Governance

College Corporation

The Corporation of Cambridge Regional College is committed to the provision of the very best education to the wide community served by the College.

The College is an independent charitable Corporation established under the Further & Higher Education Act 1992. Governors are responsible for setting the strategic priorities of the College, its finances, management and overseeing its performance. The College’s Instrument and Articles of Government determine the duties and responsibilities of the Corporation.

The Corporation is made up of highly experienced professionals with expertise in industry, business, finance, law, education and the local community, complemented by student and staff governors.

The Corporation meets as a full board approximately 6 times a year. The College has also established a number of Committees which report directly to Corporation.

Governance and People Committee: responsible for recruitment, induction and training of Governors, overseeing the quality of governance arrangements and scrutinising HR issues.
Learning and Quality Committee: responsible for setting and monitoring performance standards.

Finance and Resources Committee: responsible for financial planning, risk management and other resource issues, including HR.
Audit and Risk Committee: responsible for the financial and other controls operating in the College and for implementing the recommendations in audit reports.
Sustainability, Enterprise and Skills Committee: responsible for overseeing the College’s commercial activities, developing the College’s skills strategy including its employer engagement programme and monitoring the College’s environmental agenda.
Remuneration Committee: responsible for setting and monitoring the salaries of the senior post holders and the Head of Governance.

Governors also play an active role in college life through support and advice, as well as attending events and promoting the good work the College does in the community.

The Governors are committed to equal opportunities and aim to ensure that their membership comprises a broad range of skills and experience. The College is always keen to hear of any member of the community who is interested in joining the Governing body. Information about the role of a CRC governor and current vacancies are set out below. The position of Corporation member is voluntary and unremunerated but it is a very fulfilling role in supporting training and education in Cambridge and the wider area. Please contact the Head of Governance Emily Baldwin if you would like to find out more.

Governors

Heather Du Quesnay CBE

Chair of Governors, Finance & Resources Committee, Governance & People Committee, Learning & Quality Committee and Remuneration Committee member.

Heather Du Quesnay CBE, is the former CEO of the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong. In this role, she worked closely with the Hong Kong Government and the ESF Board to transform ESF into an educational business with a long-term financial strategy. Prior to this, Heather was Chief Executive of the National College for School Leadership and Executive Director of Education at the London Borough of Lambeth and Hertfordshire County Council.

Christine Leeding

Deputy Chair of Governors, Chair of Learning & Quality Committee and Chair of Remuneration Committee

Christine is now retired after 36 years of working in the further education sector. She has 17 years’ experience of teaching biology, chemistry and applied sciences and 23 years’ experience of working at senior management level in the sector. Christine has worked in further education, tertiary and sixth form colleges. Her most recent posts before retirement were as Principal at Long Road Sixth Form College and as Vice Principal at Cambridge Regional College. She has 12 years’ experience of working for awarding bodies, and spent several years contributing to the development of the Salters A level qualifications. Christine also worked as an Ofsted inspector for 20 years. Earlier in her career, she worked in human resources and qualified as a HR professional. Christine was previously a governor at Cambridge University Technical College.
Christine lives in the Cambridge area. She is delighted to be able to continue to support the further development and quality improvement of the college as a governor, having spent several years doing so as Vice Principal.

Mark Robertson

Principal and Chief Executive

Mark Robertson joined CRC as an interim Principal in June 2016 and as acting Principal for HRC from November 2016, before being appointed as permanent Principal for the merged College from August 2017. Prior to that, he was Principal and CEO of Barking and Dagenham College and City of Wolverhampton College. He has a BA (Hons) in Education Studies and has completed the LSIS Aspiring Principals programme.

Darren Tysoe

Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

Darren is the Chief Digital Officer at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the regulatory body overseeing veterinary surgeons and registered veterinary nurses in the UK. The RCVS is responsible for setting, upholding, and advancing veterinary standards.
Before this role, Darren spent 20 years working across six further education colleges in London, Bedfordshire, Northampton, and Hertfordshire. His experience spans teaching, support, and senior leadership positions in IT, learning resources, e-learning, and registry. He also served as Chief Information Officer at a London university and held various interim CIO positions in higher education in the UK and abroad. Darren holds a Master’s degree in Education.
Additionally, Darren served three terms before retiring as an elected Councillor for the Great Staughton Ward on Huntingdonshire District Council, where he held including Cabinet Member and Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny.

