Corporation Board

Kate is a very experienced Director of Human Resources. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Kate has been a Board Director with the NHS for over 25 years. She has also been a Non-Executive Director with responsibilities for governance and quality assurance. Kate is Chair of the charity Children’s Links, and has a long-standing commitment to lifelong learning and development.

Alison joined the Corporation Board in July 2022 and brings a wealth of experience in business development. Having worked for both SMEs and large corporations, Alison brings best-practice knowledge and skills to discussions (having completed a Management and Leadership Degree). With a passion for CSR and people (having studied psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy), her focus is on improving the way organisations meet the needs of their customers and communities.

Andrew has a real love for West Notts College and what it does for the area, and he was eager to apply when the opportunity arose to join the Corporation Board as staff governor (business support), feeling that this would enable him to guide and support the college in its work with the community and local area. Andrew would like the college to be at the heart of the community and use its position and strength to enable people to develop their skills, knowledge and talent.

Ben is an experienced senior leader who has worked at several outstanding colleges over the course of his career. He brings to the Corporation Board his considerable experience in developing and leading cross-college strategies that deliver positive reputational and commercial impact. During his time in the sector, Ben has been involved with numerous national initiatives, including the Strategic College Improvement Fund (SCIF) project. Ben has also sat on various AoC groups that support areas such as mental health, SEND, and internationalism, particularly opportunities arising from the Erasmus+ programme.

Charles joined the Corporation Board in September 2019 and has a wealth of financial management experience. He stepped briefly into a co-optee role on the Finance and Estates Committee before re-joining the Corporation Board as a full member in January 2024 and taking over the chairing of the Workforce Development Committee. His career spans many years with roles both long and short-term, with a focus on changes needed to bring about financial recovery/financial optimisation. He has previous experience in non-executive roles, including committee chair experience and volunteering as a school governor. He has a commitment to education and offered his time as a young enterprise advisor over a number of years. He has worked as a finance director and business advisor for companies ranging in turnover between £10m and £1bn. He describes himself as having a pragmatic approach combined with a strategic view. He understands the role of a governor and the careful balance to be struck between support and challenge.

David has a technical, engineering education coupled with 30 years of business experience. He has held several leadership roles in engineering organisations operating within the power, oil and gas, food and beverage and pharma market sectors. His career, much of which has been globally placed, offered a unique insight into multiple business philosophies and cultures, which have aided his continued development. David lives in Mansfield and started his further education journey at West Notts College in 1987. He remains passionate about people, development and continued learning, and looks forward to using his career experience to deliver value in his role with West Notts College as an active member of the Corporation Board.

Edward joined the Corporation Board in September 2023 and has over twenty-five years of experience in financial management in a career spanning manufacturing and service industries, including waste management, coal, major retail, IT and telecommunications. Career highlights include establishing the finance function for one of the fastest growing privately owned technology companies in the country. The companies he has worked with range from owner-managed to divisions of larger multinationals. He is passionate about improving financial literacy and removing barriers to the understanding of accounts. An economics graduate, he is very interested in the factors that determine economic development and growth and the role that education plays in supporting it.

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Jane joined the Corporation Board in March 2022. The early stage of her career was in teaching and education management in a wide variety of settings including sixth form, further education, secure settings, and SEND. Jane then moved into public administration. She has led development initiatives and regulation within several government bodies, most recently the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Jane currently works as a freelancer in the education sector.

Keith started his formative career as a horticulturalist with Nottingham City Council in 1986, achieving the role of business development manager in 1999, where he was responsible for ICT development and implementation for all the frontline services, before moving to Nottinghamshire County Council in 2004. He then took time out to serve in Iraq as an infantry company commander and returned to NCC as service delivery manager in 2006, responsible for all information services and strategies in service management. Keith returned to the MOD to develop his career in the military space, some of his roles included working in Brussels with the European Military Service, commanding officer of 3 Royal Anglian and is now responsible for the Army’s civilian engagement across the East Midlands and East Anglia.

Kit is an experienced senior leader and has worked in the further education sector for over 20 years, in a number of different curriculum areas, including work-based learning and apprenticeships. Kit is currently the Head of Assessment for a nationally recognised Ofqual regulated awarding organisation and apprenticeship End-Point Assessment Organisation She is experienced in leading areas of work to meet skills strategies, strategic, financial and operational leadership in the education and awarding sector. Kit has a Master’s degree in Education, Leadership and Management and is passionate about the power of education.

Kudzai is a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and principal auditor within financial services. He joined the Corporation Board in 2024 and brings higher and further education experience, having served as President of the University of Lincoln Students’ Union and as chair of its Trustee Board. He has also served on the Board of Governors for the University of Lincoln and is currently serving as trustee of Nottingham Trent Students’ Union. Kudzai brings risk and assurance experience as well as an in-depth understanding of the student experience in further education.

Nick joined the Corporation Board in September 2024 and brings a wealth of experience in community safety, partnership working and policing. Having held operational and leadership roles within Nottinghamshire Police for 35 years, which offers insight into working in partnership with communities, business, and public and third sector organisations. A former student of West Notts College, where he studied business and finance, and having more recently completed an MSc in Leadership, Organisation and Strategy at The University of Derby, Nick is now Nottinghamshire Police’s Architectural Liaison Officer and Designing Out Crime Officer providing security advice and guidance to businesses, educational premises and communities on all aspects of design within the built environment.

Paul is an experienced senior leader and brings to the Corporation Board over 30 years of commercial, financial and general management experience. He is a Chartered Accountant with extensive experience in financial, audit and risk management and in managing strategic change. He is currently Chief Executive at Mansfield Building Society and a Trustee of the Mansfield Building Society Charitable Trust. He has held senior finance roles at Next Plc, Alliance & Leicester plc as well as being Finance Director of both East Midlands Development Agency and Mansfield Building Society and previously acted as a school governor.

Robert is currently Director of People at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is responsible for advising, supporting, coaching and developing leaders across the Trust in strategic HR related issues. He has worked in the NHS for over 10 years, working in both community and acute settings across Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire. He has a particular passion for employee health and wellbeing, maximising employee potential and promoting strong, employee-centred leadership, which has been recognised nationally. His personal approach to engaging with leaders has ensured that all issues are solved through practical and efficient solutions.

Theresa has been a member of the Corporation Board since September 2023 and has worked in local government within Nottinghamshire for over thirty-five years. Theresa has a successful track record of modernising and integrating services and delivering economic and social improvements for residents throughout Nottinghamshire. Theresa’s focus is working in some of the area’s most deprived neighbourhoods, ensuring that all residents have the same opportunities to achieve their goals and lead happy and healthy lives. Theresa’s wealth of experience and her passion for improvement are extremely valuable to the Corporation Board.