Corporation Members

• Mrs Katharine Clough

  

  Katharine was appointed as a member of the Corporation in November 2015. She is currently the Director of External Relations at the University of Wolverhampton and prior to that held senior positions within the Marketing, Research and Transformation departments of local government. She graduated from the University of Nottingham with an undergraduate honours degree in Sociology and Economics and the University of the West of England with a postgraduate diploma in marketing. She serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Apprenticeships, Higher Skills & Worldwide.

• Mr Peter Davies

  

  Peter was appointed as a member of the Corporation in September 2012. Peter is Chief Executive of CK Chartered Accountants; EMEA Region Board member of PrimeGlobal, a worldwide Association of Independent Accountancy Practices. He graduated from London University with a degree in Mathematics and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He is Chair of the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Apprenticeships, Higher Skills & Worldwide and Remuneration Committee, and is also a member of the Strategic Impact Committee – Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education and the Audit Committee. He is also a Co-opted Member of Dudley Academies Trust, Business & Audit Committee.

• Mr Martin Dudley

  

  Martin was appointed as a member of the Corporation in March 2012. Martin is Chairman of Thomas Dudley Limited, a group of local manufacturing businesses. He graduated from Brunel University with a degree in manufacturing engineering and also holds a MBA from Wolverhampton University. Martin is a fellow of the Institute of Cast Metal Engineers and Chair of the Skills Policy Group for the Black Country Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the Strategic Impact Committee – Apprenticeships, Higher Skills & Worldwide and the Remuneration Committee. He is also a Trustee of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mr Aldrich Gonsalves

  

  Aldrich is the Students’ Union President for 2018/2019 having completed two years of study at Dudley College of Technology, studying ESOL in his first year and Animal Sciences in his second year. Aldrich is a Dudley Young Commissioner and is currently working towards his bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award. He hopes to progress into employment in the environmental sector. He serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education.

• Mrs Charlie Harvey

  

  Charlie was appointed to the Corporation in December 2014 and currently works in the Finance function of a large insurance firm. She has previous experience in audit, forensic accounting and financial control within various financial and professional services organisations. She graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in economics. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She is Chair of the Corporation’s Audit Committee. She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Professor Alison Hodge MBE

  

  Alison was appointed to the Corporation in October 2015 and was employed as a Professor of Engineering Leadership at Aston University until August 2018. She has also worked in the Defence Industry and as a Government research physicist and manager. Alison has a BSc and PhD in Physics from Reading University and is a Chartered Engineer. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, a Fellow of the Women in Engineering Society, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a member of Women in Science and Engineering. She was awarded an MBE for services to the Institute of Physics in 2002. She serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Apprenticeships, Higher Skills & Worldwide. She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mr David Johnson

  

  David was appointed to the Corporation in April 2015. David was Chief Executive of Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, for 13 years following 27 years in a variety of NHS general management roles, latterly as District General Administrator, Winchester Health Authority. He is a former Director and Company Secretary of Black Country Food Bank Ltd and a member of the Institute of Management Services. He has a Diploma in Management Studies and MSc in Organisational Development and Management Learning, City University, Birmingham. He serves on the Corporation’s Audit Committee.

• Ms Valerie Little

  

  Valerie was appointed to the Corporation in December 2016. Valerie is a Public Health Specialist. She has served as a Board Executive Director of health authorities for 18 years, latterly as Director of Public Health in Dudley from 2002 to 2014. She holds a BSc (Hons) from Bristol University, a DipSocAdmin from London School of Economics, a MSocSci and MPH from Birmingham University. She is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians Faculty of Public Health. Valerie was born and went to school in Dudley and currently lives in the Borough. She is a Trustee of a national housing-related charity. She serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education. She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Ms Ellesia Melbourne

  

  Ellesia was appointed to the Corporation in September 2018. Ellesia is a mature student who has returned to education later in life after raising a family. She is following her passion for fashion and is aspiring to qualify as a teacher. Having successfully completed a year on the HNC programme she is now studying HND Fashion and Textiles based at the Evolve college campus. Ellesia also has a part time paid position of 5 hrs per week working with the Students’ Union, representing all undergraduate students across the college. She serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee - Apprenticeships, Higher Skills & Worldwide.

