Chair of Governors/Foundation Governor

I am a Salesian of Don Bosco, a foundation governor and currently Chair of the Governing Body, serving also as Safeguarding Governor at Chertsey High School. I have degrees in Modern History and Economics and also in Theology from the Universities of Oxford and Durham and my PhD is on the Foundation and Development of the Salesians in England. Professionally I have a Diploma in Pastoral Care and Counselling and also the NPQH and am a National Leader in Governance. I have taught in various schools and universities and been a Governor in three Salesian Schools and also served at the Secondary Advisor for RE in the diocese and am a Section 48 School Inspector. I have worked as a priest Chaplain at various universities and am currently the Catholic Chaplain at Royal Holloway, University of London, and I also help in various parishes in the Weybridge Deanery. In my spare time, I love doing historical research, cycling, swimming, and motorcycling and travelling abroad.

Headteacher

Co-opted Governor/Literacy

I am a co-opted Governor. I joined this governing body in 1991 as a parent governor when my son was a student here and was chair of governors for three years. Previous to that I had been a parent governor at St Thomas More in East Molesley (now St. Albans) and chair of that governing body for two and a half years. I grew up in Canada and attended the University of Toronto before beginning a career as a journalist. I came to Britain in 1967 and worked in Fleet Street for 20 years as a foreign correspondent for an American news agency, United Press International. I then moved on to a second career as a project manager in the City and then worked as a freelance consultant until I retired. I am married to Ro, who works as a Health Visitor in Hounslow, and we have one son and two grandchildren, all now in Southampton. Since retiring I volunteer at the National Archives, where we are indexing naval documents from the Napoleonic wars. Otherwise, I occupy myself with family and historical research, particularly into naval history. I am a keen sailor and have a boat which I sail and race on the Solent, and in my odd spare moments do a bit of star-gazing with a telescope.

Co-opted Governor

I was appointed as a Co-opted Governor having served previously as a Sponsored Governor for many years. I am a Maths graduate from St John’s College, Oxford. After graduating, I joined the management consultancy arm of Arthur Andersen & Co. and, in 1990, I left with two colleagues to set up our own IT consultancy company, CHP Consulting Limited (now ALFA Systems Limited). Over 25 years, we built up an international software company, with over half the company’s revenues coming from outside the UK. I was specifically responsible for the Finance and HR functions. I am married to Jane – an alumna of Salesian School – and we have 3 children and 1 grandchild. Jane is also a school governor (St John Bosco College, Battersea), and we both believe firmly in the importance of education. Outside of work, we are avid sports fans, which means we suffer the highs and lows of following the England rugby and cricket teams!

Foundation Governor

Paola joined the governing board in April 2021 to which she brings 20 years of legal experience and a keen interest in the role of education to shape the future for young people.  Paola spent over 15 years at an international law firm in London, specialising in trust, estate and inheritance disputes.  She subsequently shifted the focus of her legal practice by moving to Geneva to complete a Master’s in Human Rights, after which she joined the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a lawyer advising colleagues and ministers across government on public international law and human rights issues, including running cases before the European Court of Human Rights.  Paola now combines her litigation expertise and interest in human rights working for a Geneva-based organisation which represents survivors of war crimes and crimes against humanity in proceedings before national courts and international human rights mechanisms.  Since university, Paola has volunteered with the international Catholic organisation – the Order of Malta Volunteers – and served a seven-year term as trustee of the UK charity.  She is now trustee of a charity funding a school in a refugee camp in north-western Syria, as well as prosthetics for children injured during the ongoing conflict.

Foundation Governor

I have been a Foundation Governor since 2022 and am the Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London. I started my academic career at the University of Oxford before moving to a research post at Yale University and meeting Elisabetta, my wife, in the Yale International Singers. We then moved to Denver where I taught biochemistry at Regis University, a Jesuit liberal-arts college, and where I was received into the Catholic Church. A year after our son was born we moved to Chertsey, where he attends Salesian School, and I joined Royal Holloway, where I am now a teaching-focused Professor. Elisabetta and I sing in Egham Choral.

Foundation Governor

Hello everyone,

I am a newly appointed Foundation Governor and will serve on the governing body for four years. I’m a mum of two boys, both currently Salesian pupils. I’m a Town Planner and currently run my own Town Planning Consultancy – Surrey Planning and Design. I have a Geography degree from St Mary’s College and a Masters in Town Planning from Reading University. My husband is a Building Surveyor so we have many fascinating property based conversations! Many of my friends are teachers and my brother is a Teacher overseas. I completely admire all the hard work and care the staff display at Salesian and am happy to assist where I can, to ensure this remains an outstanding, happy school for current and future pupils and staff. In my spare time I’m involved in a variety of community initiatives at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Thames Ditton, I sing with a local choir called The Songbirds. I’m a very enthusiastic guitarist – I’ve learnt three chords in 20 years!

Foundation Governor

Following a long and happy career in Human Resources Management I retired and became an adviser at Citizens Advice.  I am a catechist for Confirmation and a member of the social team at Holy Family Church.  My hobbies include gardening, swimming, crafting and walking the dog.  I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and I hold a MA in Employment Law.

Parent Governor

I joined the Local Governing Committee in 2023 as a Parent Governor. My wife and I have two children; my daughter has attended Salesian School until completing her A-levels in 2020 and my son is still a Salesian pupil.

I grew up in Germany and first came to England in 1993 to study Applied Mathematics at Brunel University, Uxbridge. I have since had a career in a variety of IT focussed roles, most recently overseeing the Operations function for an Educational Assessment provider with responsibility for areas including Property and Facilities, IT infrastructure, as well as Information Security and Data Protection.

In my spare time, I enjoy cycling (especially on quiet country roads in Southern France), gardening, playing the piano, and generally spending time with my family and friends.

Parent Governor

I was born and raised in Kenya until the age of 17 when I was granted a scholarship to study medicine in Poland. I then moved to the UK in 1997 to undertake specialist training in psychiatry. I have a MBA in Healthcare Management degree from Brunel University and LLM in Mental Health Law degree from Northumbria University. I worked in the NHS as a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist until 2020.

I now work for the Royal Courts of Justice as member of the Mental Health Tribunal and for the Care Quality Commission as a Second Opinion Appointed Doctor. I also run a Specialist Nursing Home for men with mental disorders and dementia. We have five children, four of whom have attended Salesian school.