Meet the Executive Team

John joined the Governing Body in February 2020. From 2008 until December 2019, John was Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council. John joined Sheffield City Council in 1998 as Executive Director and was directly involved in much of the regeneration of the City. Prior to moving to Sheffield, he was a Director with the London Borough of Camden, and before that had extensive experience in local government, arts and community development.

John is Chair of the National Lottery Community Fund England Committee, Guardian of the Sheffield Assay Office, a member of the Sheffield Management School Advisory Board and has previously been a Trustee and Chair of Meadowhall Education Centre, an independent training provider.

John holds an MA in English and a Diploma in Management Studies.

John is Chair of the Governing Body, a member of Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee, Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee and Chair of Search, Remuneration and Governance Committee.

Angela is Chief Executive and Principal of The Sheffield College and was appointed as a governor in November 2017. Angela has 25 years’ experience in further education with expertise across a broad range of curriculum and student support services. Prior to her current role, Angela was Vice Principal for Curriculum and Support at The Manchester College. Angela has also previously held senior leadership roles in London colleges and was a Vice Principal of Barnsley College.

Angela is ex-officio member of Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee, Search, Remuneration and Governance Committee and Teaching, Learning Quality and Student Experience Committee.

Adrian has worked at the college for over 17 years and is currently a Lecturer in English and Maths. He is a staunch advocate for the advancement of education and its positive influence on students. Adrian firmly believes the College should function as a true Community College, with its facilities readily accessible to the public and its staff composition mirroring the diverse demographics of the community it serves. 

Adrian is an elected staff governor and a member of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. 

Matt joined the Governing Body in December 2021, after being a co-opted member of the college’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. Currently a partner in the corporate team at Knights PLC in Sheffield, Matt is a lawyer with over 20 years’ experience working across international, national and regional law firms. Throughout his career, Matt has advised clients from a wide spectrum including listed and non-listed private companies including international companies, large UK corporations and local and regional SMEs. Matt advises on corporate work such as mergers and acquisitions, raising funds for development and debt financing/refinancing as well as corporate governance and compliance advice. This means that Matt has considerable knowledge of corporate structures and governance requirements. He is well versed in working with a wide range of different entity structures including not-for-profit organisations, unincorporated corporations, partnerships and LLPs. Matt is Chair of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Holly joined the college in August 2015 and is currently Head of Marketing and Communications. She has worked in Further Education for the last 8 years after spending a number of years working in advertising. She studied for her degree at Nottingham Trent University before becoming professionally qualified with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. 

Holly is an elected staff governor and a member of Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee and Search, Remuneration and Governance Committee.

Helen is a co-opted member of the college's Governing Body since August 2025. In her role Helen sits on the Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee

Georgia previously studied Media and Journalism at the Sheffield College on a Level 3 course and is now in the role of Student Union President. Georgia was elected as a student governor for 2024/25 and is a member of Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee.

Peter has spent his working career in IT and Electronics, mainly in commercial roles but with significant involvement with public sector organisations. As CEO and then director of The Electronics Group (and its predecessor, Electronics Yorkshire), Peter has led a company that provides both commercial and publicly funded training including Apprenticeships.

Peter has been a member and chair of a number of national sector bodies on business and technical education. He has advised universities on the development of Apprenticeship Standards for new degree and masters level Apprenticeships and has advised regional and national government and funding agencies on the wider skills development and training for IT and electronics sectors.

Peter also has significant experience in the not-for-profit sector. As a trustee and, since 2013, Chair of Trustees of Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centre, Peter has led the board of the Showroom Cinema and Workstation.

Peter qualified to teach online with The Sheffield College and has a Master of Education in e-Learning from the University of Sheffield. 

Peter is Vice Chair of Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee, a member of Search, Remuneration and Governance Committee.

Meredith Dixton-Teasdale is currently the Strategic Director Children’s at Sheffield City Council having previously held a similar post at Cornwall Council. 
Meredith’s role involves being a leader of strategic and transformational change and she is passionate about place-based leadership, levelling up and reducing inequalities 
Meredith joined the Governing Body on 1 August 2024 and is a member of Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee. 
 

Bella previously studied Perfoming Arts at the Sheffield College on a Level 3 course and is now in the role of Student Union Deputy President. Bella was elected as a student governor for 2025/26 and is a member of the Finance, Employment and General Purpose (FEGP) Committee and attendee at the Student Advisory Board.

After a period as a co-opted member, the Governing Body appointed Ian as a governor and Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee in January 2021. He is now Chair of the Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee and also a member of the Search, Remuneration and Governance Committee. He is a non-executive director of three public sector organisations in the region and, until his retirement in spring 2013, Ian was an accountant and business risk partner with over 30 years’ experience in the public sector.

Ian has extensive experience of Further Education, both as an auditor and as a governor at other colleges. Until its recent merger, Ian was a governor of Doncaster College and University Centre undertaking a number of senior board roles including Chair of Audit Committee.

Kam is Headteacher at Meadowhead School Academy Trust in Sheffield and joined the college’s Governing Body in December 2022. As a secondary school leader for over 20 years, Kam has been highly successful in leading school improvement and maximising students’ opportunities to develop the skills, attitudes and behaviours they need to develop into responsible adults and for success in employment or progression to further or higher education. The board also benefits from Kam’s extensive experience of safeguarding and supporting young people through the recent pandemic and current economic challenges. Kam was a designated National Leader of Education in Derbyshire before taking up her second headship in Sheffield and in this role supported local schools with their school improvement journeys to a Good Ofsted judgement.  

