Meet The Governors

Nigel is a former student of Lakes College and has recently retired from his role as Head of Profession (Engineering and Maintenance) with Sellafield Ltd, where among his many responsibilities he had overall responsibility for the training and development of 2,400 maintenance and engineering staff, including the technical content and governance of apprenticeships. His enthusiasm and commitment to partnership working, and to enhance opportunities for local communities, shines through.

Nigel chairs the Remuneration Committee and is a member of the Finance and Corporate Working Group. He also participates in self-assessment sessions for quality purposes.

Interests and expertise: engineering; nuclear; health and safety

An education specialist and a former lead inspector with Ofsted, Elaine brings important sector experience to the board, championing high-quality provision which is student-focused. She is firmly committed to ensuring that all students have the very best chances to learn and as a consultant working with several colleges, she has oversight of practice elsewhere in the country which adds value to the board.

Elaine is Vice-Chair and will take on the co-chairmanship of the Quality Working Group in the coming year and lead responsibility for equality and diversity and learner support.

Interests and expertise: education and training; Ofsted; equality and diversity and learner support

Yvonne is a cyber security specialist bringing a new skillset to the Lakes College Board and, as someone local to Cumbria, welcomes the developments in further education in recent years that provide greater opportunities for young people, including apprenticeship route. Prior to joining the board, she has had occasion to visit college and was impressed with the learners she met.

From her experience working with learners in her day job (not just Lakes) she looks forward to challenging not just on the academic front, but on the softer skills that a learner needs, including the ability to write documents such as policy and procedures. She is looking forward to contributing her subject matter expertise and to taking on roles in the future in a chairing capacity.

Interests and expertise: cyber security; IT; employer engagement

Claire is a highly-motivated and approachable HR professional who has provided strategic leadership and expert advice to business leaders in Cumbria for the past 30 years. She currently works for the local authority and she played a pivotal role in collaborations in Cumbria as a whole to identify skills needs and facilitate solutions through her work with the Local Enterprise Partnership. She brings that passion to develop the skills agenda to the boardroom of the college, taking a very keen interest in careers in particular, as she also works closely with the college as a Cumbria Careers Enterprise Adviser.

Claire sits on the Remuneration Committee, as well as the Finance and Corporate Affairs Working Group

Peter is Managing Partner of local Chartered Accountants and business advisers Robinson and Co. He takes a keen interest in driving businesses forward to reach their full potential, irrespective of size and type. He brings significant business development expertise to the board.

Peter is a member of the Finance and Corporate Working Group.

Interests and expertise: finance; business development

Elizabeth is Learning Support Practitioner at Lakes College and is our Business Support Staff Governor. She has worked in the education sector for more than 25 years in various settings from early years, primary, secondary, special educational needs and further education.

She brings a breadth of experience and has been involved with Lakes College as both a staff member, a parent and a customer, which she feels gives her a varied insight into the college from differing perspectives which will help shape her contribution to the board.

Elaine is HR Manager for JDP in Cumbria with a particular interest in leadership and change management, having supported several companies through the process during her career. She believes in the power of building trust, coupled with an open and honest approach to effect change.

Elaine likes to explore different angles to the challenges all businesses face and is adept at seeing patterns and opportunities, bringing a fresh perspective to decision-making. With former experience in a community-based organisation, she is motivated on a personal level to re-engage in community activity through her board membership and looks forward to her own self-development.

Interests and expertise: HR; staff relations; internal communications; change management

Sophie Kelly is a higher apprentice working with Sellafield, studying higher education under the National College for Nuclear offer. She has an impressive track record working her way up from leaving school through to her current role and is keen to develop her leadership skills. She has an equally impressive record of volunteering, raising £24,000 to date, and an interesting mix of hobbies including beginners’ violin.

As Senior Legal Counsel with Assystem, the world’s third-largest independent engineering organisation, Alistair’s knowledge and experience in law and compliance — coupled with his knowledge of the nuclear sector — brings much welcome skills to the Lakes College Board.

