Meet Our Senior Team

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 a member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. Less

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 the Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee.

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Following early career positions in local education authorities, Gwyn had a full-time career in Higher Education (HE) for 35 years before retiring from her role as Registrar and Clerk to the Board of Governors at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2014. Since then, she has pursued her passion for enabling and supporting excellence in post-compulsory education in the interests of students, and the professionalisation and modernisation of HE Support Services through a wide variety of roles. Gwyn has undertaken numerous consultancy roles in a variety of universities and for software companies that support HE and FE; she was interim University Secretary at the University of Bradford and has also been a Trustee Board Member for the Sheffield Hallam University Students' Union.

Gwyn is the Governing Body’s link Governor for Safeguarding; Vice Chair of the Search, Remuneration & Governance Committee and a member of the Teaching, Learning Quality & Student Experience Committee.

Gwyn is a Governor/Non -Executive Director of Futureworks.

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Novaya was elected as President of The Sheffield College Students’ Union in 2021, previously being a high achieving Level 3 Extended Diploma student in Health and Social Care for two years. Novaya has student advocate experience whilst being a Student Representative  for her course for two years before taking up to her current role. Alongside studying, Novaya also supported community healthcare by being a member of the College’s Rapid Covid-19 Testing Centre team. Novaya is a student governor and a member of Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee.

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Stephen is Chief Executive of Learn Sheffield, which is a not for profit company owned by Sheffield’s publicly funded schools and colleges, in partnership with Sheffield City Council. The purpose of the company is to support school improvement. It has a turnover of approximately £1.5m and employs approximately twenty staff, plus a wider 'associate' workforce. Stephen is a qualified teacher (holding a PGCE and National Professional Qualification for Headship) and was previously a head teacher.

Stephen has significant experience of city-wide strategic leadership and governance, especially for education organisations and projects. The principles of providing appropriate support and challenge to leaders is a core element of his current professional work. Stephen is also currently:

- a trustee of Sheffield Theatres Trust

- Create Sheffield board member

- a member of Minerva Multi Academy Trust

- a member of Five Rivers Multi Academy Trust

- a board member of the Sheffield Institute of Education Advisory at Sheffield Hallam University

Stephen is Vice Chair of the Teaching, Learning Quality & Student Experience Committee.

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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 the Finance, Employment & General Purposes Committee and a member of the Teaching, Learning Quality & Student Experience Committee.

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Richard Calvert is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategy and Operations) at Sheffield Hallam University. He joined the University as Chief Operating Officer in November 2016. He is head of the University’s administration, with overall responsibility for the University's professional services.

Richard has an extensive background in leading professional service functions in central government. Before joining Sheffield Hallam, he was Director General for Strategy and Resources at the Department for Education. He was previously Director General for Finance and Corporate Performance at the Department for International Development (2009-2015), where he supported the delivery of DFID's programmes, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Richard also led the Department's work on climate change and on international education, including setting up the International Citizens Service.

Richard's previous roles included spells as Director of Strategy and Resources at the Food Standards Agency (2007-2009); Finance Director at DFID (2003-07); First Secretary (External Relations) at the UK Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels; and also spells as Private Secretary to Chris Patten, Lynda Chalker and Clare Short while they were in Ministerial roles.

He holds an MA in Law from the University of Oxford and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Richard is the Governing Body's link governor for data protection and a member of the Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee.

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After a period as a co-opted member, the Governing Body appointed Ian as a governor and Chair of the Audit & Risk Assurance Committee in January 201. He is also a member of the Search, Remuneration & 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.

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Sam joined the Governing Body in April 2022 and is an Associate Dean at Sheffield Hallam University. Sam has over 25 years of experience working in higher education, she has also worked in the food and hospitality industries and been an entrepreneur. In her current role, Sam works across on projects across Sheffield Hallam University and leads on all strategic matters relating to teaching , learning, assessment and the student experience within the SHU College of Business, Technology and Engineering.  