Jane Mallabone

Chair of Finance & Resources Committee

Jane is Director of the East of England NHS Finance Academy which oversees the delivery of the NHS Finance Strategy on Training and Development. She was previously Director of Finance for the NHS clinical commissioning groups in Suffolk and North East Essex, organizations which plan and commission services for the local population.
Earlier in her career, Jane worked at CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) as Head of Health and Integration and was Director of Finance at Papworth Hospital for 10 years, being part of the team which secured the go ahead to build the New Papworth Hospital building.
She has a background in financial management, governance and risk management.

Richard Tunnicliffe

Chair of Skills, Enterprise & Sustainability Committee

Richard Tunnicliffe is Regional Director, CBI East of England. Richard joined the CBI in 1997 after completing his degree in applied biology at the University of Hertfordshire. He completed his MBA in 2005.
He worked initially in the CBI headquarters with responsibility for a wide range of membership activities including recruitment and regional relations. He moved to the CBI East of England office in July 2000 where he had responsibility for the whole range of CBI activities in the East. He was appointed Regional Director in July 2005. This role includes regular liaison with senior executives in CBI member companies and lobbying on a regional level on issues such as skills, transport, broadband, housing and aviation.
He includes football amongst his wide range of interests despite his support for Barnsley Football Club! Richard is married and lives in Ely with his wife Vicky, his children Sam and Gracie and two kittens Cagney and Lacey.

Jacqueline Prendergast

Audit & Risk Committee member

Jacqueline is a dual-qualified lawyer, admitted in New South Wales, Australia, and as a solicitor in England and Wales, with four years’ experience advising on governance, compliance and risk in the med-tech sector. She is now a solicitor in the Commercial Team at HCR Law.
Jacqueline is passionate about purpose-driven organisations and the role of education in widening opportunity. Having seen first-hand how technology can transform lives, she is delighted to join CRC’s governing body and contribute her legal and governance expertise to the College’s mission.

Gabriella Giuffrida

Skills, Enterprise and Sustainability Committee member

Gabriella leads the Semiconductor Education Alliance, a global community and collaboration platform for the semiconductor industry, academia, and governments, focusing on large-scale education interventions and partnerships to address tech skills gaps. With more than 30 years of experience in both higher education and business, she recently transitioned to her current role from leading Arm’s Flexible Access portfolio of commercial programs. Gabriella has studied Economics in Italy, holds a BSc in Systems from the Open University, and an MBA from Durham University in the United Kingdom.

Chris Hayward

Finance & Resources Committee member

Chris is a Chartered Accountant who has recently retired from Citigroup where he held a number of International and Global Technology and Productivity roles including being the Chief Data Officer for the group. Just prior to retiring Chris was responsible for the Citi office and location portfolio and had a lead role in the group’s Resource and Location strategy. He has extensive experience of building and leading global, multicultural teams especially in the technology space. Before working at Citigroup Chris worked for both Deutsche and Dresdner banks including a 2-year secondment in Frankfurt.

Charity Main

Finance & Resources Committee member

Charity is currently Head of Finance for the Internet Watch Foundation, a global charity based in Cambridge. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, she has over 20 years’ experience in finance and leadership across the education, public and charitable sectors, having qualified as an auditor at the start of her career. She brings experience of the education sector having been Chief Finance and Operating Officer for Anglian Learning, one of the largest school trusts in East Anglia, supporting a period of significant growth. Charity is passionate about using strong governance and financial stewardship to support high-quality education and sustainable organisations. She is committed to helping Cambridge Regional College deliver opportunities that enable learners, employers and communities to thrive.

Tim Richardson

Skills, Enterprise & Sustainability Committee member

Tim Richardson is a leadership development consultant who has worked around the world with corporate and not for profit sector clients. As an Executive Coach, he works with a wide range of senior people and emerging leaders. Previously, he was Director of Leadership, Talent and Learning for PWC in the UK where he established leading edge experiential learning programmes. From 2004-2025 he was a Trustee at Lambourne End Centre for Outdoor Learning spending 15 years as Chair and overseeing growth of the charity that welcomes over 12,000 young people each year on a variety of development opportunities. He has previously owned and run a hospitality community café in St Neots and lives in Godmanchester.

