The Board of Governors

Professor Mark Hunt

Committees

Governing Body Chair

Relationship with the Academy

UCA Lead Sponsor of the Strood Academy

Profile

Currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts. My role includes support to the Vice Chancellor in the leadership and management of the academic and academic support functions of the University. I oversee the preparation and implementation of the Strategic Plan and the Corporate Planning Statement. I also Chair the University’s Quality and Standards Committee, Senior Planning Group and hold line management responsibilities for PVC/Executive Deans, Academic Registrar and the Director of Academic Services.

My planning responsibilities include strategic leadership and management of all aspects of the University’s business, advising on all matters relating to strategic planning and the academic operations of the University.  I ensure sound stewardship of student number planning and oversight of University resource planning. (University budget £55m, 7000 fte students)  I also provide specialist advice to Governors to assist them in determining strategic planning goals and policy formation for the University as a whole.

I hold a BA (Hons) 3D Design (Ceramics) from Loughborough College of Art and Design (Loughborough University) and an MA 3D Design (Ceramics) from South Glamorgan Institute of HE, Cardiff (Cardiff School of Art).  I have pursued a career in education management and have held leadership and management positions in Higher Education for over 25 years (Including UCA, The Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College, London Guildhall University and Sunderland Polytechnic).  In 2002 I was awarded the title of Professor of Crafts Education and elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Professor Dianne Taylor

Committees

Board of Governors
Chair of Community and Public Relations Committee (CPR)

Relationship with the Academy

Lead Sponsor and link Governor with Community Engagement and Public Relations.

Profile

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Further Education & Widening Participation) and Executive Dean (UCA Canterbury, Maidstone & Rochester).

Key responsibilities include academic portfolio leadership and management for the UCA Kent based campuses.  Strategic leadership for Further Education & Widening Participation, fiscal and resource management for academic delivery for the Kent based campuses.  Creative arts engagement advocate, raising educational standards, attainment and life chances for a wide community of participants to discover creative talents in an open and shared style through the delivery of a diverse portfolio of innovative engagement activities.

I have led new and innovative creative arts academic portfolio developments in the areas of creative arts for theatre and film, broadcast media, fashion atelier and fashion printed textiles that offer progression agreements with schools/colleges in the Thames Gateway region. Leadership role in the development of UCA’s MBA Creative Industries Management, a unique programme, with local and international appeal to creative industry practitioners and those with leadership aspirations. TONIC creative business project, in collaboration with Universities at Medway, offers introductory programmes for local businesses committed to enhancing and realising their business potential.

A passionate enthusiasm and commitment to art and design education, practice and advocacy as a professional executive academic leader and design practitioner.  I have experience in, and knowledge of, the Creative Arts Further and Higher Education sector, nationally and internationally.  A track record of making a difference and impact on sustainable business and professional staff development in the UK and USA at prestigious international universities in the State and Private/Private not for Profit funded sectors and I have an extensive global, national and regional network.

I am currently the Chair of the Medway Culture Partnership Committee.

I was elected a Fellow of the RSA in 1990, served as an Executive member of Council for Higher Education in Art and Design (CHEAD) and in 2008 was a UCA Leadership and Management Award recipient.

In 2010 I was conferred the title of Professor of Creative Arts Engagement.

Richard Hart

Committees

Finance Personnel & Estates, Community & Public Relations

Relationship with the Academy

Academy Principal & ex-officio Governor.

Profile

I grew up and was educated in Kent, completing my first degree at the University of Exeter and pursued a career in teaching.  Following a deputy headship in Cranbrook and a Masters in curriculum development I moved to Rochester in 2001 as Headteacher at Thomas Aveling.

I have served as a consultant head for both the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust and the National College supporting other schools and in Headteacher training. I joined UCA and the Academy Trust full time in January 2009 to establish Medway’s first Academy and am passionate about helping create an outstanding school for the Strood Community.

I am married with two grown up children who both attended a co-educational Comprehensive. I am a keen sportsman and a lifelong Gillingham supporter.

Sarah Wilson

Committees

Finance, Personnel & Estates & Student Well Being.

Relationship with the Academy

Parent Lead Governor, Governor for Special Educational Needs.

Profile

I was a Parent Governor for Chapter School from January 2005, and felt I would like to be able to support the new Strood Academy and became a Lead Governor at the beginning of 2010. 

I have worked for the Drug Control Centre at King’s College London for the past 20 years, as the Centre’s head administrator.  The Centre is the United Kingdom’s laboratory for drug abuse in sport, accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.  Urine and blood samples collected at sporting events are sent to our laboratory to analyse for anabolic steroids, and other substances used to help athletes cheat in sport.  The Drug Control Centre is also the laboratory analysing the samples being collected at the London Olympics in 2012, which is a very exciting prospect for our small laboratory. 

I wanted to become a Governor, mainly because my daughter attended Chapter, and I wanted to have more knowledge about the decision making regarding her education.  Once I became a Governor, I soon realised how much more was needed from the personnel and teachers at the school, and wanted to assist as much as I was able, hence the reason I have continued to become a Lead Governor for Strood Academy.

Alan Cooke

Committees

Board of Governors and Chair of Finance, Personnel & Estates Committee (FPE).

Relationship with the Academy

Lead Sponsor Board Member, Link Governor with Faculty of Business & Enterprise.

