With a background spanning the public, private and not for profit sectors, Rowena has spent much of her career supporting and leading organisational turnaround and performance improvement. A multi academy trust CEO for seven years, she is currently CEO of Astrea Academy Trust, a large national multi academy trust with a footprint spanning South Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire. She is particularly interested in how we can 'leverage the power of the system to improve the system', including through collaboration and the sharing of strategies and resources.

She is a member of a wide range of educational advisory groups, is Vice Chair of Queen St Group and takes great pride in being Chair of East Midlands Netball, which alongside education is her other passion in life.