Governors Senior School

The Governing Body of St Mary’s School, Cambridge is responsible for determining the aims and overall conduct of the school.

Our Governing Body comprises volunteers from education, industry and faith organisations.

Mr Stuart Westley serves as Chair of the Governing Body. He can be contacted via Naomi Wycroft, St Mary's School, Cambridge, Bateman Street, Cambridge, CB2 1LY.

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  Jo Storey

  Chair of Governors

  After graduating from Loughborough University, Jo was initially employed as a Risk Analyst in industry, before becoming a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics. Her passion for the wellbeing of young people then drew her to the role of Principal Researcher, working for the National Health Service on a major project, researching drug and alcohol abuse in young people.

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  Chair of Governors

  Jo Storey

  After graduating from Loughborough University, Jo was initially employed as a Risk Analyst in industry, before becoming a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics.  Her passion for the wellbeing of young people then drew her to the role of Principal Researcher, working for the National Health Service on a major project, researching drug and alcohol abuse in young people.
  
  Jo then became a statistical advisor to the Royal College of Optometrists and, whilst working at the University of Cambridge, became involved in the development of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for the students. She was accredited with 'Fellowship' status by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) for teaching and learning in 2007 and subsequently returned to full time management in secondary education.

  Jo became Head of Mathematics at King Edward VII and Queen Mary school, prior to being employed at New Hall school, a day and boarding school as first Vice Principal (Academic) and subsequently Deputy Principal.  In September 2015 she was honoured to be appointed to her first headship.  Through her various roles, Jo has considerable experience of ‘growing a School’ and is devoted to offering a holistic education, which will equip young people for the challenges of an ever-changing world. 
  
  In 2016 Jo qualified as an Independent School inspector. Her understanding of compliance and regulation ensures that no stone is left unturned in her quest to provide for the global needs of every single child.

  Jo is currently a Director of Education,Compliance & Safeguarding  for a group of schools.

  Jo is married to Darryl. They have one daughter, Sinéad, and two dogs; a Bernease Mountain dog and a Bischon Frise, both of which complement their love of the outdoors and all it has to offer.

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  Vincent Anandraj

  Governor

  Vincent is an internationally accomplished school leader with more than two decades of senior management experience in schools in the UK state and independent sectors, and in International Schools abroad.

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  Governor

  Vincent Anandraj

  With a life-long passion for ensuring that all children have equitable access to quality education, Vincent was intrinsically involved in the founding of two highly successful International Schools in the Far East, for whom he secured IB School authorisation and wrote the English Department's syllabus. Well-versed in teaching both the IB Diploma and A-Level curricula, Vincent was an IB and Edexcel examiner.

  He completed his MA at Queen Mary, University of London and runs his own advisory business which currently works with a College in Cambridge on their fundraising strategy. Serving as a NED for a couple of companies, Vincent advises on growth strategies and prepares companies for acquisition.

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  Joanna Cheffins

  Governor

  Joanna is the Bursar at Wolfson College, Cambridge. She has extensive experience in the legal and charity fields, as well as a deep knowledge of Cambridge as an alumna (Newnham), former Associate Fellow (Clare Hall and Newnham), and through holding a senior position in the University administration for 15 years.

   

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  Governor

  Joanna Cheffins

  She obtained a law degree at Newnham College and then, after a short stint at the European Commission in Brussels, qualified as a solicitor. She spent a few years in commercial private practice in the UK before moving to Vancouver, Canada, where she re-qualified as a Canadian lawyer and practised in the field of corporate finance.

  She returned to Cambridge in 1998 and began doing legal work for the University, setting up its first in-house group of lawyers. Later she ran the University’s Legal Services Office before acting as interim General Counsel for the Cambridge University Press and working with the University on various strategic projects.

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  Karen S Daber (neė Vanterpool)

  Governor

  Karen is a non-executive member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. She is currently a member of the Cambridgeshire and Essex Advisory Committee and a member of the South-East Region Conduct Advisory Committee.

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  Governor

  Karen S Daber (neė Vanterpool)

  Karen is a non-executive member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. She is currently a member of the Cambridgeshire and Essex Advisory Committee and a member of the South-East Region Conduct Advisory Committee.

  Karen is a consultant involved in coaching, mentoring and leadership development. Karen has a particular interest in ethics and providing diversity and inclusion programmes for both for public and private sector companies and individuals. She is a qualified executive coach and a qualified trainer, designing and delivering a range of courses in the health and social care setting.

  Karen has had a successful and rewarding policing career. She was selected by the College of Policing to lead the development of the Code of Ethics for Policing, which was published in 2014. Karen has worked with UK police forces, the Lebanese police, Hyderabad Police in India and Barnardo’s Charity among others.

