Governance (ID 1401)

• Kathleen Johnson
  Chair of Trustees
  Kathleen Johnson

  Kathleen was a senior lecturer in the School of Physical Sciences at the University of Liverpool until her recent retirement. She became Chair of Trustees in December 2022 and after serving an initial term of 2 years has kindly agreed to continue until December 2026. Her thoughtful leadership of challenging and supportive governance is highly appreciated by both the board and the staff of the school.

  As well as being Chair of Trustees she is alsochair of the Governance Committee,physics link trustee and a member of the headteacher’s appraisal panel

• Dei Harries
  Vice Chair of Trustees
  Dei Harries

  Deiisin-house employment counsel for the University of Liverpool. He provides support and advice to the University on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious issues impacting on organisational performance, services, external contractual relationships, research projects and partnerships. He also advises on student issues including fitness to practice, discrimination and regulatory matters. He is a trustee director of University of Liverpool Pension Fund Trustees Limited, and therefore understands the role, key duties, and responsibilities associated with being a trustee director.

  Dei studied architecture at the University of Liverpool before qualifying as a solicitor, and prior to his current position was an Associate at Weightmans LLP where he advised a wide range of corporate and public sector clients, including schools and universities, on a broad range of employment and pension issues.

  As well as being vice chair of trustees, Dei is chair of the Staffing and Appraisal Committee and staff wellbeing trustee

•  John Thompson
  Chair of the Education Committee
   John Thompson

  John came to Liverpool from Newcastle to study Physical Education & English in 1990 and has been here ever since.

  He has worked in all settings and phases in education, with all levels of ability ranging from children as young as 3 through to mature university students who at the time were twice his age. He moved from being Head of PE in a Specialist Sports College (where his A Level class was made up of 12 students of whom 6 were county standard, 3 internationals and a World record holder who went on to win an Olympic Silver Medal) to Special Needs Education which has, as his knees have given up, become as big a passion for John as sport ever was. His passion for education has led him to become Head of School attwo Merseyside SEN Schools.

  In John's free time he is a fan of Newcastle United, enjoys cinema, reading, current affairs, cycling, sport and cooking. Cooking almost became John's profession at one point when he appeared in the TV Show - Iron Chef UK and following his experience went on to work in Michelin Starred kitchens becoming at the time the only amateur to have been invited to cook at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck. John is dyslexic and finds the differences in the way people learn fascinating and as a result he has a very creative approach to developing teaching and learning to meet the individual needs of the students.

  As well as being chair of the Education Committee, John is theSEN link trustee and a member of the headteacher’s appraisal panel.

• Christopher Nicholson
  Chair of Finance Audit and Risk Committee
  Christopher Nicholson

  Christopher is a parent trustee who joined the board in October 2022. He is a senior manager in the National Health Service and also chairs the Finance Committee in another Academy Trust.

  Christopher is the chair of Finance Audit and Risk Committee and link trustee for risk.

• Dr. Mohammad Rahman
  Safeguarding Trustee
  Dr. Mohammad Rahman

  Mohammad holds a Postgraduate Diploma in medical education from UCL and is a Fellow of Advanced HE. As a Clinical Tutor at the University of Liverpool, he was awarded the Tutor Prize for his contributions to medical education.

  Having chosen Medicine to escape Mathematics, Mohammad discovered a renewed passion for the subject during his epidemiological research at the National Confidential Inquiry in Manchester. This sparked his interest in supporting mathematical education, particularly for students from non-traditional backgrounds.

  Currently one of the Deputy Medical Directors for Nottingham Integrated Care Board, Mohammad is a practising Psychiatrist who believes in the transformative power of education.

  When not working, he enjoys playing on his Xbox.

• Anthony Rooney
  Trustee
  Anthony Rooney

  Anthony Rooney gained a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Liverpool Hope University in 2007. Since graduating he has held senior roles within the facility and project management industry, delivering projects across education, healthcare, local and central government.

  Anthony is currently Sector Director for delivery to a number of large central government departments across the UK and Europe delivering facility management, energy and sustainability and capital projects. A Liverpool local, Anthony is keen to see all children within the city have the opportunities to grow and develop into the best they can be, with well maintained surroundings and experienced, passionate teachers. Anthony brings experience within facility and estate management as well as health and safety to the Board of Trustees.

  Anthony is our careers link trustee, and also leads on the governance of health and safety

• Gavin Brown
  Trustee
  Gavin Brown

  Gavin joined the University of Liverpool in 2015 as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education. He played a key role in establishing the University of Liverpool Mathematics School, was our first Chair of Trustees and has continued as a Trustee ever since.

  In his university leadership rolehe supports the Vice-Chancellor in setting the academic direction of the University, provides strategic leadership and champions the enhancement of learning and teaching throughout the academic and student community. He is also keen on promoting social and geographic mobility in the student body, and is a keen advocate of study abroad programmes, having established numerous partnerships with universities around the world.

  Gavin isthe computer science link trustee.

