^{As a Lode Heath Governor for over 20 years and an Arden Multi Academy Trust Trustee for 8 years, I have considerable experience and knowledge of school governance.  My background is 30 years as a qualified HR Manager in the public sector and 15 years at Marks & Spencer involving sales, recruitment and employee relations.} 

^{With a distinguished career spanning approximately 45 years at the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), I retired in April 2025 after holding a variety of roles, most notably in Human Resources and Change Management. In 2000, I earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Human Resource Management, which laid the foundation for over 15 years of delivering comprehensive HR solutions - from recruitment through to release - in support of major Government welfare reform programmes.}

^{In 2012, I was honoured with an OBE for my contributions to the DWP, where I played a pivotal role in ensuring customer-facing roles were professionally equipped with the skills and knowledge to meet public expectations. This included independently collaborating with a wide range of third-party organisations and other government Departments, to foster continuous development across the organisation’s frontline workforce.}

^{In the latter part of my career, I transitioned into Change Management, where I led the governance function for DWP’s change programmes, including DWP’s response to the UK Government’s COVID-19 employment initiatives.}

^{I am a graduate of the Cabinet Office Project Management Programme, and a member of the Association for Project Management, the UK’s chartered body for project professionals.}

^{I'm a local resident of 25+ years who has enjoyed working many pastoral care and teaching roles within the education sector, over the past decade. I aspire to support Lode Heath School in maintaining a happy and safe environment, where all can thrive and achieve the very best academic outcomes.} 

^{I am a parent governor at Lode Heath. I live in the local area and want to see the children in my local community thrive. I enjoy working with the school management team to facilitate a robust approach to ensure all children reach their full potential.}

^{I was appointed as a community governor at Lode Heath in March 2025. I have worked in education for 40 years, primarily as a teacher, and prior to my retirement in 2016, as a Headteacher of a large Nursery/Infant school in Solihull.}

^{Consequently, I understand the importance and impact of strong governance, and hope to provide a supportive and active role as a governor at Lode Heath.}

^{I have been a Governor since 2018; originally at a Primary school and now at Lode Heath School. My day job is as a Company Director in the industrial sector. I believe in the value and importance of volunteering in the community, and I aim to be a supportive yet challenging governor.}