I am now retired following diverse careers in the Merchant Navy and latterly, Technology and E-commerce. I bring 30 years of management experience as well as specific skills in business administration, project management and technology.  I have also been a school governor for around 15 years and as well as serving at Fortismere, I regularly act as a mentor to new Chairs and Governing Boards elsewhere.  My three children all attend(ed) the school.  I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of being Chair of Governors at Fortismere, and I greatly appreciate the trust the school has placed in me.  My motivations remain the same throughout:  to contribute my skills, experience and time to support schools and school leaders in doing the very best job they can for our community, and our children.

I became a governor in the hopes of enabling a more constructive dialogue between parents and Fortismere, and to increase transparency at the school.  Two of my children have finished Fortismere and went on to university, while my youngest daughter is currently in Year 12. As a governor, I have tried hard to build on the measures currently in place, to ensure that everyone feels they have a voice. Currently, I am the Vice Chair of Governors, a Link Governor for Communications and for the Sixth Form, and I also serve on several committees. I was a Parent Governor for eight years at my children's primary school, the last four of which I was the Vice-Chair. As a journalist and Associate Professor in Journalism at London Metropolitan University, which is one of the most socially inclusive universities in the UK, I am committed to the state education system. I strongly believe everyone should have the right to the best possible education.

I am the link governor responsible for safeguarding issues.

I am a solicitor by profession and have worked for a number of London law firms during my career. I switched to a part-time legal role in 2010 which freed up time to pursue other interests. I joined the FSA committee shortly afterwards and became a Fortismere governor in 2013.  As a self-confessed languages geek, I also took evening classes in Classical Greek, brushed up my Latin and later put my Latin to good use as a volunteer teacher when Fortismere started Latin lesson as part of the Enrichment programme. I now run the after-school Latin Club on Thursdays which teaches all levels from beginners to GCSE. I am particularly keen to keep the club going, as pressure on school budgets has caused many schools to restrict their language options.

My two sons had seven happy and successful years at Fortismere and are now at university. I hope, as a governor, to contribute to the continued success of the school and the quality of students' education and school experience.

I currently work as a Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, where my role is focused on analyzing and feeding into public policy. I became a governor in order to find a more direct way of contributing to the public sector, and in particular the state education system, and in the hope of using the tools and policy knowledge my job requires to help Fortismere achieve its goal of a transformative education.  My previous career was as a musician, and ensuring the continuation of Fortismere’s proud arts tradition despite the challenges posed by the impact of austerity on the education sector is also a real motivating factor for me as a governor. 

I am a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of experience in both practice and industry. Over the years I have raised funds for companies, from both investors and banks. I have worked as a consultant for a variety of sectors, including financial, media and in education.  I have lived in the area for nearly twenty years now and have two children in Fortismere, in Years 8 and 11. I have formed very strong roots within the local community and have been involved in several local community initiatives. For example, I am treasurer for local charity, the Friends of Cherry Tree Wood, for whom I help raise awareness and carry out fundraising. I will use my skills to help Fortismere continue to thrive. I became a governor in the hope of increasing communication between parents and Fortismere, and to help towards improving the use of the limited resources available to the school.

I have been a Fortismere governor since December 2017 and I am link governor for curriculum and standards.  I have two children in the school and I wanted to become a Fortismere governor to support the efforts of staff in offering an exceptional education to all the children of our community.  Since taking on the role I have been struck by the commitment of so many people, frequently under challenging circumstances. I believe that all stakeholders in Fortismere should be very proud of their school and its outstanding performance in so many areas. But far from resting on its laurels I want the school to focus relentlessly on the initiatives which will drive further improvement.  I am a solicitor by training and I have 20 years' legal and commercial experience in industry.

I am the Operations link and a parent governor at Fortismere. I became a governor to support the school with my skills helping them to focus on driving further improvement. I have had an extensive career working in the private, public and social sectors. I helped dozens of social enterprises refine their strategies, led the growth strategy of a venture philanthropy organisation, and headed the implementation of a major international acquisition by a German industrial company. I have three children; the oldest of which is currently at Fortismere.