National Leaders of Governance for further education: current national leaders
Updated 1 October 2026
Applies to England
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Overview
National Leaders of Governance (NLGs) are experienced college governors, governance professionals and clerks with a strong record of supporting college improvement. They provide mentoring and improvement support to governance boards.
NLGs can determine the best way to support the needs of the colleges they are working with.
The NLG programme operates alongside the National leaders of further education programme. It is part of the tiered support for colleges outlined in the guidance on college oversight support and intervention.
National Leaders of Governance
| Name | Role | College |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Ashton | Chair designate | The Henley College |
| Stuart Blackett | Chair | The Education Training Collective |
| Charles Buchanan | Chair | EKC Group |
| Laura Churchill | Governance professional | Warrington and Vale Royal College |
| Rebecca Clare | Governance professional | The Trafford and Stockport College Group |
| Elton D’Souza | Chair | West Suffolk College |
| Cristina George | Governor | Huddersfield New College |
| Sara Hamilton-Burns | Governance professional | Chelmsford College |
| Rob Lawson | Chair | Hull College |
| Andrew McConnell | Chair | Heart of Yorkshire Education Group |
| Rachel Nicol | Governance professional | The Bedford College Group |
| Wendy Stanger | Governance professional | East Coast College |
| Catherine Sykes | Governance professional | Hull College |
| Catherine Vinall | Governance professional | Chichester College Group |
| David Wright | Chair of Corporation | Boston College |
Information and queries
Colleges seeking support from a National Leader of Governance should contact the Office of the Further Education Commissioner at fec.operations@education.gov.uk.
If you are interested in becoming a National Leader of Governance, further information and an application form are available in the National Leaders of Governance for further education guidance.