Now retired, I was previously a Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool. During my career I was at various times a visiting professor/faculty member at the Universities of Bologna, Queensland and the World Maritime University in Sweden. I have also acted as a consultant to UNESCO, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, SAREC ( a Swedish Overseas Aid Agency) and the British Council. I have also worked for a variety of international government departments mostly in Kuwait and Dubai.

For over 20 years during my time in Liverpool I was a Governor at a CofE Girls High School. Since moving to the northeast during Covid lockdown I became associated with Duke’s firstly as a member of the Academy Improvement Board and more recently as Chair of the newly reconstituted Local Governing Board.

My goals as Chair of Governors at Duke’s are to help the school fulfil its undoubted potential to improve outcomes for all students, to encourage excellence, ambition and self-belief and to help the school follow the strategic direction and ethos of the NCEA Trust.

I have been a teacher at Dukes since 2013 and I am very pleased to have become a staff governor. I am currently head of the science faculty within dukes and extremely passionate about the school, the area and teaching.

I strongly empathise with the every child matters agenda and firmly believe that every child has the ability to succeed given the right circumstances. I believe we have a strong culture within the North East of hard work and dedication and I am proud to be part of the culture within school willing to inspire this culture within the next generation so that they have the confidence to succeed, whatever and wherever they choose.

I have not always worked as a teacher but became inspired after my first visit as an adult to a classroom where I believe I found my niche in life. There is nothing more rewarding and exciting than working with children and I am keen to develop that passion through my role as a Governor and teacher at Dukes Secondary School.

I was brought up in rural East Yorkshire and moved to the North East to attend University at Newcastle in
2001. Since then, with the exception of a period teaching English at a primary school in Hong Kong I have
loved living here and can’t imagine living anywhere else. My wife, Claire, is a local girl and much of her
family is from, and still lives in Ashington. We have 2 young sons with a daughter on the way and we live
locally.
My career experience post university began with a graduate scheme at a commercial property company
where I gained extensive experience in commercial real estate development, marketing and sales. Since
2010 I have been involved in the UK Self Storage industry in various operational and project management
roles giving me a good knowledge and understating of strategic planning, forecasting and people
management.

I have a strong belief that all children deserve a School experience that will equip them with not only the
knowledge but the skills to allow them to flourish once they leave education, whenever that is. I am
privileged to take on this role to assist in ensuing the best possible outcomes for the pupils at this School.
I am a keen sportsman and have played rugby since the age of 6, among other sports. I currently coach
under 8’s and under 6’s rugby every Sunday and have previously worked in RFU safeguarding roles, as
well as holding various coaching qualifications