AoC Staff Governor Conference 2025

Now serving as Director of Governance and Compliance at Southport Education Group, Lisa began her career in financial services before a passion for supporting others led her to the education sector in 2010. She worked in student support and child protection, where she had hands-on experience helping some of the most vulnerable and marginalised young people in the Northwest.

This on-the-ground experience gave her a unique perspective on how policy truly impacts people's lives. When Lisa moved into governance, she brought this powerful viewpoint with her, driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of education and the benefits of equity. She learned firsthand that the perspective from the front lines is not just important—it is the very foundation of good governance.

Lisa’s approach is underpinned by her belief that believing in your worth is the first step to making a meaningful impact. Her role is to ensure the Governing Board never loses sight of its ability to positively influence the lives and communities it serves.

Daniel Still has been a lecturer in Engineering for the last 18 years Currently he is a Curriculum Team Leader for Higher Education Programmes in Engineering at Middlesbrough College, where he is also the elected Staff Governor (Academic). He brings his experience as the Chair of the AOC Staff Governors network supporting new and experienced governors.

Steven Tucker spent 9 years as one of Her/His Majesty's Inspector and 18 years as a teacher and leader in an FE college. While working for Ofsted, Steven held positions as the national lead for FE curriculum and national lead for 16 to 19 study programmes. He was lead researcher/author of Ofsted’s influential report into apprenticeships - ‘Apprenticeships: developing skills for future prosperity' (2015). He led the training of all Ofsted inspectors and HMI in the FE and sector, including training them to implement the Education Inspection Framework. Before this, Steven was a senior leader in further education and taught performing arts.

Steven now works on quality improvement and leadership projects with colleges, universities and training providers. He regularly provides training and mentoring for leaders, managers and teachers on evidence-based quality assurance/improvement strategies. Steven researches and writes about key issues in education management such as current practice in lesson observations and evidence-based leadership of quality. His articles on these topics are available through FE Week, Association of Colleges and Sixth Form Colleges Association.

Simon Perryman is a member of the Association of Colleges AoC Board. He has recently completed his term as Chair of the Board of Governors at Barnsley College and has previously been a National Leader of Governance for the Further Education sector and Chair of the National Chairs Council of the AoC. Simon now chairs NOCN, a large awarding and training organisation with a strong focus on construction and green skills and is the director of Perryman, Yeandle and Associates Ltd, a private TVET consultancy business, advising governments, business and the vocational education sector on skills systems and strategies. Simon has a background in Government. He was previously Executive Director of the employer led UK Commission for Employment and Skills. Under his leadership, the Commission developed the Sector Skills Council SSC network, managed UK wide Standards development, funded industry led skills development projects and provided advice to Government on TVET policy.

Jo Taylor has worked in HR for almost four decades, with experience spanning the public and private sectors, including 15 years in a senior HR role at a large London college. For the past seven years, she has led AoC’s Employment Advice Services, supporting colleges on everything from employment law and workforce data to recruitment, retention and CPD. Jo works closely with AoC’s HR networks, and key stakeholders such as DfE and Acas, ensuring the sector’s voice is heard in national workforce discussions. Passionate about people and practice, she aims to bring a grounded, sector-focused perspective to all things HR.

David Hughes became Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges in September 2016. Before that he was Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute and spent over 10 years at the Learning and Skills Council and Skills Funding Agency where he had national responsibility for funding and improvement with colleges and providers. David holds several Board positions including with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics and the Bell Foundation. He was Vice-Chair of the East Midlands Regional Assembly in the 1990s, founding Chair of the Education and Training Foundation in 2013 and has helped set-up several third sector organisations.

Julian is one of two Deputy Chief Executives and leads on AoC's national policy. He is the specialist on funding, finance, regulation and pensions issues and provides evidence to Select Committees, works with thinktanks, helps government officials implement policy and advises principals and governing bodies on college strategies. Before he joined AoC almost 20 years ago, he was City Lit's finance director, registrar at Lewisham College and, at the start of his career, an auditor with Price Waterhouse.

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.