A teacher first and foremost, I have been working in schools throughout my adult life. The early part of my career brought together two passions: the pedagogy of science teaching and teacher continuing professional development. Through this I worked on national initiatives including the development of the new National Curriculum for Science, GCSE Science Assessment and the assessment of student progression. I moved into school Senior Leadership in 2001 with responsibilities including staff and curriculum development, and Special Educational Needs. I have worked directly with schools on specific areas of school improvement, as well as supporting schools through the delivery of training on a local, national and international level. This work has included mentoring and coaching colleagues on programmes ranging from LftM to NPQH. I was appointed as the Headteacher of Northampton School for Girls in 2009. A large comprehensive school (over 1700 students) in the middle of England, the school is graded outstanding by Ofsted and has a national reputation for its achievements in music, sport and inclusion. At the heart of my work is the importance of each and every child in education, and the impact that the best in teaching brings to them.

After 38 years as a career banker and two years consulting I have retired to focus on supporting my family in particular our first two grandchildren. My banking career followed a non-traditional path through the branch hierarchy up to lending manager but also included several years as a technical lecturer for bank managers. I then moved into Cash Management, enabling major corporates to integrate their automated payments and receipts mechanisms and data with the banking system.

In my own time I have been a financial broadcaster, a scout leader; a school governor for 22 years, Mentor for Uprising in Bedford through The Harpur Trust; Chair, Vice Chair, Director and Responsible Officer of the Sharnbrook Academy Federation (incorporating 4 Academies); Chair of Risk & Audit Committee for 4 years; Independent Examiner of Annual Accounts for local charitable organisations; Area Homewatch Co-ordinator and Editor of Oakley Newsletter for Oakley Parish Council.

Educated at Cambridge and Liverpool Universities, I have a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry. My career has been in the plastics and packaging industries, initially in operations and then in running businesses. I was a director of RPC Group Plc, Europe’s leading manufacturer of rigid plastics packaging (headquartered in Rushden). Latterly I was based in Germany, with responsibility for a division with eleven businesses across Europe. I served as a member of the Council of the British Plastics Federation.

Following retirement, I spent three months teaching at a tribal school in south India. My current activities include being vice-chair of Langley House Trust, an organisation for the resettlement of ex-offenders, and involvement in business start-ups. I am a member of the Horners' Livery Company – with a special interest in education, training and apprenticeships in the plastics industry. I was formerly a member of the Independent Monitoring Board at Wellingborough Prison.

I am a Corporate banker for Barclays in Northampton but I have a varied background and unlike most have never worked in a branch!

Following a Business degree at University, my career began on the graduate program for Enterprise Rent-a-car gaining promotion from my native East Anglia bringing me to the area and branch manager in Milton Keynes.

After 4 years, I joined The Royal Bank of Scotland to set up and run a Corporate daily rental offering, selling and account managing daily rental for the banks major corporate clients.

RBS relocated me to Birmingham where I worked in a strategy and product role. Here I built, designed and developed a new product to help businesses with their duty of care for driving following the 2008 Corporate Manslaughter Act.

Only in 2009 did I 'get into banking’!

I now manage a team in Northampton work with Mid Corporate clients with a turnover typically between £5m and £100m in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. I hold an Association of Corporate Treasurers qualification and am a Director in a niche brake disc business.

Outside of work I have a young family but manage to play the odd round of golf, love “Park runs” and enjoy real ale but not during Corporation meetings!