Trustees
Lowell Williams (Chair)
Lowell Williams
(Chair)
Lowell was Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Dudley College of Technology from 10th March 2008 until 31st December 2019, leading the college through three successful Ofsted inspections, culminating in the award of ‘outstanding provider’ in 2017. Lowell was previously Principal of South Leicestershire College, which also achieved Ofsted ‘outstanding provider’ status. Lowell has also served as a National Leader of Further Education. He is Chair of Colleges West Midlands and is a Fellow of the Institute of Innovation & Knowledge Exchange. In January 2020, he was appointed Non-executive Director at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.
Lowell led the creation of the multi-million pound Dudley Learning Quarter. This inspirational new town centre campus includes Dudley Evolve, a state of the art vocational centre, Dudley Sixth, a dedicated A level centre, Dudley Advance, centre for advanced manufacturing and engineering technologies and Dudley Advance II, centre for building technologies, which opened to students in Autumn 2017.
As well as being Chair of the Board of Trustees, Lowell serves on the Educational Performance and Standards Committee and the Personnel, Pay and Performance Management Committee.
Peter Davies
Peter Davies
Chief Executive of CK Chartered Accountants
Peter is Chief Executive of CK Chartered Accountants; EMEA Region Board member of PrimeGlobal, a worldwide association of Independent Accountancy Practices. He graduated from London University with a degree in Mathematics and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Peter is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Business and Audit Committee.
Martin Dudley
Martin Dudley
Chairman of Thomas Dudley Limited
Martin is Chairman of Thomas Dudley Limited, a group of local manufacturing businesses. Graduated from Brunel University with a degree in manufacturing engineering and also holds a MBA from Wolverhampton University. Martin is a fellow of the Institute of Cast Metal Engineers and Chair of the Skills Policy Group for the Black Country Chamber of Commerce. Martin is the Trust Board’s lead for Careers Education, and serves on the Personnel, Pay and Performance Management Committee.
Nigel Ford
Nigel Ford
As a local Dudley resident Nigel is keen to help drive the future success of the town and the region. With a career as a Chartered Surveyor in both local authorities and the NHS, he brings a background in Estates Management and Development to the Board’s areas of expertise. He has developed several major capital investment schemes across the public sector and has a track record of obtaining best value in the public procurement of managed services. Nigel is a member of the Business and Audit Committee.
Charlie Harvey
Charlie Harvey
Charlie currently works in the Finance function of a large insurance firm. She has previous experience in audit, forensic accounting and financial control within various financial and professional services organisations.
She graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in economics. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Charlie is a member of the Business and Audit Committee.
Patricia Hazlehurst
Pat Hazlehurst
Pat is a retired head teacher of a large primary school and a former National Leader of Education. She was formerly a local authority governor at Blowers Green Primary, supporting the school on its journey to being an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ school. Since retiring from her full time role she has continued to make a difference in children’s lives through supporting schools as a school improvement consultant and looking after her five grandchildren.
Pat brings her passion for teaching and learning and her firm belief in the power of education to transform lives to her role as a trustee.
Pat is the Trust Board’s lead for Safeguarding, Chair of the Educational Performance and Standards Committee, and she is also Chair of the Local Advisory Committee of Blowers Green Primary.
Halina Sikabofori
Halina Sikabofori
During her teaching career, Halina has worked with children and adults across the primary age range, including the foundation stage. She has held many different leadership roles across a number of Local Authorities, Multi Academy Trusts and outside the UK. Halina is an MBA (Educational Leadership International) and NPQH graduate whose professional journey has facilitated leadership experience within a variety of settings.
Halina is a passionate advocate of achieving quality education for all children and is assured about the elements that contribute to making quality education a reality. Halina serves on the Educational Standards and Performance Committee and is the Trust Board’s lead for SEND and Pupil Premium.
Neil Thomas
Neil Thomas
Neil Thomas is Chief Executive & Principal of Dudley College of Technology, a large General Further Education College which was graded as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in its most recent inspection. Neil plays a pivotal role in the determination and oversight of the strategic development of Dudley College of Technology, its subsidiaries and associated organisations. With a background in engineering, Neil is also Chair of Transformational Technologies Partnership Limited, which oversees the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology which opened to learners in September 2022.
Thomas Westley
Thomas Westley
Tom is Chairman of Westley Group Ltd (a foundry group of companies) and Chairman of Westley Plastics Ltd (a specialist nylon casting business).
He graduated from Imperial College with a degree in Metallurgy and is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
Tom sits on the board of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and is a board member of The Cast Metals Federation, which is the trade association for the UK foundry industry. Tom is a liveryman within The Worshipful Company of Founders and was Chairman of Castings Technology International Ltd. He is also on the board of the West Midlands Combined Authority Growth Company Ltd and was recently appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands.
Tom is Chair of the Local Advisory Committee of St James Academy.
Vanessa Currie
Vanessa Currie
As Head of People, Learning and Development for Millennium Point, Vanessa leads on the delivery of people management strategies which support Millennium Point’s business aims, objectives and charitable objectives.
A chartered member of the CIPD, with a Master of Science in Human Resource Development, she has over 30 years’ HR experience. Vanessa also manages the charitable arm of Millennium Point Trust, which promotes education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Vanessa is a member of the Business and Audit Committee.
Judith Humphry
Judith Humphry
Judith has dedicated 40 years to the teaching profession, gaining extensive experience in senior leadership roles across mainstream and special schools. Her expertise includes supporting schools in improvement processes following inspections.
Judith's tenure as CEO provided her with a deep understanding of multi academy trust operations. In 2014, she was seconded to Warwickshire Local Authority to lead the development of the county’s schools and support services in preparation for the 2014 SEND Code of Practice. She has also represented special school headteachers on the Schools Forum in Warwickshire and served as Chair of the Specialist Provision Board.
Judith is a member of the Educational Performance and Standards Committee.