  Karen retired from the police in 2014 as a Chief Officer after 30 years’ service in the County of Cambridgeshire. She holds the police long service and good conduct medal.
   
  Karen was born in Cambridge and with her family has spent the majority of her life in the county, with connections to St Mary’s over many years.

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  Sarah Dixon

  Governor

  Sarah brings experience as Headmistress of two Girls’ Schools Association schools, and a Non-Executive Director in two NHS Trusts.

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  Governor

  Sarah Dixon

  Sarah brings experience as Headmistress of two Girls’ Schools Association schools, and a Non-Executive Director in two NHS Trusts.

  Sarah's career in the teaching profession included twelve years at Bedford School, culminating in the post of Head of Pastoral Care.

  In 1999 she was appointed Head of Peterborough High School, a girls’ school within the Woodard Corporation. She moved from there to be Head of Northampton High School within the Girls’ Day School Trust in 2007; she retired in August 2015.

  Sarah remains a director of TES Prime and was until recently a non-executive director of two health care trusts. Sarah is married and lives locally, with two adult daughters who live in London. Sarah sits on both our Governance and Education Committees bringing much experience of pastoral care and wellbeing, safe-guarding and boarding to the school’s governance.

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  Ronald Haynes

  Governor

  Ronald is a University Computer Officer, at the University of Cambridge, who has had experience within academic Information Communication and Technology in both the US and UK.

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  Governor

  Ronald Haynes

  Ronald is a University Computer Officer, at the University of Cambridge, who has had experience within academic Information Communication and Technology in both the US and UK.

  He currently acts as Relationship Manager for the university’s colleges, as well as having a wider responsibility for the University Information Technology Community as Development Manager. Fundamentally his role involves liaison, strategic and practical consultancy, course development and provision, as well as professional and community development.

  Formerly he had been Head of Theology at St Augustine High School (Texas, US), as well as a computer consultant and journalist with technical writing and editing experience in London and Pittsburgh (US), developing and publishing on the interworking of the main micro systems. He is a Trustee of and presenter for the Eckhart Society, and holds BCS, ACM, Computer Society and IEEE membership.

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  Dr. Amineh Hoti

  Governor

  Dr. Amineh Hoti obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge where she was awarded the Wyse Fund, Trinity College. Dr. Hoti graduated from the London School of Economics where she received the Foreign and Commonwealth Award for developing global leaders. She is a Fellow Commoner, Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, and has supervised undergraduates from half a dozen Cambridge colleges.

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  Governor

  Dr. Amineh Hoti

  Dr. Amineh Hoti obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge where she was awarded the Wyse Fund, Trinity College. Dr. Hoti graduated from the London School of Economics where she received the Foreign and Commonwealth Award for developing global leaders. She is a Fellow Commoner, Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, and has supervised undergraduates from half a dozen Cambridge colleges. Dr. Hoti was the co-founding director of the Center for the Study of Muslim-Jewish Relations, Cambridge. Dr. Hoti is a Senior Consultant for the United Nation’s Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, New York. She is a member of UNESCO/OSAPG Advisory Group on addressing hate speech. She was Program Director at the Seerat Centre to promote global peace, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. She is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham, UK.

  Cambridge University Press published her anthropological study, Sorrow and Joy Among Muslim Women (2006). Her latest book Gems and Jewels: The Religions of Pakistan (2021) is based on ten religious  communities of Pakistan. She is co-author of The Mingling of the Oceans: How Civilizations can Live Together, Brookings Press, forthcoming. She is author of Seerat, Higher Education Commission, forthcoming. She contributed a chapter on “Pope Francis’s Compassion” to a major study-book on Pope Francis and Interreligious Dialogue: Religious Thinkers Engage with Recent Papal Initiatives, edited by Kasimow and Race (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018). She also contributed another chapter, “Empathy as Policy in the Age of Hatred,” to Confronting Religious Violence: A Counternarrative, edited by Burridge and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Baylor University Press, 2018.

  Dr. Hoti has extensive teaching experience on several continents. She has designed, pioneered  and taught interfaith peace studies courses for United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the Institute of Continued Education (ICE University of Cambridge), the Center for the Study of Muslim-Jewish Relations, the Woolf Institute (Cambridge), Ridley Hall (University of Cambridge), and in South Asia at Forman Christian College University, Air University, Fatima Jinnah and NUST universities. For more than two decades, she has been a director, teacher, researcher, and public intellectual. Her work has focused on cutting edge interdisciplinary teaching methods of peace building studies, interreligious dialogue, women’s voices and the social anthropology of South Asia and its faith communities. She appears frequently in the media discussing her work.