Profile

Alan Cooke, Pro Vice-Chancellor Corporate Resources, University for the Creative Arts.

Alan is an MBA qualified Chartered Surveyor with experience in both the public and private sectors.

Alan has been at the University for the Creative Arts and its predecessor (the Surrey Institute for Art & Design) for 16 years.  Before this most recent appointment, Alan’s roles included Head of Estate Services, Head of IT Services and Interim Head of Finance. Alan has been responsible for the development of the Farnham and Epsom Campuses’ Master Plans over the past ten years including over £30m of capital projects.

In his current role, Alan is responsible for Finance, Estate Services, Human Resources and Health & Safety at UCA.

Jill Greenleaf

Committees

Student Wellbeing.

Relationship with the Academy

Parent of a pupil in year 7

Profile

Now a full-time carer to two people but I have a very varied background.  Trained as a dancer and danced professionally after leaving school at 18, but used my A levels and Secretarial training to work as a Temp in London between dancing jobs.

Worked as a P.A. Secretary to the Chief Executive in a large property company for a number of years before moving into the same role in a large insurance company whilst becoming a part-time dance teacher in ballet, tap, modern and jazz.  Recent job roles have included being a letting agent, a school secretary in a large local infant school and working as a foreign exchange consultant.  I have a number of interests and hobbies including watching ice hockey, dancing, cooking and meditation.

Bob Moreton

Committees

Education Standards

Relationship with the Academy

Safeguarding, Mathematics Faculty.

Profile

Bob works as an education adviser and OFSTED inspector having been a headteacher; he has a strong belief in equal opportunities and is passionate about education and the importance of developing self belief and self esteem in young people. He believes strongly in young people and the contribution that they make to society.

Bob still enjoys sport and is a member of several sports clubs. He is married has two children and three grandchildren who take up an increasingly large proportion of his time. He is involved in fundraising for Leukaemia research .

David Mead

Committees

Chair of the Student Wellbeing Committee, a member of the Communications and Public Relations Committee.

Relationship with the Academy

Lead Governor for the English and Communications Faculty.

Profile

David was appointed to the Governing Body in November 2009 as a nominee of the University for the Creative Arts. Prior to his retirement in January 2004, David was a career Civil Servant in the Department of the Environment. He transferred to the Environment Agency on its formation in 1996 where his responsibilities included development of the new organisation and its corporate governance, external relations and influencing activities.

In the early 1990s, David served as Chairman of the Governing Body of the Primary School in Higham where he lives. In addition to his church commitments, he has developed new interests in the Voluntary Sector as Chairman of the Trustees of Gravesham Volunteer Centre and as a mediator with Medway Mediation, a community based mediation charity. He is also a part time volunteer helper in Year 6 at a Medway Primary School.

Lorina Pilgrim

Committees

Finance, Personnel & Estates.

Relationship with the Academy

Linked to the Performing Arts Faculty.

Profile

Lorina runs her own business which provides support for organisations that want to improve their business performance and managers that want to improve their leadership skills and behaviours. She helps them to work with Investors in People, an internationally recognised business improvement framework so that organisations can meet and exceed their goals and aspirations.

She has worked with all kinds of different organisations; large and small; public and private sector and particularly enjoys her work with Schools and Academies. Outside of business life, she spends time in France, teaching at a French University wishing her language skills were much better! She hopes that her experiences will prove useful for the Academy as she very much likes to help make a difference.

Angela Prodger

Committees

Communications and Well-being

Relationship with the Academy

Appointed Local Authority Governor in February 2011.

Profile

Served as a Councillor on Rochester City Council,  Vice-Chairman of Education Committee. Medway Unitary Authority, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Community Safety.  In my last year I was Mayor of Medway.  Retired from politics after 15 years. I have also served on Kent Police Authority and on the Kent Probation Board.  I was Chairman of Governors at Greenacre School.

Currently, Vice Chairman of Kent Peoples Trust, Chairman and Founder member of Streetcops Trust, a Medway based charity, special ambassador for the Medway Ethnic Minority Forum, and a Trustee of Medway Voice.  Shortly to be working with Youth Empowerment, a charity helping young people to stay away from criminal activity.

Keith Williams

Committees

to be advised.

Relationship with the Academy

Local Authority Governor

Profile

Keith began his working life as a Geophysical Engineer before joining the teaching profession. He has worked in both the comprehensive and selective sectors and was a secondary Headteacher for nineteen years.

In 2005 he was seconded to the Department for Education in London where he worked in the Academies Division. After retiring from Headship in 2008 he joined KCC to assist with Kent’s own Academies programme. He also acted as an advisory Head for a National Challenge School.
Keith is a Past President of both Kent and Medway branches of the National Association of Headteachers and is also a Governor of a Medway Special School and a Kent Academy.

Steven Munday

Committees

Finance Personnel and Estates

Relationship with the Academy

UCA appointed governor

Profile

After many years working in a variety of marketing, sales and general management roles in the private sector, at company director level, I now run Kent County Supplies (KCS), the leading education supplies business in the South East.

My first degree in History and Sports Science was gained at Loughborough University, from where I also gained a Post Graduate Certificate of Education qualification. I also completed an MBA in 1995.

I still live locally and am married with 2 school age children. I have always been interested in sports and although my representative days are long gone, I am still actively involved in athletics as a track team manager for Medway and Maidstone AC. I will join the Medway Coaching Academy this September.