Matthew Woodruff (Chair of Trustees)

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 05/07/2024

John Allan

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 01/10/2015

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:

• Joint Vice Chair of Trustees
• Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee.
• Member of the Pay Committee
• Governor at The Grove Primary School for 22 years
• Chair of Governors at The Grove Primary School for 10 years

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I am a retired IT Consultant with managerial, technical and system analysis and design experience across many business areas including manufacturing, finance, human resources & payroll and sales.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
Reading, music and walking the dog.

Andrew Johnson

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 23/11/2022

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:

• Joint Vice Chair of Trustees
• Member of the Finance, Audit & Risk and Pay Committees.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I trained as accountant and worked for a number of predominantly US companies in a number of overseas locations.  I have lived in Camberley since 1989, where both of my children were born and attended local schools.  I was a Governor at Prior Heath for 3 or 4 terms starting 1996, at Ravenscote for 1 term and was involved with Tomlinscote for about 15 years as a Governor and Chair of the Governing Body.  Following Tomlinscote becoming an academy, I was both Chair of Surrey Heath Educational Trust and Chair of the Members, standing down when Tomlinscote joined The Prospect Trust.

Debbie Andrews

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 12/07/2016

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:
I have been a Trustee since July 2016 and was asked to join the Trust Board when Holly Lodge decided to begin the process of joining the Kite Academy Trust. I had been a Governor in the primary and secondary sector locally for over ten years and trained as an Advanced Skills Governor. My experience has been with schools on different journeys including a school that was in special measures. I am a member of the Standards and Monitoring Review Committees.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I started my career in Mortgage Finance and House Building. In 1998 I started a property company which I have run since then, specialising in property management and acquisitions, I also manage a pension fund as a Trustee, ensuring that our investment plan will allow us to meet future liabilities. Alongside my business, I Chair the Board of a group of companies; my main role is overseeing the performance of each individual area and strategic direction of the whole group.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
When I’m not working I like to spend most of my time planning my next holiday. As a family we love to travel and try to always go somewhere new. I enjoy watching most sport but my favourite is football and I’m lucky enough to have season tickets for my favourite team! As a family we are involved with the charity Guide Dogs and board dogs while they are completing their advanced training.

Liam Quinn

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 06/11/2017

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:
I’m a non-executive Trustee. My focus within the Board is to look at how technology can be best used within the Trust to help it to continue to develop and grow. I’ve helped to create the ICT strategy for the Trust which is built around providing a foundation infrastructure that all the academies can use and will ensure that all Trust business requirements are met and supported. I am a member of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I’m IT Director for Richmond Events who are the pioneers of one-to-one, pre-scheduled business forums which match buyers and sellers to generate new business, learn from each other and network. I’ve held this position for 9 years, although I’ve been at Richmond for 21 years. I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Bath University and I have an MBA from Aston University.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
I’m passionate about the Cloud and how it can improve the way organisations can develop, grow and operate anywhere in the world. My free time is taken up with helping develop young people within Molesey, Surrey. I am Scout Leader for 1st Molesey (Jaguar) Sea Scouts and Treasurer for the Friends of St Albans Primary School.

Phill Elston

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 08/09/2021

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:
I am a non-executive Trustee.  This is my first school governance appointment.  I’m passionate about education and the lessons beyond the syllabus.  I am a member of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
Currently I’m the Operations Director for Brompton Bicycle.  I started my working life wanting to gain a commission in the Royal Marines and ended up twenty years later making bikes.  In-between I’ve had careers as a self-employed tree surgeon, then trained and worked as a Manufacturing Engineer, before transitioning into leading manufacturing organisations.  I specialise in developing strong capable teams that deliver tangible change.  I am a recent member of the Institute of Directors and for the past two years have worked actively with Inspiring the Future to help students in preparing for adulthood.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
I love Rugby and help coach my eldest son’s team at Farnham RFC - I’m always open to watching a game too.  I enjoy cycling (no surprises there), running, being out in nature, camping with the family, is always a great break for us.  We’ve also got two dogs who love a good walk.  I’m a sometime lover of theatre and art, and if I can find a good live gig it makes me pretty happy.

Paul Syson-Harvey

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 16/05/2022

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:
I am a non-executive Trustee.  I am a member of the Standards and Monitoring Review Committees.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I have worked in education since finishing my degree in 2004, initially as an Attendance Officer for Norfolk County Council prior to undertaking my PGCE in 2005.  Since then, I have worked for three different local authorities and a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) as a primary school teacher (teaching Reception to Year 3), a Head of School, and more recently the School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) Strategic Lead for my MAT, GLF Schools.  I have always had a keen interest in the development of teachers new to the profession, and this role allows me to work closely with many different schools and the people within them.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
I sing in a choir which meets in Guildford and enjoy performing our ever-growing repertoire – sometimes in tune!  I have recently taken up sewing as a hobby and have been pleased to learn how to make items ranging from masks, to bunting, to quilts and bags.  I love to read and can often be found with my nose in a book.  In my spare time, I also volunteer with the National Trust in a Visitor Experience role, and I love the contrast being outdoors gives me from my working life.  I am a keen swimmer and enjoy walking in nature.

Martin Keightley

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 12/09/2023

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:
I am a non-executive Trustee.  I am a member of the Standards Committee and the Trustee with responsibility for Safeguarding and SEND.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I have worked in Education for the last 25 years, with a background in alternative provision sites, and have spent the last ten years specializing in Safeguarding within Education and Children's Services.  At present, I am the Safeguarding Manager for a national not for profit organization, overseeing 110 children's residential homes and 27 special schools across England and Wales, and bring my knowledge to Kite.

I have another Trustee role with the only full-time Circus School in Sussex, which has shown me a whole new world into the entertainment industry, and we support students to gain employment after completing school.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
I am presently undertaking a part time degree in Social Work and have a passion for football having managed several teams.  I now referee for Sussex County FA. For me, family time is also important to spend with my family and share those special moments all together.

Lee Chadwick

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 21/09/2023

Lisa Hopkins

DATE OF APPOINTMENT: 11/09/2024

ROLE WITHIN THE KITE ACADEMY TRUST:
I am a non-executive Trustee. I am the Trustee with responsibility for SEND.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
I am CEO of a charity called SeeAbility having spent my career working in social care and education specialising in people with autism and learning disabilities.  My previous roles include various Trusteeships and working in senior management positions in not-for-profit organisations, although my formal education and early career was in behaviour support for people with disabilities whose behaviour was described as challenging.  I am also a Trustee at Learning Disability England and the Worshipful Company of Spectacles Makers Charity.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
I have two young children, one of whom attends one of the schools in the Kite Academy.  They take up most of my time outside of work, although I do love scuba diving and yoga/pilates when time allows.