With an interest in education from a previous life at a local authority, Alistair is driven by his firmly-held belief of the transformational effect of education to unlock economic growth, in addition to providing critical services of benefit to local communities.

Alistair firmly believes in the importance of the learner experience and looks forward to using his considerable leadership skills and analytical ability to maximum impact.

Interests and expertise: law; economics; risk; compliance; employer engagement

Robert is Head of Financial Reporting and Cash Management at Sellafield Ltd and joined the board to give the benefit of his significant financial experience to a local body, which is firmly based in the local community. Local to West Cumbria, he is committed to giving something back and supporting the life chances of local people. He brings enormous enthusiasm for the role, in addition to his skills and experience.

Robert chairs the Audit Committee.

Interests and expertise: finance; audit

With a background in finance and banking, Chris moved into the education sector as a lecturer, moving through the ranks to take the Principal’s position at Lakes College in 2014 following a five-year spell as Deputy Principal. It is the local community and key stakeholders who are at the heart of discussions around the boardroom table, as Chris and colleagues continue their drive to provide the very best of education and training here in West Cumbria. Chris is appointed to the Search and Governance Committee, but attends in his capacity of Principal when there is a need to do so.

Interests and expertise: teaching and learning; business development; education policy; stakeholder liaison locally and nationally

Val Pallister has recently retired as Data Services Manager and her passion for the college has led her to continue in a boardroom setting, bringing her not inconsiderable experience to the skills mix, including to the Audit Committee. Her understanding of the complex sector rules is a valuable asset to the board.

Previously Area Manager (West) for Inspira, providing youth support work and independent careers’ advice and guidance, Mike is well known in the area and recognised for his professional achievements and voluntary commitments, particularly in the field of sport and youth work. He is a trustee of a number of voluntary organisations and Chair of the West Cumbria Learning Centre (Pupil Referral Unit and Alternative Provision).

Mike sits on the Finance and Corporate Working Group, the Remuneration Committee, the Search and Governance Committee, and plays a leading role in self-assessment by co-chairing the Quality Working Group. He is a safeguarding link governor.

Interests and expertise: youth; independent advice and guidance; quality

Throughout her career Denise has been a committed volunteer, serving on Workington Town Council and mentoring ex-offenders. A former student of the college, she has returned to support and promote education as a means of expanding horizons and getting work. Denise is currently working as a strategic adviser for Mace Group, has supported local authorities with regeneration and infrastructure funding bids and has previously supported unemployed people to find work by building their confidence and skills. She is currently seconded to Sellafield Ltd and has been recently elected to the local authority, where she serves as the Portfolio Holder for Roads and Transport.

Denise is a member of the Audit Committee.

Interests and expertise: community; worklessness; education and training; local authority

In her current role Jill has overarching responsibility for the strategic and academic leadership within the Institute of Engineering, Computing and Advanced Manufacturing at the University of Cumbria.

Prior to her appointment at Cumbria, Jill held several senior leadership roles including Head of Department of Engineering and Mathematics at Sheffield Hallam University and Head of School of Engineering at the University of Chester.

In the course of her career, Jill has attracted more than £1.8 million in research funding and is the author of more than 70 publications and has delivered numerous invited lectures.

She has won prestigious awards including the Charles Sharpe Beecher Prize for aerospace research and the THE award for Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiatives.

Jill is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and is a Director of the National College for Nuclear.

Norma is Director and Company Secretary of the Cockermouth Agricultural Show and on the Executive of the North West Show Association, in addition to her daytime job at the Rural Payments Agency. She is a Chartered Company Secretary.

She is a co-opted member of the Audit Committee, following a long many years as a full-time Governor.

Interests and expertise: governance; audit

With a background in broadcasting, government media relations and local government scrutiny, including committee clerking, Jane joined the college as Clerk to the Governors in 2009 and has since completed the national, specialist qualification for clerks. She also clerks the National College for Nuclear and Lakes College Enterprises Ltd. She is the first point of contact for governor enquiries.