Regional Director for North East

Katherine Cowell

Biography

Katherine Cowell started in her role as Regional Director for North East in September 2022.

She was previously the Regional Schools Commissioner for North. Katherine is also the Senior Responsible Officer for the Opportunity North East Programme.

Prior to this Katherine was Deputy Director within the north region from 2016. Katherine is an experienced civil servant with a broad range of experience including:

  • an area director within the Cities and Local Growth Unit
  • FE and skills policy
  • an education advisor in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit

Regional Director for North East

The Regional Director for North East is responsible for working locally across children’s social care, SEND, schools and area-based programmes to improve outcomes for children, families and learners. They are responsible for making decisions in the following local authorities:

  • Darlington
  • Durham
  • Gateshead
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • North Tyneside
  • Northumberland
  • Redcar and Cleveland
  • South Tyneside
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Sunderland

More information about the responsibilities of regional directors is available.

Read about the north-east advisory board.

If you have any questions email the regional director’s office rg.ne@education.gov.uk.

Regional Department for Education (DfE) Directors

Previous roles in government

  • Regional Schools Commissioner for North of England