Sam has a real passion for empowering students and driving a culture that strives to deliver the highest quality inclusive learning experience. She brings to her college governor role a wealth of experience in developing a supportive and challenging practice-based education where applied learning develops more resilient and confident students.  Her ambition is that these students then  become aspirational professionals and responsible leaders of the future. Sam also brings a wide and diverse professional network and strong links with employers, business, and professional bodies, through which she champions the benefits of technical, professional and higher education. 

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Beri was appointed as a governor in July 2017 and is a Vice-Chair of Governing Body. She is Chair of the Teaching, Learning Quality and Student Experience Committee, a member of the Finance, Employment & General Purposes Committee and the Search, Remuneration & Governance Committee.  

Beri is currently an educational consultant and, until recently, an Adviser to the FE Commissioner, implementing reforms to FE and also working with intervention teams to support colleges with financial and/or quality difficulties. Prior to this Beri, was Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Stroud College (2006-2012) and a registered Ofsted Inspector working on teams inspecting FE, sixth form colleges, adult education and apprenticeships.

In 2011, Beri was awarded an OBE for services to FE and she is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Honorary Fellow of the City and Guilds Institute.

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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 the Finance, Employment & General Purposes Committee and a member of the Search, Remuneration & Governance Committee.

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David joined the Governing Body in January 2022. He is currently a partner in a consultancy that specialises in public sector and business transformation. As a consultant, David works with private companies, voluntary organisations and public authorities to help them to respond to changes in policy direction at a national and local level.

Over the past twenty years, David has worked at a senior level across the skills, training, employment and regeneration sectors. Influenced by his own background and personal journey through the Further Education system in his home city of Glasgow, David says that it was studying at an FE college that equipped him with essential life skills enabling him to progress into Higher Education where he achieved degree and postgraduate qualifications as the foundation for a varied and successful career.

David is a member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

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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 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.

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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.

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Saleem is a Main Grade Lecturer in Maths at Hillsborough Campus and teaches Computing at City Campus. Saleem has worked at the College since 2010. He is also member of the union UCU and committee member at the Hillsborough branch.

Saleem was appointed as a governor in March 2016 following his election by College teaching staff. He is a member of the Teaching, Learning Quality & Student Experience Committee and the Finance, Employment & General Purposes Committee.

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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 the Finance, Employment and General Purposes Committee.

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Steven joined the College in October 2018 and commenced his role as the College’s Teaching and Learning Innovator. Steven is passionate about the further education sector and teaching, learning and assessment, and has over 14 years of experience teaching, and supporting the development of pedagogy across the sector. He has completed a Master of Education degree, and is in the final stages of a doctoral study, with several publications linked to learning and the further education sector.

Steven is an elected staff governor and a member of the Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience Committee.

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John was appointed in September 2012, he is Vice Chair of the Governing Body; the link governor for careers & employability and a member of the Teaching, Learning Quality & Student Experience Committee and the Audit & Risk Assurance Committee.

He is Director of MLS Contracts Ltd (Sports and Leisure Consultancy). As the company's Director of Events, John has extensive experience working with many UK and European host cities, destination agencies and host organising committees. John is Chair of Sheffield Sharks Junior Basketball Club and a Director of Park Community Arena Ltd. In summer 2012, John attended the Paralympics as an Assistant Technical Delegate for Wheelchair Rugby and has held senior roles at a number of major sports events in the UK.

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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 the Finance, Employment & General Purposes Committee, the Search, Remuneration & Governance Committee and the Teaching, Learning Quality and Student Experience Committee.

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Alison Shillito joined the College in November 2016. She is a legally qualified (LLB honours degree), with a masters degree in Information Studies and has extensive governance experience in HE and FE. The Clerk is a member of the Association of University Administrators and a professional subscriber to the Chartered Governance Institute (formerly ICSA).

Prior to joining the College Alison worked at Sheffield Hallam University (for over 25 years) in various roles in governance and quality assurance and enhancement, and was a QAAHE Audit Secretary.

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