Chair of Trustees: John Hardy, OBE

St John Vianney Primary School

John is Head Teacher of St John Vianney Primary School in Hartlepool.

Vice Chair of Trustees: Dame Nicola Stephenson

Valour Multi Academy Trust

Dame Nicola’s current role is CEO and Executive Head Teacher of two National Support Schools in Newcastle. She has been in a leadership role for over 20 years and a National leader of education for over 10. Her strengths lie in rapid school improvement, national policy influencing, developing leaders and strategic planning. In her spare time she is a keen trekker and takes on a range of challenges from trekking the Himalayas to cycling across Madagascar for charity.

She believes it takes a whole community to raise a child, and childhood should be a collection of adventures and happy memories.

Dame Maura Regan

Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust

Maura began her teaching career in London teaching History and RE, she returned to the North East to take a pastoral role before becoming Deputy Head Pastoral and subsequently Principal of Carmel College.

Maura, as the architect of Carmel Education Trust, became its founding CEO having led the successful transformation of Carmel College from a single outstanding College to the lead school in a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT).  The Trust is recognised as a leading organisation nationally.  The Trust is now known as Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust comprising 26 schools both primary and secondary.  It will become a Trust of 35 schools by 2022.  All schools in the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust have been rated as good or better on inspection after joining the Trust.

In her role as an NLE, Maura and her Leadership Team have supported schools across the region from all phases.

She is a Trustee of Schools North East, Director of Emmanuel Trust and a Governor of Durham School.

Maura is regularly invited to address national audiences on the benefits and complexities of establishing and leading a Multi-Academy Trust in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity, solidarity and support for the common good.  She is passionate about making a difference and believes that ‘every child should be given every opportunity to succeed’.

Maura is a member of the National Advisory Group with reference to the published Recruitment & Retention Strategy document.

She is a member of the sub-group working with the DfE on the Opportunity North East Programme established by the Secretary of State.

Colin Lofthouse

Smart Multi-Academy Trust Newcastle

Following a career in archaeology after graduating from Sheffield University Colin trained as a primary teacher in 1997 at Newcastle University.

He began teaching at Chopwell Primary School, Gateshead before moving to be DHT and then AHT of Prudhoe West First School in Northumberland.

In 2008 he became headteacher at Throckley Primary School, Newcastle and led the school from special measures to outstanding status. After 6 years as Headteacher at Rickleton Primary School in Sunderland he is now the Chief Executive Officer for the Smart Multi Academy Trust, a  group of 8 primary schools in the North West of Newcastle.

He has special interest in leadership support, looked after children, has been a SIP for many years and is a lead Ofsted Inspector. His research areas are coaching, lesson study and curriculum design on which he has co-authored books, papers and presented at conferences. 

In his spare time he rock climbs, plays the piano and rides bikes (both with and without engines).

Monica Shepherd

St. Anthony Girl’s Catholic Academy

Monica spent her first years at St. Leonard’s School Durham teaching History, Geography and Government and Politics and completing her M.A. at Durham University.   Monica moved to St. Anthony’s Girls’ School Sunderland as Head of Department (1987-1997), Senior Teacher (1997-2000), Deputy Head (2000-2005) and Head Teacher (2005 to the present).

Monica has served as a parish councillor, staff governor (secondary) and foundation governor (primary). St. Anthony’s Girls’ Catholic Academy is a member of St. Bede’s Deanery Alliance (nine primary and two secondary schools) and Hexham and Newcastle Catholic Partnership (twelve secondary schools).

Kieran McGrane

Pele Trust

Kieran trained as a PE teacher at Loughborough University before starting his first teaching post in Northumberland. After a period of time studying in the USA, Kieran returned to England teaching in Durham before being appointed as Head of PE at Ashington High.

Over a period of 6 years Kieran moved from middle leadership to Deputy Headteacher before being appointed as Principal of Bedlingtonshire Community High School for the 2006-07 academic year. In September 2012 he moved to take up his second headship at Ponteland High School. In February 2019, Kieran was appointed CEO of Pele Trust; a Multi Academy Trust comprising six schools in the Ponteland area (five primary and one secondary school).

