AoC Governance Summit 2026

Paul has been the chair of a General Further Education College and Sixth Form College.  He has been National Leader of Governance for the AOC, Governance Adviser for Education Training Foundation.  He has conducted Board Reviews for a number of colleges nationally, provided governance and coaching support for new chairs, supported boards in conflict and also worked as a Prevent Adviser for BIS.  He is trained in workplace mediation, community development and is currently leading a large regeneration program in London.

He currently serves in the following FE roles as Chair of Waltham Forest College, National Chair’s Council and Governance Consultant  for Association of Colleges. Paul has also held roles as council member of Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service and sat on a cross party group for Skills and Inclusion.

A steadfast advocate for equity in education, employment, and representation, Paul’s career exemplifies the impact of purposeful leadership.

Janet is an experienced strategic leader with a successful track record of transformational change in senior leadership roles within diverse and complex FE colleges across London. She was appointed as Principal & CEO to Waltham Forest College in July 2020. Janet moved into the FE sector following a successful career in the private sector where she developed an expertise in business turnarounds and developing high performing teams. Janet is passionate about promoting equality of opportunity and has led on several regional and national projects in collaboration with partner organisations to support hard to reach pockets of the community. Janet Co-Chairs the London Anchors’ Institution Network Hiring and Skills Group, serves on the Mayor of London’s Partnership Board, is a co-opted board member of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) London Council, is Chair of the Association of Colleges (AoC) London Committee and sits on the National AoC Board ans is a member of the AoC National Employment Group

Graham has been Chair of the College Group and its predecessor organisations for over ten years. Through three mergers, the Group has grown into a multi-site operation spanning two Greater Manchester local authorities.

He is also the Chair of the Greater Manchester FE Colleges Governors’ Group, which meets termly to discuss common issues, share information, and promote collaborative working among Greater Manchester colleges.

Stephanie achieved her PhD in December 2025, researching “The Governance of English FE Colleges – is it fit for purpose?”. This study built on her MSc dissertation on aspects of college mergers, including the role of governors.

Following retirement from RSM, as Head of FE, Skills and Academies, Stephanie joined Workers Educational Association as a trustee. She has an interest in all aspects of governance and has delivered training and projects on topics including Board Assurance Frameworks and risk management. She has held public appointments and worked for the funding body and regulator as well as advising sector bodies.

Graeme Is an experienced education and charity sector trustee and board member. He has been Chair of Askham Bryan College since 2025, and a governor at the college since 2018. He is also currently Chair of Durham University Students’ Union and Yorkshire Bach Choir. Previous board roles include the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and Lancaster University Students’ Union.

He is currently a Senior Policy Advisor at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Naomi is a chartered secretary and has worked in the FE and charity sector for 20 years. Prior to that she held a variety of roles in central and local government, higher education, and the private sector. Her expertise encompasses corporate and financial governance for the voluntary, education and public sectors, compliance, audit, risk management, project management, human resources, and organisational development, along with significant experience of preparation for funding bodies and other public sector inspections.

Chris has over 20 years of experience in Quality and has consistently driven improvements through innovation and process enhancement to increase operational efficiency. Alongside his core role, he has contributed to business and IT teaching.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Chris has served as a Support Staff Governor for over seven years and as Vice Chair and now Chair of the AoC Staff Governors’ Network for three years. He is currently in his third year as a Parent Governor at his son’s primary school. In addition, he is trained as a First Aider, Mental Health First Aider and Fire Marshal.

Catherine Sykes is Vice Principal Governance & Compliance at Hull College, with strategic responsibility for governance, policy, legal and regulatory compliance. Her role focuses on ensuring that organisational strategy, risk management and assurance processes align with the statutory duties of governing bodies and regulatory expectations.

Catherine has significant experience working at board and committee level, supporting governors to engage effectively with complex regulatory, digital and technological issues. Her work is grounded in practical college contexts and informed by a clear understanding of board culture and accountability.

She is a member and Chair of the AoC Governance AI Working Group and has contributed to the development of an AI Governance Framework, designed as a practical tool to support governing bodies in overseeing AI use with confidence and clarity.

Nadia Themis is a Business and Law Lecturer at Chelmsford College and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Association of Colleges (AoC) Staff Governors’ Network. She is also an active Staff Governor with a strong interest in governance, staff voice, equality, wellbeing, and innovation within Further Education. Nadia has a background in corporate business, coaching, leadership training, and education, bringing both industry and academic experience into her work. She is passionate about professional development, inclusive leadership, and the positive use of digital technologies and AI in education to support both staff and students across the FE sector.

Carys Williams is a portfolio Non-Executive Director (NED) and currently the Lead NED at Welsh Government (i.e. the civil service in Wales) and an Independent Lay Member of the House of Commons Committee on Standards. She is also Chair of Age UK East Sussex (a large local charity), and a member of the boards of both East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and IBAS. The majority of her professional career has been spent as a Senior Executive in financial services working for the Financial Ombudsman Service and Lloyds Banking Group.