Governance

David Meadowcroft, Chair of Governors

David Meadowcroft joined the Board in March 2015. David is a property services specialist and Business Unit Director with CBRE having previously worked with organisations such as RBS, HSBC, HMRC and Barclays. David has a passion for supporting the development of young people and he is proud that he has been a college/ school governor for over 15 years. David grew up in West Cumbria, which is where he developed a passion for the countryside and outdoor pursuits. He lives in Deanshanger with his wife and two teenage sons. David is a member of the Remuneration Committee.

Alan Cook, CBE, Joint Vice Chair of Governors

Alan Cook CBE joined the Board in August 2019. Alan has extensive financial services experience across insurance, banking and investments Since 2010, Alan has been solely performing governance roles on numerous Boards including: Chetwood Financial Ltd, (where is he the current Chair), and prior to that he has served as Chair of the University of Bedfordshire, Chair of Permanent TSB Group Holdings, senior independent director of Sainsbury’s Bank, Chair of the Highways Agency and as Non-Executive Director at the Department for Transport, Financial Ombudsman Service and the Office of Fair Trading. As an executive, he has also been managing director of Post Office Ltd, chief executive officer of National Savings & Investments and chief operating officer for UK and Europe of Prudential Assurance. Alan has lived in Milton Keynes for many years and was keen to take on this local role. Alan is the Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Angela Novell, Governor

Angela Novell joined the Board in October 2022. Angela is a qualified teacher and charity leader. Her experience is in values -led strategic leadership, business planning and community education. Angela is Chief Executive Officer for disability charity MK SNAP, leading a multi-disciplinary team that provides education, work training and life skills for adults with learning disabilities. The charity was awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2020. Angela was the Founder President of Soroptimist International MK a global volunteer movement supporting women and girls as well as being a trustee for a sports charity and member of the Royal British Legion. Angela enjoys spending time with her family, baking and travel. Angela is also a member of the Curriculum and Quality Group.

Charlynne Pullen, Governor

Charlynne Pullen is a Principal Research Fellow at the Sheffield Institute of Research and Knowledge Exchange within the Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University. Her research interests are focused on post-16 skills policy and evaluation, and she has worked in education research for over 15 years. Charlynne has previously been Head of Research and Evaluation at the Education and Training Foundation, Principal Researcher in Evaluation and Skills at the Learning and Skills Network, and Research Manager at City & Guilds. Charlynne grew up in Milton Keynes and was Labours parliamentary candidate in Milton Keynes North in 2017 and 2019. Earlier in her career. Charlynne was a Governor at two primary schools, a trustee at a grant giving charity, and a Councillor in Islington, where she also chaired the Education Committee. Having been on the board at Milton Keynes College since 2016, Charlynne has previously chaired the Search and Governance Committee and the CEO Selection Committee. She is currently the Chair of the Curriculum and Quality Group.

Gwynneth Tan, Governor

Gwynneth Tan joined the Board in September 2014. Gwynneth is a partner at Shoosmiths LLP where she specialises in employment law providing strategic and commercial advice to clients across a range of sectors including further and higher education and retail. Shoosmiths is a major UK law firm with a network of 12 offices. Gwynneth enjoys the outdoors and travel. Gwynneth chairs the Remuneration Committee.

Ian Revell, Governor

Ian joined the Board in 2021. Ian is CEO of MK Community Foundation where he leads a team which promotes philanthropy, managing 50+ charitable funds that enable the Community Foundation to give grants to over 180 community organisations annually. Ian has worked in the Voluntary and Community Sector for over 30 years throughout that time Ian has served on a number of Boards both business and charitable and has a track record of public service work with local, regional and national bodies throughout his career. Previously, Ian led the YMCA locally, bringing forward its redevelopment project in CMK. Before moving to Milton Keynes, Ian worked in the Brixton area of South London developing and running numerous community programmes for young people, children and families. He also led on developing engagement and education initiatives for what was at the time the UK’s largest refugee and asylum-seeker hostel.

