National Governance Professionals' Group

The NGPG usually meets four times a year. It is the conduit for information to and from the regions and is responsible for promoting the voice of governance professionals in the sector and ensuring they are properly informed on all key governance issues. Its members are elected to represent each regional committee and there are also co-opted members.

The minutes of the meetings are published.

The NGPG works closely with both AoC and the National Chairs' Council. There is a Memorandum of Understanding between AoC and the NGPG. The NGPG has a co-opted member on the National Chairs' Council.

If you would like further information about NGPG, please email AoC’s Governance Team or call 07795 477118.

AoC Regional Member (Chair)

Catherine Sykes

Yorkshire and Humberside Region

Catherine is Vice Principal Governance & Compliance at Hull College. She is an experienced Governance Professional having worked in a number of FE Colleges, driving effective, compliant and values-led governance. She has led significant governance improvement programmes, including governance self-assessment, implementation of governance action plans, and reviews of risk management, financial regulations, and assurance frameworks.

Catherine currently serves as Chair of the Yorkshire & Humber Governance Professionals Network, supporting peer learning, professional development, and the sharing of good practice across the region. She is a National Leader of Governance (NLG) and External Board Reviewer for the AoC. Regionally and nationally, Catherine is actively engaged in the governance profession, contributing to national discussions, and supporting the development of the Governance Professional Qualifications. She has a particular interest in the evolving governance challenges facing the FE sector, including AI governance, risk and assurance, and the strategic role of the governance professional.

As Chair of the National Governance Professionals Group, Catherine is committed to building a confident, connected, and forward-looking governance community, ensuring governance professionals are equipped to add real strategic value in increasingly complex operating environments.
 

AoC Regional Member

Carol Hague

Yorkshire and Humberside Region (Co-Chair)

AoC Regional Member

Bella Howard

South East Region (Co-Chair)

I am the Director of Governance at East Sussex College Group, which has campuses in Hastings, Eastbourne, Lewes and Newhaven. ESCG, which formed in 2018 following a merger between Sussex Coast College Hastings and Sussex Downs College, is the leading destination for further education in East Sussex. I have been in role since 2022 and provide trusted advice and guidance to the Board, with a particular focus on supporting the College in delivering against its strategic priorities, whilst facilitating robust governance practice.

I previously worked for a local authority Governor & Clerking Service, responsible for leading the Governor training & development programme, as well as advising governance professionals across the county in a broad range of educational settings. Before then, I was fortunate to enjoy a variety of exciting and challenging leadership roles within the financial services sector.

I have been a governance professional for over six years, with prior experience as a Governor and then Co-Chair of Governors in a school setting. I am passionate about governance and the invaluable mechanism it provides for driving positive outcomes for learners and local communities.
 

AoC Regional Member

Georgina Flood

South East Region (Co-Chair)

Currently the Director of Governance at South Hampshire College Group (formed in August 2023 following a merger between Fareham, Eastleigh and Southampton Colleges) I have been with the SHCG since 2019. I have been a governance professional for over 20 years - previously Assistant Company Secretary in a large Housing Association Group, and Company Secretary for a small National Charity.

I am passionate about governance and the integral part it plays in delivering strategy and driving successful organisations. Currently embedding SHCG’s new group structure, I’m particularly focused on developing reflective practice and impact assessment.

AoC Regional Member

Nicola Taylor

North East Region (Co-Chair)

AoC Regional Member

Sarah Thompson

North East Region (Co-Chair)

Sarah is the Group Director of Governance at the Education Training Collective, a multi-site college group with FE, sixth form and HE provision across two local authority areas in the North East. She has worked in a governance role at the group, and its predecessor organisations for 16 years.

Sarah has worked in education governance for more than 20 years and has supported local authority schools, multi academy trusts and FE colleges. She retains her link with school governance via her role as a parent governor on a local school Governing Body. 

AoC Regional Member

Rebecca Clare

North West Region

Rebecca has over 18 years’ experience in governance across the education sector.

Rebecca has worked across a number of schools and large Multi Academy Trusts before moving to Further Education efficiently, leading governance functions.