• Prof Daniel Colquitt
  Trustee
  Prof Daniel Colquitt

  Daniel is Professor of Applied Mathematics and a member of the Waves and Continuum Mechanics group in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Liverpool.His research work involves investigatingphysical problems from the point of view of mathematics.He uses and develops new mathematical techniques for the study of wave propagation, localisation and fracture in complicated materials.

  He serves asHead of the University of Liverpool's Department of Mathematical Sciences and is our link trustee for mathematics.

  Dan is our mathematics link trustee.

• Danielle Parle
  Parent Trustee (Year 13)
  Danielle Parle

  Danielle is a parent trustee. She is Head of Centre of Maxam Training Limited, a private training provider offering Level 3 - Level 5 Education and Training, Assessor and IQA qualifications. She previously worked at colleges in the Liverpool City Region working with 16-18 year olds and adults, many of whom came from areas of high social deprivation, and was also Head of Education at a local training provider specialising in adult education for women, providing a safe and supportive space for them to learn.

• Eilish Slater
  Trustee
  Eilish Slater

  Eilish has been a civil servant for 28 years and as is a trained tax inspector. Her recent career has been delivering IT Programmes where she lead teams, develops and maintains governance and manages large budgets. She believes education is a fantastic way for young people to build strong foundations for their future and provides an opportunity for social and economic disadvantages to be minimised and is keenly aware of the difference that her own educational opportunities have made to her life. Her daughter was a student at ULMaS before she became a trustee with us.

• Emilia Shillito
  Trustee
  Emilia Shillito

  Emilia works at HSBC as an Associate Director in the Large Corporates team. She joined HSBC straight from the University of Sheffield whereshe studied Law.

  She isstudying towardsher CIMA qualification and brings important financial expertise to the governance of ULMaS. She also brings balance to the governance of the school, especially through belonging to a younger generation than the rest of the board.

• Keren Baker
  Parent Trustee (Year 12)
  Keren Baker

  Keren comes from a creative background as a music teacher a freelancer in creative industries. She ispassionate about improving access to creativity in the curriculum and believes strongly in the benefits encouraging a creative outlet, even for those who don’t regard themselves as innately creative. Her challenge and advice is crucialin helping us in our aim to develop and support our students' resilience and mental health.

• Damian Haigh
  Trustee (ex-officio)
  Damian Haigh

  As headteacher, Damian is a trustee ex-officio.

• Nicola Davies
  Representing the University of Liverpool as a Corporate Member of the Trust
  Nicola Davies

  Nicola was appointed as Director of Finance at the University of Liverpool in October 2017, and is responsible for all finance and procurement activity at the University, along with Strategic Planning and the Strategic Change team. Prior to her role at Liverpool she held a number of roles at the University of Manchester, most recently Deputy Director of Finance. Over the last five years her roles have been focused on delivery of change projects, including two finance restructures, and the design and implementation of new planning and reporting processes. She has been working within the HE sector for the last 15 years, and is passionate about this sector. Nicola has a keen interest in staff performance and development, and promotes continuous improvement as a way of working.

  Before joining the HE sector, Nicola qualified as an ACA chartered accountant and worked in a number of accounting firms including Ernst and Young and Grant Thornton. She has a BSc in Mathematics from Newcastle University and an MSc in Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics from The University of Manchester. Her strong STEM background, broad HE experience and financial expertise make her an ideal Member for our trust.

•  Julie Ann Gillespie
  Representing HSBC as a Corporate Member of the Trust
   Julie Ann Gillespie

  Julie Ann is a Relationship Banker (Mid Markets) with 25 years’ experience of relationship/stakeholder management, strategy, change, general management, operations, conduct, leadership/management, HR/Learning and charities/third sector. She has strengths in shaping and executing plans; delivering strategic and operational change; stakeholder management disciplines and interpersonal skills. With20 years’ experience in supporting Third Sector organisations as a Chair of Trustees and mentor, she is an asset to our Trust.

• Professor Kurt Langfeld
  Member of the Trust
  Professor Kurt Langfeld

  Kurt Langfeld is Dean of Computer, Data, and Mathematical Sciences at Western Sydney University. Prior to that he was Head of the School of Mathematics and Professor in Theoretical Physics, at the University of Leeds. He was central to the project that set up the University of Liverpool Mathematics School when he was Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Liverpool and remains a devoted supported of the school since moving to take up his new post in Australia

• Professor Carsten Welsch
  Member of the Trust
  Professor Carsten Welsch

  Carsten is Head of Accelerator Science at the University of Liverpool. He is also Director of LIV.DAT and LIV.INNO, EuPRAXIA-DN Coordinator and a STFC Council Member. He initiated and is coordinating the EU-funded research and training networks DITANET, LA3NET, oPAC, OMA and AVA. He is also Director of Liverpool University's STFC CDT on Big Data Science, LIV.DAT. With a combined budget of more than 20 million pounds these are the largest research and training initiatives ever realised in this research area. Carsten has organised dozens of international schools and topical workshops for Liverpool University students, staff and the wider scientific community. As a member of various scientific advisory committees he contributes to defining future research trends and the advancement of physics in general.