Ian describes himself as a true Milton Keynian, living with his family in Bletchley for over 20 years, fully engaging in all the city and borough has to offer including the local ice hockey junior teams.

Jacob Jempson – Student Governor

Jacob is a Level 3 student (Advanced Media Production) based at Chaffron Way. Being a member of the Curriculum Quality Group, he is looking forward to sharing his experiences as a student and learning the skills and qualities required in his role as a Student Governor.

Jez Wilsdon, Governor

Jez Wilsdon joined the Board in October 2022. He is Head of Development at the Grand Union Partnership – a local, primary focused trust. Jez has previously worked in a number of senior leadership roles in Further Education, all including a focus on quality. He is passionate about learning and its power to transform lives. In his spare time Jez enjoys playing tennis and golf and being out in the great outdoors. He’s also part of a church group that has established the Milton Keynes branch of The Hygiene Bank, that works with a range of community partners to address hygiene poverty. Jez is a member of the Curriculum and Quality Group.

Kaye Dwight, Staff Governor

Kaye was elected as a Staff Governor in October 2020. Kaye has worked at Milton Keynes College since 2004 in several roles, giving her valuable experience of Further Education and the changes that the sector has undergone. Currently she is Head of Admissions, Bursary and Data Services, responsible for the recruitment and enrolment of the majority of the College’s students and ensuring that the bursary allocation is targeted at the most vulnerable students. Kaye also oversees the reports and data provided to support both curriculum and business partner areas.
Kaye is a member of the Curriculum & Quality Group.

Maria Abbas – Student Governor

Maria is a Level 3 student (Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma in Business VRQ) based at Chaffron Way. She is looking forward to learning more about how the College works and being a member of the Board of Governors and Curriculum Quality Group to help improve the experience of students.

Manish Verma, Governor

Manish joined the Board in May 2019. Manish is a qualified accountant (ACA) and entrepreneur. His experience is global having worked with many leading banks and includes financial management, programme management, consultancy and leading edge technology. Manish is currently a strategic adviser for major corporates, managing complex budgets and delivering regulatory and technology projects as well as owning a restaurant. Manish is a Parish Councillor, School Governor and a member of MK Business Leaders Partnership. In his spare time, Manish is interested in philanthropy, education and cricket.

Mat Gotkowski, Governor

Mat joined the Board in May 2019. Mat is a qualified accountant (ACCA) and currently the Head of Group Financial Accounting & Reporting at Zopa Bank. He previously worked at two Big 4 firms (PwC and EY), leading on audits of financial services clients. Mat’s experience includes people management, financial reporting, financial management and corporate governance. Mat is passionate about social mobility and the role of education in shaping the workforce of the future and he describes himself as an outdoor enthusiast and a fan of travel and adventure books. Mat chairs the Finance Group and is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Neil Sainsbury, Governor

Neil Sainsbury joined the Board in October 2019. Neil is a qualified urban design and town planner, a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and recently joined the property consultancy, Lambert Smith Hampton as an Associate Director within the Urban Design and Master planning team. At Lambert Smith Hampton Neil advises his clients on how they can maximise value for their land as well as enable a high quality place to live, work or play in. Outside of work, Neil enjoys all things outdoors especially hiking and skiing.

Neil is a member of the Capital Project Monitoring Group and has a particular interest in how the College can help the support the growth of Milton Keynes.

Peter Cox, Governor

Peter Cox joined the Board in July 2014. Peter was a corporate partner in the Milton Keynes office of Dentons, a global law firm, until his retirement in October 2020. Peter’s particular expertise is in corporate finance transactions. His practice covers banking, mergers, acquisitions and disposals, establishing and reorganising businesses, joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments. Peter is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee and Chair of the Property Development Monitoring Group.

Richard Bartlett-Rawlings, Governor

Richard Bartlett-Rawlings joined the Board in October 2019. Richard is a qualified accountant (FCA) and currently an audit partner with RSM Milton Keynes working with a range of businesses from not for profit fund holders to large corporate entities in a variety of sectors. Richard has extensive financial experience having previously held roles with KPMG and Deloitte. Most of Richard’s spare time is taken up with family but he is interested in all things automotive and also has a passion for technology. Having attended a Further Education College prior to university, Richard is committed to widening participation and understands the value that Further Education Colleges can bring to the wider community. Richard is Vice-Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Ruby Parmar, Joint Vice Chair of Governors

Ruby is an experienced business advisor to the private company market. She has worked in professional services firms for over 30 years, the last 20 at PwC where she was a partner whose roles included heading up the Private Business practice, leading on the PwC sponsored Private Business Awards and latterly as leader of the Milton Keynes office.

Having retired as a PwC partner at the end of June 2019, she now wears many hats supporting the private, public and charitable sectors. She also continues to mentor individuals and supports organisations with their Diversity and Inclusion agenda.

Her other roles include: Chair of TOTM (an organic and sustainable feminine hygiene products business), Director of Twenty3 (a sports intelligence business), Trustee of the Magic Bus, (a charity supporting children from the most deprived backgrounds in India), Director of Signia Wealth (a private investment office). When not engaging in business, education and opening up and sharing networks, she enjoys walking the dog, keeping fit, and growing vegetables.

Sally Alexander, Governor/CEO and Group Principal

Sally has worked in Offender Learning for 24 years, supporting learners both in custody and in the community, to develop their learning and skills, address their offending behaviour and to support them on a pathway to resettlement on and after release.

A qualified teacher, Sally began working with learners as a lecturer in custody in 1992 at HMP Bullingdon. Sally soon progressed to their Education Manager, before moving on to MK College where she became responsible for delivering education and employment opportunities for offenders.

During this time, Sally has also supported the College in a range of provision including ETE programmes, JCP programmes, community outreach, ESF funded provision and working with NEETS. Currently, MK College work with an average of 25,000-30,000 learners a year across a range of programmes, guiding them on their future pathways within custody, with a committed focus on supporting their resettlement upon release.

Sean Hainsworth, Staff Governor

Sean was elected as a Staff Governor in July 2022. Sean has worked at Milton Keynes College for 33 years with experience in engineering and education. Sean started his career travelling the world with her majesty’s Royal Air Force as a fast jet technician on Tornado and Harrier aircraft moving to the rank of Corporal.

He then moved into education working for Milton Keynes College at the Information and Technology Centre, he is now a course team leader in Aeronautical Engineering study programmes and the new Engineering T Level qualifications. Sean takes his responsibilities working at the college very seriously, upholding the standards and ethos that her accrued within the Royal Air Force.

Shalom Lloyd, Governor

Shalom Lloyd joined the Board in December 2021. Shalom is the Founder of Naturally Tribal Skincare, a natural skincare company built on valuing healthy, ethical and sustainable living whilst empowering African women.

She is also the Chief Strategy Officer at Emerging Markets Quality Trials (eMQT), an organisation focused on diversity in Clinical Trials providing the global pharmaceutical industry access to patients in Africa.

Shalom’s cross-cultural background has enabled her to push for diversity and cultural awareness in the global business place at every opportunity for herself and others. With a strong belief in providing support, direction and opportunities for young people through her passion for STEM and nature, Shalom strives to open doors for people to see that anything is truly possible and achievable.

Sufian Sadiq, Governor

Sufian Sadiq joined the Board in 2022. Sufian is the Director of Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, with responsibility for overseeing two regional hub areas in southeast England; Chiltern Teaching School is one of the largest providers of teacher development to the sector nationally. Sufian has held a wide range of non-executive roles across a range of charitable and educational establishments and is passionate about equality and diversity. His hobbies include cricket and football. Sufian is a member of the Curriculum & Quality Group.

Karen Brown, Head of Governance and Clerk to the Corporation

Karen joined the College in 2010 and prior to that she was a senior Learning Consultant with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Karen is directly accountable to the Board of Governors and her role is to provide support, guidance ensuring there is high quality college governance and that the Board operates within the requirements of the Instrument & Articles of Government. Karen has been a school governor for 12 years.