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Governors
Chair of Governors
Elizabeth Sipiere
Elizabeth Sipiere was appointed to the Board in March 2019 and appointed as Chair of the Corporation in August 2019. Elizabeth is a member of the Policy & Resources Committee, the Search & Governance Committee and Remuneration Committee. She is the link Governor for Digital Technologies, Media and Performing Arts.
Elizabeth joins us as an experienced board member, having had a career in technology including CEO of a number of Private Equity backed businesses and as Global Head of Capital Markets at HP and President of Broker Business at OMX (now OMX Nasdaq). Elizabeth has also held a number of Non-Executive Director roles over the last 17 years. She is on the board of Swan Housing, providers of social housing and regeneration projects in East London and Essex and chairs their Operations Committee. Elizabeth has a BSc and MSc from the London School of Economics.
The Board
Roland Anderson
Roland Anderson was appointed to the Board in 2020. Roland is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee. He is the link Governor for Engineering and Construction. Roland has 49 years’ experience in the rail industry in operations, commercial contracts, project management and sales, working in both public sector and managing the transition to the private sector.
Gerry Bender
Gerry Bender was appointed to the Board in 2020. Gerry is a member of the Curriculum & Quality Committee. He is the link Governor for Student Services and the Student Union. Gerry has a wealth of experience in mainstream and special education, adult learning and latterly workplace education and training. He is a retired education consultant and NVQ Internal Verifier.
Lee Freeman
Lee Freeman was appointed to the Board in 2020. Lee is Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee. He is the link Governor for Art, Design & Business. Lee is a chartered accountant (FCA) with international experience as a Finance Director. He currently works as a Specialist Procurement Advisor.
Dr Roderic Gray
Dr Roderic Gray was appointed to the Board in 1998, is Chair of the Search & Governance Committees and a member of the Policy and Resources Committee and the Remuneration Committee. He served as Vice Chair of the Corporation from 2006-2012. He is the link Governor for Equality & Diversity, HE and Business Development. Rod is a Chartered Member of the CIPD and was formerly a management consultant and coach. He now writes on organisational behaviour and is a visiting research adviser at a Polish university.
Sue Leonard
Sue Leonard was appointed to the Board in 2020. Sue is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee and Curriculum & Quality Committee. She is the link Governor for Learning & Progression. Sue is a qualified FE teacher with extensive experience of working in post 16 education and within custodial learning and skills and several years of inspecting post 16 education and training with Ofsted. Sue currently works as an Independent Quality Improvement Consultant.
Jo McGee
Jo McGee was first elected as a Staff Member of the Board (Academic) in December 2017 and was reappointed in 2021. She is a member of the Curriculum & Quality Committee. Jo is an Advanced Practitioner, Teaching & Learning.
Denise Brown HCIMA, DMS, MSocSc
Denise Brown is the Principal and Chief Executive of the college, appointed in 2022. Denise was the former Principal and Chief Executive of Stoke on Trent College, and has worked at South Essex College previously as the Vice Principal for Curriculum and Quality. Denise has 26 years’ experience in further education, including 18 years’ experience in senior leadership roles.
Rick Olver
Rick Olver was appointed to the Board in 2020. Rick is Chair of the Curriculum & Quality Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. He is the link Governor for English and Maths. Rick has many years’ experience in education, having served as a Vice Principal of a local adult community college. He is also Chair of Trustees at Trust Links, a local mental health and wellbeing charity.
Louise Parr-Morley
Louise Parr-Morley was appointed to the Board in 2020 and is a member of the Policy & Resources Committee and Remuneration Committee. Louise is an ACMA accountant and she is interim CFO for University of Plymouth. Louise is an experienced CFO and Executive Director of wider Governance and Corporate Services and currently provides independent contract support to the HE and not for profit sector.
Andy Ray
Andy Ray was appointed to the Board in 2020. Andy is Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee and a member of the Search and Governance Committee. He is the link Governor for Health & Safety and Capital Projects. Andy has worked for 30 years in the NHS. He is an ACMA qualified accountant and his current role is as the Chief Finance Officer for Mid and South Essex NHS Joint Commissioning Team.
Sarah Stone
Sarah Stone was appointed to the Board in 2019. Sarah Chairs the Remuneration Committee and serves on the Policy and Resources Committee. She is the link Governor for Workforce Apprenticeships. Sarah was employed as a Director of People and Culture in a global managed print and IT Services company. She lives locally and is a member of the Basildon Business Group.
Ian Spademan
Ian Spademan was appointed as a Business Support Staff Member to the Board in 2022. Ian has been a part of the college for over 13 years. Ian supports the Health and Science team as a Science Technician with his specialism in Forensic Science and other departments that require use of the Laboratory, including supporting the BSc(Hons) Criminology & Forensic Investigation course. Ian is also part of the Extended Leadership team of a local Church.
Co-opted Member
Linda Everard
Linda Everard is a co-opted member of the Audit & Risk Committee from March 2021. Linda was employed as the Head of Internal Audit for two local councils and a housing management company until her retirement in 2018. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and an associate member of the Institute of Personnel and Development (IPD).