Kam is Vice Chair of Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee

Victoria brings extensive senior leadership and financial expertise, with a strong track record in governance, risk management and organisational performance. She is currently Managing Director at Mercia Group, a UK-wide provider of training, compliance and professional support services to the accountancy and tax profession, where she is responsible for strategic direction, organisational performance and financial sustainability.

Victoria has held a range of senior leadership roles within the finance and professional services sector. Earlier in her career, she worked in audit and business risk services at Deloitte and Grant Thornton, advising organisations on governance frameworks, internal control and risk assurance.

A qualified chartered certified accountant and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), Victoria brings strong commercial judgement and financial governance expertise, and is committed to contributing effective challenge and assurance as a member of our Governing Body.” – Content will also reference being a member of the ARAC committee.

Stephan Hollingshead is a Commercial Director with experience covering finance and operational management, building on his background as a Chartered Accountant, and operating at a high level in a number of industries. Stephan has extensive experience of leadership and management roles with a wide variety of retail and wholesale businesses in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector, from blue chip multinationals to small and medium sized enterprises. Stephan also has experience as a consultant in private equity and venture capital trust reporting, liaising closely with funders, investors and bankers.

Stephan is currently Chief Finance and Operating Officer for Iceotope Technologies Ltd Sheffield.

He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics from York University.

Stephan is Chair of Finance, Employment & General Purposes Committee and a member of Search, Remuneration and Governance Committee.

Sol Miah works in human resources in Higher Education and is a committed supporter of Further Education and lifelong learning.

Sol joined The Sheffield College Governing Body in August 2020, after serving for nine years as a governor of The Bedford College Group. Sol understands the benefits of Further Education having been a student at Bedford College for sixth form education and as an adult learner. Having completed the maximum term of office as a governor of Bedford College, Sol is keen to continue his association with Further Education and, as a governor of The Sheffield College, contribute to ensuring that the College provides a high quality education for all our learners, supporting their personal and professional growth, delivering staff engagement and contributing to the communities we serve. Sol is a member of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee. 

Sol is a Graduate in Financial Services, he has Postgraduate qualifications in Management and Human Resources. He was awarded a Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute and he is currently completing an MSc in Occupational Psychology.

Rebecca is a co-opted member of the college's Governing Body since August 2025. In her role Rebecca sits on the Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee

Professor Sarah Pearson is Dean of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and joined the Governing Body on 3 September 2024.

Sarah brings considerable experience of leading cultural and institutional change. She has recently led a programme of work leading to the establishment of a development academy, which equips researchers and innovators at all career stages to grow and expand the benefits of sustainable research and innovation.

Sarah is committed to EEDI and has had key roles in supporting initiatives to promote the career development of women, and access to doctoral training for students from Black and minoritised communities. She is active in supporting the career development of Early Career Researchers, participating in mentoring schemes at SHU and in collaboration with other universities.

Sarah also brings skills in collaborative working and the successful delivery of initiatives involving large teams of partners in education and industry.

She has extensive experience in governance. She is Vice-Chair of Mercia Learning Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust providing education for over 3000 children aged 2-18+ years in Sheffield. She is also a non-Executive Director of Sonnet Advisory and Impact, a Community Interest Company providing social impact consultancy to charities and organisations seeking to improve and demonstrate social value.

Sarah is a member of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee

After serving as a governor of DN College Group for five years, Paul joined The Sheffield College Governing Body in January 2022. Paul currently runs his own consulting company and works with a surveying company that uses drones for construction surveying.

Much of Paul’s working life has been in various sectors of the construction industry. Over the past 10 years, as well as being a director of a large construction firm, Paul has been Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Building for Yorkshire, President of the Yorkshire Builders’ Federation and both regional and national Chairman of the National Federation of Builders. Paul is keenly interested in people development and training, supporting education initiatives with the Chartered Institute of Building and Construction Industry Training Board.

Now Paul runs his own consultancy business and continues to devote time and energy to encouraging and developing young people, working as a university lecturer, a school governor, a college governor and a trustee of the Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme. Paul says that in all his roles as a teacher, leader and governor, he is committed to promoting health and safety, effective communication, people development and innovative solutions. Paul is a member of Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Shiella brings extensive senior leadership and governance experience across the public and voluntary sectors, alongside a strong commitment to inclusive leadership and public service. Alongside her governor role at the College, she is also a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and an Independent Panel Chair for the Parole Board for England and Wales. She has previously also been a member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Independent Ethics Panel.

Shiella’s executive career includes senior leadership roles within the criminal justice system, including Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations at Nottinghamshire Probation Trust. She has also held non-executive and trustee roles within healthcare and the voluntary sector. Sheila is a former mature student of Granville College, one of the predecessor colleges of The Sheffield College, and has strong links to Sheffield. She brings valuable experience of governance, public accountability, and inclusive leadership to the Board.

Phil has worked at the college for over 30 years and is currently Head of Student Experience for ESOL. Phil is a keen advocate for further education and its positive impact on young people, adult learning and communities. Phil wants the College to be a Community College with its facilities open to community, and its staff reflecting the community it serves. Phil is an elected staff governor and a member of Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee.