Governors

Chair of Governors

Rick Olver

Rick was appointed to the Board in 2020. Rick is Chair to the Corporation and Chair of the Curriculum and Quality 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.

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The Board

Roland Anderson

Roland was appointed to the Board in 2020. Roland is Vice-Chair to the Corporation and 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.

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Oluwaseye Awolusi

Oluwaseye is Governor - Policy and Risk Committee. Oluwaseye is a financial expert and a seasoned professional in external and internal auditing, bringing more than seven years of valuable experience to his role as a Full Corporation Board Member and Governor. After earning his MBA in Finance and Bachelor’s in Accounting from the University of Lagos, Oluwaseye became an Associate Chartered Accountant certified in 2018. Currently, he is Manager in Financial Services Advisory at BDO.

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Gerry Bender

Gerry was appointed to the Board in 2020. Gerry is Governor - Governance and Remuneration Committee and Curriculum and 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.

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Denise Brown HCIMA, DMS, MSocSc

Denise 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.

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Steve Collins

Steve is Governor - Policy and Risk Committee. Steve has over 20 years of experience advising on Finance and Operations. Steve is a fellow of the ICAEW having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in the early 2000's with a top tier Accountancy firm. Steve has held a range of senior managerial roles and board positions in practice, as well as industry, running businesses. Steve is passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship and is currently managing Director of a firm of Business Advisors.

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Jodie Curtis

Jodie is (HE Student Governor) Curriculum and Quality Committee.

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Lee Freeman

Lee was appointed to the Board in 2020. Lee is Chair of the Policy and 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.

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Paul Gribbon

Paul was appointed to the Board in 2023. Paul is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. Paul has over 20 years of experience in Information and Cyber Security, and Data Privacy. He operates at board and senior management level, developing strategy, participating in Board Assurance and Audit engagements in the public and private sectors, and aiding organisations with compliance, legal and regulation.

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Sue Leonard

Sue was appointed to the Board in 2020. Sue is Chair of the Governance and Remuneration Committee. 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.

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Jo Brooker

Jo is (Staff Governor) Curriculum and Quality Committee. Jo 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.

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Aaron Thompson

Aaron is Governor - Audit and Risk Committee and HE Governor. Aaron is a qualified chartered accountant (ACA) and currently works as an Audit Assistant Manager. He has a wealth of board experience, both in the external world and within his firm. He has a passion for Social Impact including issues affecting education, young people and equality, diversity, and inclusion. He was featured in the EMpower Future Leaders Role Models List 2022.

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Co-opted Member

Linda Everard

Linda is Co-opted Governor Audit and Risk Committee. 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).