• Mr Suhail Rana

  

  Suhail was appointed to the Corporation in March 2014 and reappointed in March 2018 as Teaching Staff Governor. Suhail is a Lecturer in Computer Science in Dudley Sixth. He has a MSc Degree in Information Systems Engineering with Business Administration from Wolverhampton University, a PGCE from Greenwich University and an Advanced Diploma in Local History from Oxford University. He is Chairman of the Wolverhampton Civic and Historical Society and is also creator of the national website lovemytown.co.uk, the UK Civic Pride website. He serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee - Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education.

• Mr Andy Robinson

  

  Andy Robinson was appointed to the Corporation in November 2016. Andy is an experienced businessman and entrepreneur, who has been in business for the last 30 years. Primarily he has concentrated in the real estate sectors including investment and development, having worked with both national retailers and also private development companies. Andy has bought, let, built and sold over 3m sq ft of property, which has included large format retail, high street retail, industrial distribution and latterly residential both new build and conversions of existing large office building under ‘permitted development rights’. He has been involved in large-scale funding and banking arrangements during the course of his career to date. Andy has run his own companies and with the backing of others has recently started a construction business which has successfully gone from inception to £75m turnover in 3 years. He has extensive contacts across a number of sectors and is a regular public speaker at industry events.

• Mr Jonathan Sandhu

  

  Jonathan was appointed as Business Support Staff Governor in April 2016. He has seven years of experience working at the College, currently employed as Learning Resources Co-ordinator. He is a Child Exploitation and On-line Protection Ambassador and e-Safety Lead and is currently undertaking L5 Aspiring Mangers programme. He serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education.

• Ms Laura Wakelin (Vice Chair of the Corporation)

  

  Laura was appointed to the Corporation in October 2014. She is currently the Deputy Chief Executive (Communications & Marketing) at Black Country Living Museum and previously held senior positions within Marketing Departments at English Heritage and the University of Birmingham. She graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Drama and Theatre Arts. She serves on the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education and Remuneration Committee. She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mr Tom Westley

  

  Tom was appointed as a member of the Corporation in November 2017. Tom is Chairman of Westley Group Ltd (a foundry group of companies) and Chairman of Westley Plastics Ltd (a specialist nylon casting business). He graduated from Imperial College with a degree in Metallurgy and is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. Tom sits on the board of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and is a board member of The Cast Metals Federation, which is the trade association for the UK foundry industry. Tom is a liveryman within The Worshipful Company of Founders and was Chairman of Castings Technology International Ltd (based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Rotherham) until its sale to the University of Sheffield in July 2013. He is also on the board of the West Midlands Combined Authority Growth Company Ltd and was recently appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands. He is a Trustee of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mr David Whatton (Chair of the Corporation)

  

  David was appointed to the Corporation in March 2015. David retired in June 2014 as the Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary. He previously served with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester Police. He has been the Chair of the Cheshire Local Criminal Justice Board, the Chair of a children's charity and a trustee of another charity. He has an M.Sc in Public Sector Management from Aston University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology from Cambridge University. He works as a volunteer with the Canal and River Trust, National Trust and Kids Adventurous Activities. He is Chair of the Corporation’s Strategic Impact Committee – Full-time Young Learners & Adult Education, and is also a member of the Strategic Impact Committee – Apprenticeships, Higher Skills & Worldwide and Remuneration Committee. He is also a Trustee of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mr Lowell Williams

  

  Lowell is Chief Executive Officer of Dudley College of Technology, having been appointed as Principal of the college in March 2008. Lowell is Chair of Dudley Academies Trust, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Black Country Living Museum and Chair of Shrewsbury Academies Trust. In 2018 Lowell was appointed as a National Leader of Further Education. Prior to joining Dudley College, he was Principal of South Leicestershire College, an Ofsted Outstanding Beacon Award College.