Meet the Governors
Meet the Governors
Norma Boyes
Secretary Annual Agricultural Show, Member and Clerk of Parish Councils. Is member of environment groups and Young Farmers organisation, member and president at county level. As Governor has Equality and Diversity and Child Safety responsibilities, and is a member of the Audit, Search and Governance and Remuneration committees. She is also a Governor Representative on the Student Forum and is involved in the College Activzone. Governor since July 1998. Norma is a born and bred local person and a Copeland resident.
Damian McSweeney - Chair of Corporation
BSc CEng Eur Ing FIMechE MCMI. Director level Engineer who has held various senior positions, including Deputy MD at Iggesund Paperboard in Workington. Has also been employed by ICI based in North East of England and has had significant overseas experience. Member of Resources, Remuneration and Search and Governance committees. Also School Governor and Allerdale resident. Governor since September 2007.
Michael Doyle - Academic Staff Governor
TechIOSH and Cert.Ed. Short course lecturer in Health & safety and related topics, also First Aid lecturer. Extensive experience in industry, the voluntary sector (British Red Cross) and Health Care. Current member of Casualties Union and although not a native of Cumbria, has lived here all his working life. Michael joined the Board in January 2008 and is a member of the Learner Experience Committee. Lives in the Copeland area but originally a Yorkshire man from Bradford.
Mike Davidson
A Inst P/ Retired industrial scientist (BNFL). Is a Councillor on both Workington Town and Allerdale Borough Councils. Wide range of experience with local authority committees, voluntary bodies, and of practical training of apprentices and safety regimes. Interests include first aid (St. John Ambulance) amateur radio and fishing. Governor since July 2003 and member of Resources Committee. Born and bred local person and Allerdale resident.
Cath Richardson - Principal / Governor
ICSA, NVQ 5 Strategic Management, CIPD (Licentiate). Born in Carlisle, Cath began her career with Cumbria Local Education Authority (LEA). She also taught Personnel Management and Management studies locally. After gaining a broad experience of human resources and work within education establishments she became Assistant Education Officer at the LEA with responsibility for the personnel and staffing support within the whole of the Cumbria Education Service.
Cath was appointed Principal in May 2007. She is passionate about promoting the education and development of others and ensuring that Lakes College enables students in West Cumbria to achieve their full potential. As Principal she is committed to making Lakes College a great college which plays a leading role in the future economic and community development and prosperity of West Cumbria.
Member of Resources, Learner Experience and Search and Governance committees.
Joe Holliday
MAHS. Retired Highways Superintendent, County Councillor for part of Workington, various committees, voluntary bodies, school governors. Member of Resources Committee and a Governor since July 2001. Joe has special responsibility as Governor for Health and Safety issues and is also involved in the College Activzone. Joe is an Allerdale resident/local person.
Clare Walker - Student Services Officer
BA. Student Liaison officer in Student Services Department of College. Experience in retail in private sector as well as marketing and advice & guidance. Became a governor in March 2006. Clare is a member of the Audit committee. Local person, Allerdale resident after Higher Education at UCLan - Preston.
Dr John Lackie
MA, PhD, and FI Biol. / Academic Consultant, Was Principal of West Lakes Institute, has held directorships and various senior posts in public and private sectors, including Japanese and American bodies, Lectured at Cambridge, Glasgow, Liverpool and Oxford Universities. Member of various professional bodies, etc, including in biology and nuclear fields, published author. John is a member of the Remuneration Committee and also a governor representative on the Student Forum. Governor since September 2004. Is Allerdale resident via various other parts of the UK.
Jill Killen
Jill Killen has an honours degree in Travel & Tourism and currently works for Cumbria Tourist Board, where she is Webmaster for their main visitor facing website, which was shortlisted for the Webby Awards in 2008. She is a member of the Learner Experience Committee and will forge links with the travel & tourism sections of the college.
Mark Stanger
Mark Stanger is a qualified Chartered Accountant, and a partner in Gibbons & Company. Although in general practice, he is also an audit partner and has a number of public sector audit clients. He is also a business advisor and mentor for the Young Enterprise Scheme at Workington 6th form college and with the Prince’s Trust. He is a member of the Resources Committee.
Andrew Oldham
Andrew holds a senior financial position at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. After qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant with Rolls-Royce, he has worked in a diverse range of industries including wines and spirits, clothing and electricity generation, prior to moving to West Cumbria in 2005. Previous work in the education sector has included serving as a School Governor for primary schools in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.
Paul Pharaoh - Business Governor, Vice Chair of Corporation
LLB, Solicitor/ Partner in Birmingham Law firm, with FE practice. Has wide experience of FE legal matters/advice to FE colleges nationally. Former member of Law Society Council. Chair of Audit, Remuneration and Search and Governance committees. Member of Cumbria Colleges Collaboration Board, and of the Cumbria Colleges Ltd Audit committee. Has been governor since December 1999. Midlands resident with strong local connections and part time residence in Copeland.
Robin Talbot
Dr Robin Talbot has been Dean of the Faculty of Health, Medical Sciences and Social Care at the University of Cumbria since 2004 and was formerly Associate Dean and Head of Department of Public Health and Primary Care at St Martin’s College from 1995. He is a former Chair of Morecambe Bay PCT. Dr Talbot is committed to close working between Further and Higher Education and enabling widening participation opportunities for students across Cumbria and Lancashire.
Sarah Graham
Sarah Graham is a Staff Governor who has worked at the college for two years as a Work Placement Officer and assessor in Child Care. She is also a parent governor at a local nursery and secretary of a local community group.
Rick Wylie
A senior consultant working in applied political science, Rick Wylie is employed by Westlakes Scientific Consulting and the University of Central Lancashire. He specialises in governance processes including stakeholder relations, public opinion, perceived risk and public consultation. He is lecturer and programme director for several academic courses relating to decision-making and governance in the nuclear industry.
Les Agnew Les Agnew is Head of Safety & Technical Training Standards for Sellafield Sites Ltd, part of the Human Resources team servicing 10,000 employees. Among other responsibilities, he manages the team who undertake task & training needs analysis to ensure future training and development is appropriate. He also manages the development of training facilities, which includes apprentice training and the new build Sellafield Skills’ centre. Previously, Mr Agnew was Head of Operations for GEN II Engineering and Technology Training Ltd and Development and Improvement Manager for the UKAEA.
Jane Murray - Clerk to the Governors
With 25 years experience in public relations and governance, Jane joined Lakes College in 2009. She is the first point of contact for the Governors.