Our Board

Skills: Education (primary and secondary), consultancy, strategy and policy

Tessa Mason is a highly experienced education adviser for both cross-phase MATs and the maintained schools’ sector in the North of England; she has strong, recent expertise and experience in leading and managing regional system change (TDA/ NCSL, DfE, TSC, TSHC) implementing new and existing education policy, and the brokerage and commissioning of school improvement from system leaders and strong academy trusts.

Tessa has operated as a commissioned senior regional adviser in LWY and YH (2016-20), more recently in the Covid Support Programme (2020/21) and Trust and School Improvement Offer (TSIO 2021-24) and is used to working in close partnership with DfE colleagues and regional teams to achieve policy outcomes.  She has worked as a strategic adviser, mentor and coach to a large number of MAT CEOs and executive leaders, and as the Chair of BDAT, supports this large and successful diocesan CoE MAT based in the opportunity area of Bradford and reaching out across West Yorkshire.

Tessa is very well researched, and up to date in terms of the current shaping of the educational landscape to provide the essential structures for effective school improvement, accountability via governance reviews, curriculum compliance, the intentions of education policy and the implementation of new legislation.

Skills: NHS senior manager, strategy, governance

Denise is an Occupational Therapist by profession with 38 year experience within the NHS she has held a variety of clinical, managerial and professional leadership positions. Most recently until retirement as Head of Occupational Therapy at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust with responsibility for the strategic, professional and managerial leadership of Trust staff.

She is currently a Non-Executive Director at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

Denise is an experienced school governor who is committed to supporting schools and school leaders to maximise opportunities for children of all abilities and backgrounds.

Skills : Finance and Risk Management

Richard is an experienced finance professional with a strong focus on pensions and investment governance. He holds several board and trustee positions, including serving as a trustee for the United Utilities Pension Scheme and as a Senior Director at Pensions for Purpose, where he specialises in investments that deliver positive outcomes for people and the planet.

Richard brings a well-rounded skill set to the board, combining deep expertise in finance and investment with strong client relationship management experience.

He has previously served as the Independent Chair of the BDAT Audit Committee and currently chairs the Finance and Resources Committee, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to effective financial oversight and strategic leadership.

Skills: Project management, strategy, policy, communications

Carol has been Chief Executive Officer of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust since April 2014 overseeing the Trust growth from a three school Trust to a family of 21 schools by the summer of 2026. During her tenure the Trust has recently launched a new vision and strategy for 2030, focussing on making sure children get high quality education coupled with great extra-curricular opportunities and experiences. Student enrichment is a passion of Carol’s which she seeks to influence nationally, hence serving as a Trustee for Bradford City of Culture 2025 and more recently in her role as a national commissioner for a new current affairs project seeking to improve how young people understand and challenge the world they live in today.

During her time at BDAT, Carol has actively sought to collaborate with other schools and Trust’s nationally and other children services. She is a member of the Education Alliance for Life Chances bringing together education and health services in Bradford, a member of the Queen Street Group, a collaborative of 40+ national MATs. Most recently Carol has been elected an advisor on the Confederation of School’s Trusts national policy advisory group seeking to influence national education policy. Carol’s view is very much that BDAT should support, challenge and lead policy making and regulatory change rather than wait for changes to be done to schools and Trusts.

In 2020, Carol was awarded an OBE for her services to Education in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. In 2025 Carol was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire in October 2025. Carol will also take up the position of High Sherriff for West Yorkshire for 12 months from April 2028.

Before joining BDAT, Carol worked across a number of sectors outside education in a range of marketing and project management roles including working in food and drink manufacturing, radio marketing and sports development. Carol has also worked in a number of public sector roles delivering project work across different areas of the children’s workforce from early years, social work and integrated working (Every Child Matters).

In her spare time Carol enjoys a game of tennis, a bit of yoga, reading for pleasure and travelling to new places.

Skills: Education

John retired from education having worked at St Aidan’s C/E High School Harrogate for the whole of his career. He started in 1977 as a Teacher of Religious Studies and since then held a variety of Leadership roles culminating in becoming Headteacher in January 2012. He is passionate about improving the quality of education for every child and in ensuring that an all round education with access to as many opportunities as possible is available for each child throughout their school careers.

In the last 7 years, John has formed The Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust and was involved in its growth strategy that not only supported new schools to the Trust but also developed those that have been members since its inception. He was also responsible for the foundation of The Yorkshire Teaching Alliance, a group of over 20 secondary schools which supported the training of new teachers, ensured high quality Professional Development for all teachers and support staff within the Alliance, was involved in school to school support for those schools identified or wishing for development, and in a programme of Research and Development which enabled sound and proven educational studies to be introduced and used in all areas of the educational world.

John is married with 2 children, both of whom are teachers, and 3 wonderful grandchildren. He was appointed as an Honorary Lay Chaplain in Ripon Cathedral a number of years ago and regularly worships at St Mark’s Harrogate.

John is enjoying working within BDAT and making a contribution to its development as an Educational Trust.

Skills: Education

Helen has been involved with education for nearly 50 years. She started her teaching career in Rotherham as a P.E teacher and then moved on to hold a variety of roles including Head of Department, Head of Year, Deputy Headship culminating in Acting Headship. During this time, she worked for Rotherham, Wakefield and Essex Local Authorities. In 2006 Helen moved to Bradford to take up the role of School Improvement Officer where she supported a range of Bradford secondary schools specialising in working with schools facing challenging circumstances. She was promoted to a senior role and took on leadership development across the secondary phase. She also developed the Secondary Headship Induction Programme. 

