Judith Bennett NGA Chair
Vice-chair of a primary school in Oxfordshire
After 24 years as a secondary teacher, in 1993 Judith left a senior post to work in publishing. At this time she also became a primary school governor and since 1998 she has given increasing time to this at both the local and national level.
Judith Bennett became NGA Chair in 2006
Carol Woodhouse - NGA Treasurer
Currently Chair of governors at a Devon primary school and a member of the local community college governing body.
Carol joined the executive board of the then NAGM (which later became NASG) in 1998. She became treasurer of NASG in 2002 and, following the merger with NGC, was elected Treasurer of the NGA in 2006.
Carol has been an Ofsted Inspector and director of a publishing company. She was manager of governor services in Newcastle between 1990-1996. In her earlier career she taught in primary and secondary schools in Newcastle and British Columbia.
Terry Douris - Hon Secretary
The NGA Hon Secretary is Terry Douris, who is Chair of Governors of two schools in Hertfordshire. Terry has supported a number of governing bodies through difficult times to a successful conclusion.
Stephen Adamson - Vice Chair
Governor in Norwich and MD of Adamson Books Ltd., writes for the Times Educational Supplement on governance issues.
Stephen is a member of the Norfolk local governor network committee and vice-chair of the NGA.
He is a publisher by profession, running a small business specialising in school management.
Colleen Arnold – Vice Chair
Colleen is vice chair of governors at a Church of England primary school in Torbay and a Church of England schools inspector. She has experience as a Chair of Governors and as a Diocesan Coordinator of Governor Services.
Colleen has been a member of NAGM, NASG and NGA for approx 15 years. She was on the Board of the National Association of School Governors.
Clare Collins – Vice Chair
Clare has been a school governor since 1991. She is currently chair at a Haywards Heath secondary school, as well as being chair at a primary school in Crawley. Clare has served as a community, a local authority, and an additional governor.
Clare was a founder member of the West Sussex Governors’ Association and is vice-chair of West Sussex’s School Forum.
Clare was elected to the NGC board in 2002, and became a vice chair in 2003. She was re-elected to this position with the NGA in 2006.
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
The NGA has directors elected in each of the nine regions of England
London - Lesley Stout
Lesley Stout has been a governor since 1989. After starting a career in Banking Lesley later took up the post of School Bursar; a role she filled until Sept 2003 when she took a career break to complete an MBA in Education Leadership for Bursars.
Lesley has created a number of school policy documents and is a representative on her local Schools Forum (Vice Chair), Admissions Forum, School Organisation Committee (until its demise), Education Safety Committee, Strategic Planning Group (governor training), LA Management Committee for WFR, SACRE, and LA Education Personnel ‘Best Value Review’ Panel.
Lesley also runs dance workshops for adults and children.
South East - Doris Neville-Davies
Governor at primary schools in Surrey. Past service of 19 years at a large voluntary aided primary; eight years at a special school (SLD) school and three years at a voluntary aided junior school with serious weaknesses for the first two years.
Positions held on GB: Chairman (5 schools); vice-chairman (6 schools).
Member of Surrey Governors’ Association executive for 10 years & chairman for four years; inaugural member (now chairman) of FourS Partnership Board (stakeholders’ advisory board for LA/VT company trading Surrey’s services); panel member (including chairman) for exclusion and admissions (and previously special needs) appeals; one of Surrey’s Advanced Skills Governors.
Director of London Diocesan Board for Schools
Yorkshire - Dennis Roberts
Dennis is an ex-Head teacher and current governor in Sheffield schools.
Dennis subsequently moved to be a local authority adviser for education management and governor services for Derbyshire; he retired in 1984 and started part time post graduate teacher training for Sheffield and Hallam University, and was employed as a freelance governors’ trainer for the LA. He has continued to serve as a primary school governor with two sessions as chair. Dennis co-founded the Sheffield association over 10 years ago.
East Midlands - Fred Manning
School governor for 36 years. Chair of the City of Nottingham Governors Association.
Magistrate for 32 years. Board member Magistrates Association. ACAS accredited arbiter.
West Midlands - Siddique Hussain
Siddique has been a governor for many years in both primary and secondary schools in Sandwell.
Siddique is a science graduate with many years of experience at management level in marketing.
Since 2001 he has worked as a freelance marketing consultant. He is also a tutor/teacher in adult education.
North West
- Susan Marsh MBE
Susan Marsh is chair of the governing body of a Church of England primary school, a governor of a boy’s high school and chair of the Tameside governors’ association.
She is also a magistrate, a member of the Manchester Diocesan Board of Education, president of her local federation of community organisations, a trustee of a race equality council and a director of a regeneration partnership.
South West - John Pay MBE
John is a retired business with experience in general management, finance and training. He has been a governor for approximately sixteen years and is currently the Chair of Governors of a community middle school in Poole. During this same period he has also served from time to time as an LEA Additional Governor to schools that have been in difficulties.
He is a founder member of the Poole Governors Forum and its current Chair. He sits on Poole’s Schools Forum and serves on its LMS working group.
NGA GENERAL DIRECTORS
Richard Thompson - Director
Governor of primary schools in Hackney and Cumbria
Chaired Hackney local Association for ten years. Richard’s work background also lies in education – as secondary teacher [and teacher-governor], then ten years in the educational charity sector as a national officer; he holds an MA in education and is now studying for a PhD.
Paul Mason - Director
School governor for 35 years. Chair of Derbyshire Governors’ Association. Ex-Headteacher and fomer technical director of a management consultancy and training organisation. Forty years plus experience in the world of education including successful teaching, lecturing, organising and constructing responsibility. Served as Chair of governors for 25 years. Headmaster of a large community school, officer of a national teacher association, and has represented NGC and NGA on regional and national groups (including the GovernorLine management board
Duncan Haworth - General Director
A governor for more than 10 years, currently a parent governor at a 1600 pupil secondary school and also vice chair and community governor at a 2 form entry primary school, having previously been chair for 4 years. Since its formation in 2001 Duncan has been the secretary of the Cheshire Association of Governing Bodies and is involved in Cheshire’s Schools Forum and various committees within the Local Authority.
He is a self-employed consultant in the human resources field, having previously been a senior operations manager in industry.