Governance

Governor profiles

• DR ANNABEL SMITH

  Dr Annabel Smith has been working in Education since starting teaching at Harrogate College in 2001. While working in FE she was tasked with the development and lead of a Higher Education curriculum for Fashion and related FdA and BA(Hons) courses. These proved very popular, and in collaboration with colleagues in what was the School of Art and Design, helped establish a successful HE portfolio for Harrogate College. With a broad skill base across Art & Design practice and a past career as a practicing artist and designer she had a particular interest in engaging new designers and artists in developing their entrepreneurial skills. Annabel completed a Doctorate in Design Practice in 2016 focussing on enterprise in the Art, Design and Fashion curriculum, in-line with industry concern with the business skills gap that was evident in recent graduates looking for employment.

  Over time at Harrogate College, Annabel has led multiple programmes across the Art & Design curriculum and most recently, has been Programme Managing the Masters in Creative Practice. Art and Design enterprise is still a top priority for Annabel who is keen to see all her graduates succeed as entrepreneurial art and design practitioners in the future.

  Annabel is the staff member on the Harrogate College Board.

• COLIN BOOTH OBE

  Colin was appointed as Principal and CEO of Leeds City College in 2015 before the change to become Luminate Education Group. Prior to moving to Leeds, Colin was Principal of Barnsley College for seven years where he steered the college to an Ofsted rating of outstanding. He has worked in the further education sector for over 35 years; his background is as a teacher and manager in Skills for Life and provision for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. He has also worked as a part-time inspector for Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate.

  Colin was awarded an OBE for services to further education in the Queen’s 2015 New Year Honours list.

  As Group CEO Colin is a governor of the Luminate Education Group and sits on each board within the group’s governance structure; he is also a member of the Finance Committee, Governance & Nominations Committee and Property Strategy Committee.

• DAVID THORPE

  David Thorpe is Chief Operating Officer for STEM Learning – an organisation that supports the teaching and learning of STEM subjects and positively impacts almost every school and college in the UK. STEM Learning’s mission is to ensure a world-leading STEM education for every young person in the UK. Prior to taking this role David enjoyed a successful career as a Finance Director and a Chief Executive. He has worked in a range of industries ranging from branded fast moving consumer goods – Nivea – and in Healthcare.

  David’s role with STEM Learning is focused on ensuring the organisation’s operational and financial performance fully supports and enhances its academic delivery. He has been instrumental in delivering the cultural change necessary to build its operating capacity throughout all regions of the country. David strongly believes that only through improvements in teaching will learning outcomes and young people’s engagement and enthusiasm for STEM subjects increase.

  David is a co-opted member of the Harrogate College Board.

• IAN WATLING

  Ian is a retired Finance Director with some 35 years of experience developed across a range of industries in the private sector. He has a proven ability and skills to initiate and drive change and increase the effectiveness of the enterprises for which he has worked. As Finance Director, whilst having the essential role of Corporate Finance, Team Management and Risk Management, just as important is coaching and motivating teams by being questioning and challenging to ensure critical business issues are being constantly reviewed and managed.

  Since retirement in 2016, Ian has played an active role as a governor, with special emphasis on finance, to a large FE college, before joining the Luminate Education Group in June 2019. He believes that through education, individuals can enhance their ‘life’ chances and experiences for the better making a positive progress in and significant contribution to today’s society.

  As a governor of Luminate Education Group Ian serves on the Group Board, Harrogate College Board, Group Audit Committee and Chair of the Group Finance Committee.

• JAMES HADDLETON

  James is the Chief Executive Officer at Haddletons, a legal and professional services company based in Harrogate. With a background as Group General Counsel and company secretary at a large pharmaceutical company and a partner at 2 large commercial law firms, James has a wide range of experience. In private practice, James has advised both HE and FE sectors with matters of governance and compliance. In public service, James has served as President of Leeds Law Society and as a member of the risk and audit committee of Leeds Community Foundation. His skill set includes leadership and consensus-building. James believes in, and acts on, ensuring that opportunities are spread across society irrespective of background and that everyone has something to give.

  James is a co-opted member of the Harrogate College Board.

• LOUISE TEARLE

  Louise has led the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges (WYCC) since it was first established in 2002. The West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges Ltd is a company which operates on behalf of seven further education colleges in West Yorkshire. Louise has developed collaborations between the colleges and other strategic partners and stakeholders in order to better meet the skills needs of individuals and businesses in the area. Working closely with businesses, organisations and training providers Louise has worked on projects to deliver workforce training and skills support. These programmes contribute to the economic growth of the region, tackle social mobility and connect the education and business sectors.

  Louise has worked in further education for over 30 years. A graduate of University College London and member of the British Psychological Society, Louise has taught in both colleges and universities. A resident of North Yorkshire, Louise is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning and skills.

  Louise is a co-opted member of the Harrogate College Board.

• RICKIE WILSON

  Rickie has been teaching in a Harrogate secondary school for 13 years, taking on a range of roles including class teacher, Head of Sixth Form and Deputy Head teacher. Educated to degree level in Sport and Exercise Science, Rickie has also gained a wealth of experience teaching in other vocational areas such as Business Studies, Travel and Tourism, Public Services and Health and Social Care. During his time as a senior leader, he has developed knowledge of a range of areas such as quality assurance processes, appraisal, self-evaluation, Ofsted inspections, budgeting and safeguarding procedures. Rickie is passionate about ensuring a breadth of high quality provision and opportunities for young people across the Harrogate district.

  Rickie is a co-opted member of the Harrogate College Board.

• TREVOR WATSON

  Trevor has worked in local government for over thirty years. He has been responsible for a wide range of services throughout his career but always with Economic Growth and Planning at their core having led directorates incorporating these disciplines at Teesdale DC, Ashfield DC and Scarborough BC, joining Harrogate Borough Council as Director of Economy and Culture in 2017.

  Trevor recognises with enthusiasm the exciting opportunities that there are within the district and wider region to drive forward and deliver economic growth and was pleased to join the board of Harrogate College in 2019, recognising that education of the area’s young talent is critical to driving economic prosperity. He is committed to influencing and informing qualification and training provision to maximise inward investment and ensure the skill sets match the economic growth aspiration and potential of business and industry.

  Trevor is a co-opted member of the Harrogate College Board.

• DR JANE PITHER

  As a chartered accountant, Jane’s experience has included senior management in three further education colleges as well as finance and operations roles in several private and public sector organisations. She has a wide knowledge of schools, FE and HE governance. Jane is currently undertaking a PhD in the field of comparative vocational education and training policy at the University of Huddersfield and is developing a portfolio career as a researcher. Jane has lived in Leeds for over 20 years and is passionate about improving educational opportunities for young people and adults across the city.

  Jane is a governor of Luminate Education Group, sitting on both the Group Board and the Group Finance Committee and is Chair of the Harrogate College Board.

• ISABEL SUTCLIFFE

  Isabel was born and brought up in Silsden and is now happily back home, living in Harrogate since 2020.

  After a career in the qualifications, assessment and quality assurance sector, including being NCFE’s Chief Executive, Pearson’s Regulation, Standards & Research Director and Chair of the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB), Isabel now works as an independent education & skills consultant and is a busy non-Exec.

  She chair’s IfATE’s Independent Assessment Panel, CIPS Awarding Body Board and City & Guilds Quality & Standards Committee and is also an AQA trustee.

  She is passionate about the role assessment and qualification structures should play in supporting the lifelong learning and skills needs of learners and, on joining NCFE in 1990, she became – and continues to be – an ardent champion of FE.

  Isabel is an Oxfam volunteer and a keen walker.