In 2011 the Bradford Heads established the Secondary Partnership and requested that Helen was seconded from the LA to act as its Operational Director. She worked with them for 4 years . Helen then established her own company specialising in advising secondary schools with a particular emphasis on providing support to senior and middle leaders and acting as the external consultant for governors carrying out headteacher performance management. She also has served on school governing bodies.  

From April 2016 to December 2019, she acted as BDAT Director of Secondary and from then onwards she supported the Trust in a variety of initiatives. She finally retired in July 2023.  

In her spare time Helen enjoys travelling, skiing, golf and going to the theatre. 

Skills: Education

Liz Lawley has over 30 years’ service working in primary schools, serving as Head Teacher in two Church of England Schools.  Liz has a good knowledge of Bradford and the unique challenges it faces. During her time as head teacher in Bradford, Liz chaired Bradford’s Primary Heads’ group where she worked alongside the city’s 250 primary school heads to promote collaboration and city-wide school improvement. 

Other roles have included working as a Literacy Consultant, an OFSTED inspector, a Pupil Premium Adviser, and executive head teacher supporting schools to secure rapid improvement. Liz has a BEd, an MA in applied Educational Studies and an NPQH.  She has served as a school governor for seven differing schools over a period of many years, most recently on a federated governing board in Calderdale and as chair of BDAT’s Academy St James.

Liz has a passion for the primary sector and its role in securing the educational and social development of young children.  She sought her headships in church schools; she believes that church school sector offers leaders the opportunity to develop an ethos of Christian service that is underpinned by the why as well as the how our values inform our lives.   

Skills: NHS, Health, Governance, SEND, Safeguarding

Nurjahan works in Social Care as a National Workforce Delivery Lead at Skills for Care. She has also previously worked in the NHS for 20 years.

She has two daughters and initially became a Governor due to her interest in Education and a desire to ensure her own children receive the best education possible.

Nurjahan has vast experience in dealing with SEND and Safeguarding and is passionate about supporting the progress and well-being for all students.

Nurjahan is the Vice Chair of the Governing Board at Belle Vue Girls Academy. Her roles include Link Governor for SEND and Safeguarding.

Skills: Education and Business

Neil originally qualified as a PE teacher including a period at St Aiden’s in Harrogate. He moved into financial consultancy and has had a successful career with a range of companies, both in the UK and abroad. He completed his first masters degree in education in 1990 and also has an MBA.

Neil recently completed the Institute of Directors course via Leeds Beckett University. Having run his own consultancy since 2000, much of his most recent work has been abroad including strategic and restructuring roles in Vietnam and company set-ups in Romania and Brazil.

Stephen Emsley graduated for Lancaster University with a degree in Biochemistry with Genetics. He is a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience across large corporations, SMEs, and startups. As the Group Director for a nationwide training, tutoring and recruitment business, he collaborates with schools, pupil, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to deliver on business objectives, focusing on reshaping and reimagining both technology and people centred processes to deliver the best outcomes for all stakeholders, enhancing educational outcomes and ensuring the safety and well-being of students.

Giselle Smith has worked as the Head of Audit & Assurance at Harworth Group Plc, one of the largest land and property regeneration companies in the UK, for the last 2 years. She was brought into the Business in Jan 2023 to build an Internal Audit function and has since expanded the function to include Enterprise Risk.

Giselle qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2015 with BDO Professional Services, whilst working in external audit. She then moved into industry and has been working in internal audit since, giving her a strong audit and risk background. Her remit within Harworth covers the whole business from finance through to operations, identifying key risks, how the business mitigates these and providing assurance that these mitigations are operating effectively. Her role involves presenting to the Audit Committee and Board.

Simon Hinchliffe read Geography at the University of Durham and went on to complete a PhD at the School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St Andrews. He achieved international recognition for his research in Quaternary Science and lectured at the School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton. Simon then completed a MEd in Educational Leadership and Management with the Open University following a move into secondary education. He taught at Wolverhampton Grammar School, becoming the Head of Sixth Form in 2010, having previously been the Head of Year 9, and also ran the outdoor education, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and overseas expedition programmes. He was appointed to the position of Deputy Headmaster at Bradford Grammar School (BGS) in 2014 and became the Headmaster in 2016. Simon is a Governor at St Peter’s School, York, and was previously a Governor at Moorfield School, Ilkley. He sits on national HMC sport and EDI committees and is a member of Bradford Breakthrough, and organisation that promotes the economic wellbeing of Bradford and district.

Debbie is a recently retired solicitor with extensive experience of risk management and governance.  She qualified in 1989 and spent around 20 years as a corporate and commercial law specialist, advising corporates on legal structures, mergers and acquisition activities, strategic contracts and joint ventures.  She then moved into running the knowledge and risk management function of the Corporate and commercial reams of her firm and spent the las six years as the General Counsel of a global law firm, responsible for its worldwide legal, regulatory and compliance affairs.

She is currently a Trustee and of the Bradford 2025 charity and is looking forward to a role where her experience and skills will be of use and in an area where she has a real interest.  She is passionate about the difference education can makes and how it is key to social mobility.