Since 2023, Rebecca has been the full time Governance Professional leading the Trafford & Stockport College Group. Rebecca has played a pivotal role in developing governance structures, fostering a culture of inclusion and development, through to efficient working and supporting leaders in strategic development. 

Rebecca has provided support to other Governance Professionals through mentoring arrangements in areas such as board evaluation, board effectiveness and development of Governance Action Plans. 

Rebecca currently serves as Chair of the North West Governance Professionals Network to support sharing of knowledge, experience and good practice across the region. Rebecca is a National Leader of Governance and External Board reviewer for AoC. Rebecca also serves as a member of the AoC AI in Governance Working Group.  

Rebecca holds a BA Hons Degree in Communication, has completed the National Clerks Development Programme, Further Education Governance Professionals’ Leadership Programme and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Further Education Governance.

AoC Regional Member

Louise Hazel

East Midlands Region (Co-Chair)

Louise was appointed as Director of Governance and Policy in 2016 having
previously held a policy and planning role at the College.

Before joining Leicester College she worked for the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC). Louise has many years’ experience as a school governor in both primary and secondary schools including as Chair of Governors.

She has also been Company Secretary for a Co-operative Trust school. Louise holds BA (Hons) and MA degrees from the Universities of Manchester and Essex

AoC Regional Member

Ian Jones

East Midlands Region (Co-Chair)

Barrister specialising in education law.

Substantial experience of providing advice to meetings and of training and supporting governors.

Primary School Chair of Governors. Former National Leader in Governance.

AoC Regional Member

Victoria Eastwood

London Region (Co-Chair)

AoC Regional Member

Kay Kavanaugh

West Midlands Region

Please describe your role at the college.

Kay currently holds the position of Director of Governance at Stoke on Trent College, where she demonstrates exemplary commitment to upholding the institution’s standards of accountability and regulatory compliance. With over a decade of comprehensive experience that spans both the school and multi-academy trust sectors, she has, during the most recent six years, applied her specialised knowledge within the Further Education sector. As the appointed Data Protection Officer, she is responsible for overseeing the College's data privacy framework, implementing robust policies to safeguard sensitive information, and ensuring compliance with relevant data protection legislation.

What is the most rewarding part of your role?

Seeing the direct positive impact that governance decisions have on the students, and hearing from students about their experiences at college.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that we didn't already know.

I’m a member of Mensa!

If you could invite three people to your dream dinner party, who would they be?

Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Winston Churchill

AoC Regional Member

Gillian Steels

South West Region (Co-Chair)

Gillian is the Governance Professional at Hartpury University and College and has been there for 5years.

She has worked in governance for over 30years in both the private and public sector, working at a number of FE colleges and schools, and also spent some time working in the NHS. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute and holds the Advanced Certificate in Health Service Governance (Awarded Roy Wilson Prize) and ICSA Certificate in FE Governance FE Governance. She has supported organisations to improve and maintain good practice.

AoC Regional Member

Wendy Randle

South West Region (Co-Chair)

Co-opted, Chair of Governors' Council

Julie Dougill

I am currently the Chair of Governors at Plumpton College, an innovative specialist Land Based College in Sussex of over 2000 students, and the college Safeguarding link governor. I have been in this role for the last two years but throughout my career I have served on a range of governing boards developing a wide governance skillset.

I have worked in the education, learning and skills sector for over 30 years in various senior management roles in FE, schools and at local authority level working on strategic quality improvement and partnership working and in supporting providers, colleges and schools to prepare and deliver post 16 qualifications. More recently I had strategic responsibility for Leadership Development and Governance Services across East Sussex.

I have been actively involved with colleagues across Sussex to inform and shape our successful LSIP bid, in promoting collective governance models and have been part of a national Charis’ forum working with EDF to develop a competency framework for FE and Chairs. I am passionate that as a group of volunteers our skills, knowledge and expertise is used by the AoC to both inform current practice and to drive future change in effective governance.

As your representative, I will use my vast experience of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders alongside my open-minded approach to new ideas and opportunities for change, to ensure that as a group of South East Chairs we are kept informed and more importantly have a strong voice both locally and nationally on the AoC Governors Council.

Co-opted: Natspec Representative

VACANCY

Please contact the Governance Team for further information on the NGPG.