Bradley Dorrington

Learning and Quality Committee member

After completing his Hospitality qualifications at CRC, Bradley completed a hotel management course that saw him take on roles in establishments spanning the country.
After opening a new restaurant in Cambridge, Bradley has since opened his own business in Bury St Edmunds. The Wine Cellar BSE, a relaxed environment to enjoy world class wines and modern British small plates/sharing boards. Bradley said, “I am thrilled to become a CRC Governor as it is another way to give back to the college that put me on the career path I am now on.”

Frédérique Anand

Learning and Quality Committee member

Frédérique has over 20 years’ experience teaching Modern Foreign Languages in UK secondary schools in both the public and private sector. Before becoming a teacher, she worked in business in various finance and strategic planning roles for 10 years post her studies. She moved into teaching in 1998 and then moved into Human Resources 6 years ago and has since worked in various HR roles with the University of Cambridge and the wider education sector, specialising in employee relations and HR process development. Frédérique is passionate about the pursuit of learning and fostering positive workplace cultures. Frederique has a bachelor’s degree in business studies from Grenoble School of Management in France and holds an MBA from Aston University and a PGCE from Hull University. She lives in Cambridge and is looking forward to being able to contribute to her local community and the future of young people.

Lesley Deacon

Learning and Quality Committee member and Governor Safeguarding Lead

Lesley is a qualified midwife and has worked for the NHS for 23 years, working mainly in London before moving to Cambridgeshire in 2016. She has worked in various clinical roles before moving into management which she has experience at a senior level running large healthcare divisions. She is currently the Deputy Chief Nurse at Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group where she oversees quality of healthcare services. She has a master’s degree and is currently reading a PhD. Lesley has also been a member of the Army Cadet Force for over 30 years and in August 2021 was promoted to the rank of Colonel and appointed as Commandant of Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force.

Gwendolyn Casazza

Learning & Quality Committee member

Gwendolyn Casazza is Programme Director of Included, Cambridge City Council’s cradle-to-career mission for Greater Cambridge. Included aims to ensure that Greater Cambridge’s economic success benefits local young people and helps reduce inequality, particularly for those facing the greatest barriers to opportunity.
With more than 20 years’ experience in policy, programme design and systems change, Gwendolyn has worked across education, the public sector, academia and the non-profit sector. She spent a decade in the United States supporting education system transformation, helping schools across the country improve systems and practices to achieve better outcomes for diverse learners and communities. Since moving to the UK in 2015, she has worked across local government and public policy, including leading a strand of England’s post-Covid education recovery programme and supporting public sector organisations to tackle complex social challenges through innovation and collaboration. Today, her work sits at the intersection of education, skills and economic development.
Gwendolyn holds a Master’s in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Master of Public Administration from University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. As a Governor at CRC, she is committed to supporting high-quality technical and vocational education that helps learners, communities and our local economy thrive.

Louise Armstrong

Audit & Risk Committee member

Louise Armstrong is Head of Financial Reporting Policy at the Treasury. Louise previously worked at the Northern Ireland policy team in the Cabinet Office, as well as the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, initially as a public finance and investment specialist and later on housing policy. Prior to joining the Civil Service, Louise became a Chartered Accountant with KPMG where she specialised in Public Sector Finance, advising a variety of public sector bodies including local authorities, NHS Trusts and housing associations.

Hasnain Ali

Audit & Risk Committee co-opted member

Hasnain Ali is a Chartered Accountant from Pakistan working as Audit Manager in KPMG Cambridge. He has experience of over a decade in the audit profession. Hasnain’s career began at Deloitte Pakistan, where he started as an audit associate and got promoted to audit assistant manager. During his association with Deloitte Pakistan, he also gained international experience through secondment opportunities in the UAE and UK in 2014 and 2015. He moved to Deloitte Middle East in 2016 and worked as an audit manager in the offices of Deloitte Qatar & Saudi Arabia before moving to KPMG UK.