Kieran McLaughlin

Durham School

Kieran joined Durham School in 2014 and has previously been a Deputy Head (Academic) at Rugby School, as well as Head of Physics at London Girl's School, and Head of Science and Technology at Sevenoaks School.  He has been involved in a number of national curriculum initiatives, as well as delivering INSET on behalf of HMC and the National College of School Leadership. 

Kate Chisholm

Oakfield Infant & Junior School

Kate has been Head Teacher of Skerne Park for 10 years.  Working in one of the most disadvantaged wards in the country Kate's work is passionately focussed on closing the attainment gap but ensuring SEND is catered for at the most personal level.  Kate brings her experience of working in some of the most challenging situations and her real-time knowledge of the current educational landscape to the trust board. 

Kate has been the Chair of the Primary Head Teacher forum in Darlington and has sat on panels such as the SEND steering group, Educational strategy group, YOS board, DfE panels and OFSTED reference group and believes in collaboration to forge solutions to challenges. 

Kate is a great advocate for Schools North East and truly believes in its efficacy and ability to ensure the North East Educational agenda is not generalised, distorted or forgotten and that the reality of living in one of the best places in the world is realised.

Zoe Carr, OBE

WISE Academies

Zoe has been CEO of WISE Academies since 2013. She comes from a primary background going on to be an Advanced Skills Teacher before moving into school leadership sixteen years ago.   Zoe sits on the Regional School Commissioner's Head Teacher Board and is an Ofsted inspector. 

Zoe places great value on the strength and influence of the powerful partnership between SNE and the entire school system in our region and promotes the meaningful collaboration to deliver postive change in our area. 

She is committed to being part of shaping the future vision in the interests of professionals working in the education sector. 

Jo Heaton, OBE

Northern Lights Learning Trust

Jo is CEO of Northern Lights Multi Academy Trust & Executive HT of 2 primary schools in Hartlepool. She is also the strategic Lead for Northern Lights Teaching School Hub for Sunderland, South Tyneside & Gateshead.  Jo chairs the DfE Primary Headteacher Reference Group and is a member of various DfE advisory groups, including the Expert Advisory Group for Recruitment & Retention and a member of a number of local groups such as School’s Forum, Children’s Services Committee, Durham Diocese Board of Education, CEO networks and co-chairs the Hartlepool Headteacher network. She has a history of supporting schools with school improvement support and is a National Leader of Education. 

Jo is passionate about both education and the North East and proud of our region and of the impact and influence we can have when we work collaboratively together.  Jo was involved in the writing of the SNE Manifesto for North East Education and believes that through building on these key areas we can make a difference as a schools-led organisation.  She is committed to collaborative working to tackle issues and strengthen education in the North East. 

Pete King

Federation of Mowden Schools

Pete has been a North East Head Teacher for twenty years. He has also served as NAHT branch secretary, chair and vice of the local school forum and a school improvement partner.

Pete is a stong advocate for Schools North East and values the collaborative work done between the chairty and the schools in the region. He brings his knowledge and experience to the role of trustee after sitting on the advisory board for a number of years. 

Co-opted Trustee: David Baldwin

North Tyneside Learning Trust

David Baldwin retired as Headteacher of Churchill Community College in North Tyneside at the end of 2020 having been in this post since September 2000. During that time the school has changed status from 13 - 18 to 11 - 18 and with that there has been a substantial amount of new build and refurbishment. Over the 20 years of his leadership the school has moved from low levels of achievement to outstanding achievement. Students were always at the heart of everything David did, which helped to shape and lead developments across the college.

David has a view that we have a corporate responsibility for young people across the LA and has been instrumental in establishing the unique North Tyneside Learning Trust and the academy sponsor North Tyneside Academy Foundation. These organisations help to support improvements and wider opportunities across an extensive range of schools.David now works part time for North Tyneside Learning Trust as the Education Strategic Lead supporting the work of the 45 schools in the Trust.

David continues to lead by example and chairs the Wallsend Children’s Community which works in partnership with Save the Children. He continues to sit on the Safeguarding Executive in North Tyneside. He also continues to act as the strategic lead for the Great North Maths Hub which works across the region from the North of Durham to Berwick to provide support for teachers across all phases in mathematics.

Since January 2021, David has taken on the role of Independent Chair of the Promise Board in Newcastle. He has also become a Trustee of the North Tyneside Carers Centre, continuing his work to support all young people whatever issues they face.