoting vocational learning as an option of choice through working with industry, education and governments together and supporting them to identify and use appropriate technology effectively to shape a global workforce with relevant skills fit for today and tomorrow .  Previous employers include the Open University, Coventry University and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where she worked at national level as a consultant specialising in the education and skills sector. As a consultant Jan has worked on a diverse range of projects and programmes across higher and further education and  the private sector in the UK and Internationally.

 

 

 

Clerk to the Corporation

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.  In her spare time Caroline plays cello in two local orchestras and a string quartet, and has a busy family life.