Lee Sharman

Finance & Resources Committee co-opted member

Lee is a Partner at Price Bailey LLP and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), with over 20 years of experience in practice. He leads a team providing finance, accounting, technology and advisory services to a diverse portfolio of clients. Throughout his career, Lee has supported businesses, charities and not-for-profit organisations with financial and risk management, systems improvement and strategic decision-making, drawing on an earlier background in audit and assurance.
In his professional role, Lee works closely with charitable organisations and their boards, trustees and senior leadership teams to strengthen financial reporting, improve internal controls and support long-term organisational sustainability. He has extensive experience advising organisations on financial stewardship, governance, compliance and risk management.
Having grown up and studied in Cambridge, Lee is particularly proud to support an institution that plays such an important role in developing local talent, actively promoting inclusivity, and creating opportunities across the region. He is delighted to contribute his expertise to support the College’s mission and to be part of its continued success.

Stella Blakeley

Learning & Quality Committee (Staff Governor)

Stella Blakeley started her career as a qualified midwife for nine years before moving into roles within drug rehabilitation and youth work. These diverse professional experiences have provided her with extensive expertise in supporting individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including those facing complex challenges and vulnerabilities.

Throughout her career, she has been committed to helping people achieve positive outcomes through a person-centred and inclusive approach. Her experience includes working with individuals with disabilities and additional support needs, ensuring they have access to appropriate support and opportunities to succeed.

Since joining CRC in December 2019, Stella Blakeley has progressed from Learning Support Mentor to Specialist Learning Support Mentor, specialising in support for visually impaired learners. She adapts accessible learning materials, including resources in Braille, and has independently learned Braille to enhance the support she provides.

Stella has achieved a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET, 2026). Her experience has developed her skills in adaptability, creativity, and inclusive practice, reflecting her commitment to ensuring that all learners have the opportunity to succeed and achieve positive educational outcomes. She works collaboratively with staff across the college and with external organisations to ensure students receive the best experience and opportunity whilst studying at CRC.

Michael Farrow-Killick

Learning & Quality Committee (Staff Governor)

Michael has been with CRC since 2012, as a games course student, lecturer and is now the course lead for Level 3 Games Development. Whilst very proud to lead on the course he once studied, Michael also feels that this has given him clear perspective of college experience from numerous roles over the past decade. It was his student experience that aided his progression and proves that providing innovative ideas can make significant differences to college life. During this time, Michael was nominated for a BAFTA for his role within the games industry.

Yvette Watson

Governance & People Committee (Staff Governor)

Initially, Yvette trained as a Childcare Practitioner, worked in schools, and nurseries where she later became a deputy manager and shortly afterwards a manager. She later went to work in Local Authority Inspection (prior to Ofsted).
Yvette has several qualifications in the childcare and teaching sectors, many of these have been gained while she was working, this enables her to understand many of the learners that she has trained currently and in the past.
Before joining CRC as an online assessor for the Distance Learning Team, Yvette spent many years working in colleges as a lecturer, assessor and Lead Internal Quality Assurer in both curriculum areas and work-based learning. In her current role, Yvette supports adult learners with their qualifications, she also supports newer staff members and the maintenance of quality with the courses she is involved with.
Yvette maintains her commitment to the Early Years by being the chairperson of a local nursery in the area where she lives and supports the manager, staff, and childcare students within the setting. This also enables her to maintain “hands-on” practice in the sector. She also updates her knowledge through training, conferences, and webinars.

Alfie Elliot

Learning & Quality Committee (Student Governor)

Emilia Stratan

Learning & Quality Committee (Student Governor)

Emily Baldwin

Head of Governance, Cambridge Regional College

Meetings & Minutes

The timetable of Corporation and committee meetings is provided on this website and is updated regularly. Corporation and Committee meeting minutes are posted on the website once they have been confirmed and approved by Governors at the subsequent meeting. Members of the public are allowed to attend meetings for certain items, subject to the agreement of the Chair in advance of the meeting. If you would like to attend, please contact the Head of Governance.

If you require a draft set of minutes before they are posted on the website, or would like to view a particular paper, please contact the Head of Governance.

Doc Store block is missing files

Corporation

Agenda 8 October 2026