Speakers

Claire specialises in data protection, AI, information governance, and freedom of information for education clients at Browne Jacobson LLP. Her extensive experience leading a data protection officer service as well as experience working as a school business manager and as a local academy board governor equips her with a profound understanding of school challenges. Claire received the European Picasso 'Champion' Award for her ability to support and promote a positive information governance culture within schools, and the important work done by school staff to protect children's personal data. Claire is also a co-author of the IRMS Records Management Toolkit for Schools and Academies and is known for her effective public speaking and advocacy for data protection importance in education. Additionally, Claire's expertise extends to AI governance and edtech. This experience and knowledge makes her an invaluable resource for educational institutions.

With over 15 years’ experience in governance, spanning governor support service roles as well as volunteering as a governor and chair in Buckinghamshire, Ellie Cheshire is now General Manager at GovernorHub. A strong advocate for reducing the administrative burden of governance, Ellie has spearheaded a number of key developments at GovernorHub, including leading the way on the safe and effective use of AI in governance. This has resulted in the implementation of AI-powered tools designed to support boards and improve efficiency.

Fiona Kelly is Director of Primary Education at Orion Education Trust, with trust‑wide responsibilities across primary and secondary for reading and relational leadership. She also leads the community strand of the trust’s strategy, which underpins work on culture, relationships and belonging across schools.
Fiona works closely with leaders to strengthen early literacy, curriculum quality and teaching practice, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. She leads the development and implementation of the Orion Relationship Toolkit, supporting schools to build strong, inclusive communities where children and adults can thrive.
She is a qualified Working Genius facilitator with Patrick Lencioni’s The Table Group, and regularly works with leadership teams to improve communication, clarity and collective effectiveness.
Fiona is deeply committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of starting point, experiences an excellent education and leaves school confident, capable and ready for the next stage.

Hannah Stolton has been CEO of national education charity Governors for Schools since January 2020. Hannah joined the organisation in 2017 where she managed the development of operations, enabling us to spend less time on administration, and more time working directly with potential volunteers and schools. After starting her career as a primary teacher, Hannah moved into the recruitment field, managing the UK operations of an in-house agency. She brings 20 years' experience in this area to Governors for Schools, where she focuses on expanding our reach across England and Wales. Hannah is currently chair of governors at a primary school in Essex.

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 over 10 years of research experience, previously working in fields from technology, to food waste, to finance.

Jackie has worked as a governance consultant since 2012 and was appointed as a National Leader of Governance. She is based in the South West and has worked with school trusts across the country. She has a professional background in quality assurance, mentoring, training course design and delivering engaging, inspiring training. Jackie has delivered ERGs for trusts of all phases and sizes, including special schools and foundation trusts and she has supported trusts through growth and merger and provides mentoring support to trust boards and chairs.

Jackie is the programme director for the CST Chairs Development and Governing a School Trust Programmes; she particularly enjoys working with groups of chairs to support them in what can be an isolated and challenging role.

Jackie is currently the trust board chair for the Leading Edge Academies Partnership and is a member for the Academies for Character and Excellence. In her leisure time she enjoys time with her grandchildren and walking her dogs on the beautiful beaches of Cornwall.

Jackie was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours list of 2022 for her services to education.

Jill is an experienced governance professional, and has worked in the education sector for a number of years. Prior to its merger, Jill worked at Eko Trust from September 2020. Before this, she worked as a Secondary School Business Manager in Newham and Hackney for 14 years before she moved roles to focus on school governance as part of a governor services team in 2012. During her time as part of this team, she developed an expertise in academy governance.

Joe has been supporting schools for over 15 years, having joined The Key when it was a government-funded pilot in 2008. He is now Director of Innovation at The Key Group and is leading the development of Robin, the AI-powered policy and website compliance tool.

Joe also spent a year in government as a Number 10 Innovation Fellow. He worked in the Department for Education, pushing for better use of technology and data in government and across the sector.

Lesley is a governance professional and former Head of Local Governance at United Learning, led national delivery of trust growth, governance, policy development, and leadership training and support. She now works across trusts and faith sectors delivering ERGs, CEO performance reviews and school trust development. An ILML7 coach, Lesley coaches and mentors leaders and leadership teams. She holds an MEd, is a fellow of both CCT and CMI, chairs two LGBs, and is a trustee of two charities.

Richard has over 23 years’ experience in advising schools and local authorities on a wide range of education issues including admissions, exclusions, SEN, disability discrimination and other Equality Act issues. His advice has covered both state funded and independent schools. Richard also has significant experience in SEND law and other local authority education issues such as transport, school re-organisation, legal challenges and complaints.

Samira Sadeghi is Director of Trust Governance for CST. Prior to that, she was Head of Governance and Company Secretary at Academies Enterprise Trust, a multi-academy trust with 57 schools, and served as Regional Governance Officer at Ark Schools for four years. Before moving to the UK with her family in 2010, she was a criminal defence attorney and spent 12 years representing clients on California's death row in their post-conviction proceedings.

Sarah Lay has worked in governance roles for more than 15 years, holding professional positions in educational institutions and independent professional bodies. She is the Head of Governance and Company Secretary at the Co-op Academies Trust, a large multi academy trust in the North of England, where she leads a team of governance professionals facilitating effective decision making and stakeholder engagement across 38 diverse communities.

Sarah is passionate about promoting the profile of academy governance professionals across the wider sector, and in identifying opportunities for cross-sector learning, development and collaboration. She is a trustee of a charity in central Manchester, and the winner of the National Governance Association's Outstanding Lead Governance Professional Award 2025.