Speakers

Learn more about our speakers below. Our speakers include leading practitioners, expert policy thinkers, and inspirational voices from across the sector. We will be adding more speakers as we approach the event, so keep checking back for more details.

Highlighted speakers

Andrew Riches

Advisor and MAT CEO, Engaging Education

Andrew Riches

Advisor and MAT CEO, Engaging Education

Andrew’s educational philosophy is based on his teaching and leadership experience in a range of schools, and a deeply held conviction that all children matter. His desire to do the very best for every child as an individual has been at the heart of his approach throughout my career. Andrew has a wealth and breadth of leadership experience, including as a headteacher and CEO of two school trusts, and a deep understanding of the educational landscape. He has worked in a range of settings and supported schools in challenging circumstances. He currently works as CEO for a school trust, educational consultant, and as an advisor for Engaging Education, a leading creative marketing agency in education.

Iona Jackson

Head of Insights, Edurio

Iona Jackson

Head of Insights, Edurio

Iona runs the insights team at Edurio, responsible for the creation of new surveys and analysis of the national datasets on staff, pupil and parent experience. Since joining Edurio in 2021, Iona has worked on national reports focused on topics such as equality, diversity and inclusion and staff retention. Iona brings 10+ years of research experience, previously working in fields from technology, to food waste, to finance.

Jenny Childs

Group Manager, Public Affairs Sectors, Information Commissioner's Office

Jenny Childs

Group Manager, Public Affairs Sectors, Information Commissioner's Office

Jenny leads the ICO’s engagement with the education sector. As the UK’s independent regulator of data protection and freedom of information law, the ICO safeguards and empowers people by upholding information rights and providing regulatory certainty to organisations. With over 15 years’ experience in ICO policy development and engagement, Jenny has led on many important areas of work including regulation of the press, criminal records and political campaigning. She now leads a specialist policy and engagement team responsible for education, health, and local government.

Joe Nicell

Head of Marketing, Lift Schools

Joe Nicell

Head of Marketing, Lift Schools

Joe Nicell is the Head of Marketing at Lift Schools (formerly AET) overseeing a diverse range of marketing initiatives, including brand development, digital communication, and design for the network and its schools. In five years at Lift Schools, Joe has been developing and implementing marketing strategies that have helped to raise the profile of the organisation and attract new students. He has also been responsible for launching a number of successful marketing campaigns, including social media campaigns, recruitment marketing, and content marketing initiatives. Prior to joining Lift Schools, Joe held marketing roles in charities, healthcare and higher education.

Lauren Wilson

Head of Brand Strategy and Partnerships, Thinking Schools Academy Trust

Lauren Wilson

Head of Brand Strategy and Partnerships, Thinking Schools Academy Trust

Lauren Wilson is the Head of Brand Strategy and Partnerships at Thinking Schools Academy Trust, playing a strategic role in shaping and delivering the trust's marketing and communications. With a focus on internal communications and engagement as well as external collaborations, Lauren works with a diverse range of clients to deliver projects that align with the trust's mission and values. Throughout her career, Lauren has led high-profile initiatives, including comprehensive rebranding campaigns, large-scale event management and developing a high performing team to achieve positive results. Lauren has also been instrumental in the delivery of crisis communications priorities, helping guide the trust and its academies through challenging situations with clear and impactful messaging. Lauren's expertise in strategic communications, quick adaptability, and results-driven marketing has earned her a strong reputation as she continues to work alongside other marketing leaders to share best practice, improve processes, and grow effective teams centred on doing the right thing for our academies and trusts.

Nico Rehman

Digital Marketing Manager, REAch2 Academy Trust

Nico Rehman

Digital Marketing Manager, REAch2 Academy Trust

Nico is responsible for REAch2's digital presence, including its website and SharePoint based intranet. He originally joined the trust as an application support engineer before being seconded to REAch2's marketing team to build and develop the trust and school websites, providing support and training to schools, and using data intelligence to develop a better experience for stakeholders.

Ross Bennett

Commercial Director, Engaging Education

Ross Bennett

Commercial Director, Engaging Education

Ross is Commercial Director and one of the founding partners of Engaging Education, a leading creative marketing agency in education. He established the organisation as part of an after-school project during Year 10 of secondary school, where his passion for business and education was ignited. Ross is committed to improving the life chances of young people. This is evidenced through his positions as Chair of the Hull Youth Enterprise Partnership, Vice-Chair of Governors at Goole Academy and Governor at The Freeston Academy. Crucially, Ross understands the challenges faced by academies, schools, school trusts and the people within. He has a proven track record of working alongside principals, CEOs, senior leaders and students to develop and implement communication strategies utilising a wide range of media.

Sam Duran

Head of Internal Communications, Lift Schools

Sam Duran

Head of Internal Communications, Lift Schools

Sam is the founding Head of Internal Communications at Lift Schools (formerly AET), leading the internal communications and events strategy across Lift's 57 schools and 4500 staff. She played a key role in shaping and delivering internal and external communications during AET's rebrand to Lift Schools. Prior to her role at Lift Schools, Sam worked in charity and university communications. She originally qualified as a speech and language therapist, supporting students in schools throughout London and the US.

Tiffany Beck OBE

Head of Education, PLMR

Tiffany Beck OBE

Head of Education, PLMR

As PLMR’s Head of Education, Tiffany provides expert strategic advice and support in reputation management and crisis communications, PR and media relations, public affairs and wider communications disciplines to school trusts and maintained schools; early years, further and higher education institutions; charities; sector bodies; edtech companies and organisations across the education sphere. She is also Chair of Trustees at Maritime Academy Trust, where she has obtained in-depth understanding of issues and challenges facing schools and trusts around the country. She was made an OBE for services to education in the King’s New Year Honours List 2024.