Barbara McIntosh (Chair) 

Barbara has been in the field of learning disability, mental health and children with special needs for 25 years. She is currently a Director at Healthwatch Sutton and a Board member for three organisations that provide learning disability and mental health services. Barbara has worked as a Local Authority Commissioner of Adult Learning Disability Services, as National Head of Children and Young People’s Programmes at the Mental Health Foundation and at the Kings Fund where she led a five-year programme to develop education, employment, leisure and social opportunities for people with learning disabilities. She is committed to improving the life chances of children and adults with learning disabilities and is keen to work with families and other partners to achieve this.

Ian Bowers (Vice-Chair)

Ian studied Materials Science at Manchester University before achieving a DPhil at Oxford on alloys of rare metals.  Ian begun his career at British Leyland in Oxford, eventually taking over the recruitment and training of 80 graduates a year entering the company.  He went on to achieve an MBA, specializing in Personnel Management, and the next 18 years involved consultancy projects covering personnel, appraisal and rewards systems, manpower planning in Jordan and Oman, senior recruitment across Europe and Industrial Relations in the public sector, leading to executive appointments as Personnel Director for two Engineering Consultancies in periods of major change.

In 1991 Ian was appointed as Director of Personnel and Public Engagement at South West Surrey Health Authority and was responsible for a number of change projects including supervising the transfer of the services for adults with learning and behavioral challenge to the funding responsibility of Social Services.  He was appointed Chief Executive in 1993.

Since 1981, Ian has also run a business supplying craftsmen with their raw materials, which has grown substantially over the years. He has also spent a period as non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of a Health Authority, Director and vice-Chairman of Eagle radio, also as Director of Natural Fibre Company.

Ian’s portfolio is Human Resources and Organisational Development.

Liam McGivern

Liam is a qualified Accountant (member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants).  Prior to taking early retirement last year he worked for Royal Mail Group for over forty years, where he worked in a variety of finance roles.  He has experience from working in Internal Audit and Risk Management, Systems implementation, Training, Project Accounting, Costing and Performance Reporting.

Liam’s portfolio is finance

Kelly Phillips 

Kelly has a wealth of experience with SEND, working in education and social care. She became a specialist teacher 13 years ago  and has continued to develop her skills within mainstream and specialist Colleges.

Kelly joined Orchard Hill College as a Lecturer and progressed to Head of Centre then Assistant Principal Regional Lead and is now Principal.

Her portfolio is safeguarding.

Geoff Tanner (Staff Governor)

Geoff is employed as a teaching assistant at the school, and has set up the music department, leading on music sessions.

Geoff has been a parent governor in the past, and has experience of governance in a commercial setting.

Janet Sherborne

Janet recently retired from her role as Chief Operating Officer at Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust, having worked as a senior manager in the education sector for over 25 years, including as Head of Carshalton College.  She has extensive experience in apprenticeships, vocational education, higher education and SEND and was Designated Safeguarding Lead  at Carshalton College.  Prior to retraining to be a further education lecturer, Janet worked for the Ministry of Defence and Esso Petroleum.  Janet says,  ‘It is an  honour and privilege to have worked with so many young people and adults and see them succeed and flourish in their chosen career pathway’.