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  Colin Jones

  Governor

  Colin Jones is a Partner with the law firm, HCR Hewitsons. Colin was his firm’s previous Managing Partner and has also undertaken a previous term as Governor at St Mary’s, making a return in 2022.

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  Governor

  Colin Jones

  Colin Jones is a Partner with the law firm HCR Hewitsons. Colin was his firm’s previous Managing Partner and has also undertaken a previous term as Governor at St Mary’s, making a return in 2022.

  Living with his family in Cambridge, he has been a resident in the city for 30+ years. As well as St Mary’s, he is a Trustee of the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry and a Council member of the Interact Group of real estate and construction professionals.

  During his time in Cambridge, he has supported a number of good causes, including as Trustee of his firm’s charitable trust, which organises the annual Chariots of Fire race that goes through a number of the Cambridge Colleges.

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  Sue Gibson

  Governor

  Sue has acted as coach and mentor to a number of now very successful HR leaders.

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  Governor

  Sue Gibson

  Mrs Sue Gibson has a background in HR having worked in many different organisations.  She has also had the opportunity to work within small startups to large corporations extending globally and working with many different colleagues from around the globe.  She has worked in Management Development and her HR also covered areas of Management and Leadership development at all levels in an organisation through to working with external investors, CEOs and members of boards.   She has acted as coach and mentor to a number of now very successful HR leaders. She is a firm believer in ensuring that you can create the right sort of environment and education for girls to give them all the opportunity, encouragement, support and ability to explore difference of opinions in a safe environment.  

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  Jo MacKenzie

  Governor

  Recently retired, Jo has over 30 years working in the education sector, mostly within girls’ schools. In her last headship, Jo was asked to merge the two largest girls’ school in Bedford to form Bedford Girls’ School.

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  Governor

  Jo MacKenzie

  Recently retired, Jo has over 30 years working in the education sector, beginning her career in the Girls’ Day School Trust. Most of her experience has been in teaching in girls’ schools, but she was also one of the first female Heads of Department at Alleyn’s School, Dulwich. In her last headship, Jo was asked to merge the two largest girls’ school in Bedford to form Bedford Girls’ School, now one of the largest and most successful girls’ schools in East Anglia.

  Jo was educated in Australia and has extensive experience of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and introduced the IB’s Primary Years Programme to Bedford Girls School whilst she was Head. She was Chair of the GSA Sports Committee for five years, an ISI inspector, and has recently become a member of the London and East Regional Advisory Board of the ECB to support women and girls’ cricket. Jo also works as an advisory Head for RSAcademics, a company that offers specialist services for the search and selection, coaching and development of school leaders and senior staff.

  Jo has a Masters in Education and Leadership (Dist) and has been asked to mentor many Heads as they start their careers in these senior positions.

   

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  Jeremy Pyne

  Governor

  Jeremy’s career in advertising has dealt with a variety of household brands from consumer goods to those in the automotive industry.

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  Governor

  Jeremy Pyne

  Jeremy’s career in advertising has dealt with a variety of household brands from consumer goods to those in the automotive industry.

  Currently, he is responsible for maintaining effective working relationships with all of his firm’s existing global clients and with a large client service team. He leads on career development and the overall management of talent within the agency.

  A father of two daughters, who have both attended St Mary’s, Jeremy resides with his family in Cambridge and enjoys playing tennis and swimming.

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  Sister Gemma Simmonds

  Governor

  Gemma Simmonds is a sister of the Congregation of Jesus. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, Cambridge where she is director of the Religious Life Institute, teaching Christian spirituality and pastoral theology...

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  Governor

  Sister Gemma Simmonds

  Gemma Simmonds is a sister of the Congregation of Jesus. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, Cambridge where she is director of the Religious Life Institute, teaching Christian spirituality and pastoral theology.

  An international speaker and lecturer, she is a simultaneous translator in four languages and an honorary fellow of Durham University, past president of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain and chair of trustees of the ecumenical Community of St. Anselm based at Lambeth Palace, London. She lectured in theology at Heythrop College, University of London from 2005 until its closure in 2018.

  Gemma has been a missionary in Brazil, a chaplain in the Universities of Cambridge and London and a chaplaincy volunteer in Holloway Prison for 25 years. She is a regular broadcaster on religious matters on the BBC, Radio Maria England and other radio and television networks.

  Her book, Dancing at the Still Point: Retreat Practices for Busy Lives was published by SPCK in July 2021.

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