Board of Trustees
We have a board of Trustees whose combined skills offer a wealth of experience and knowledge gained from within either education or business, which supports the Trust’s vision, purpose and strategy. The Trust Board is responsible for the oversight and scrutiny of the work of the Trust and holding staff of the Trust to account.
The Board of Trustees has responsibilities under Charity Law as Trustees, and under Company Law as Directors, as well as the responsibilities of Governors of a school.
In order to carry out its responsibilities, the Board of Trustees delegates some tasks to the Finance Committee, the Audit and Risk Committee, the Standards Committee and the Local Governing Bodies to ensure adequate monitoring of the work of the Trust.
Meet our Trustees
Ian Furlong - chair of trustees
My career was wholly within policing from 1977 to 2012. I worked in several different disciplines, culminating in running a busy division as a Chief Superintendent. From 2010 to 2012 I was responsible for the business functions of the organisation. Latterly my areas of focus were predominantly around developing leadership, strategic planning and change management, performance management and governance provision.
I was fortunate to be able to retire in July 2012 and began working in school governance in 2013. In 2016 I became a National Leader of Governance (NLG). I now help, support and coach colleagues in various schools. I am qualified to conduct external reviews of governance, usually after Ofsted inspections. I also conduct independent complaint investigations.
I have always lived in East Yorkshire. I now have two adult daughters. I love a variety of outdoor pursuits and am a qualified mountain leader with a passion for mountaineering, backpacking and more recently all types of cycling.
martin craven - chair finance and resources committee
I have lived in East Yorkshire now for over 30 years, during which time I have worked for major Hull based organisations in Finance, Commercial and Senior Management roles. Prior to retiring in 2015, I held the post of UK CEO at AAK, a global food ingredients business, where my responsibilities covered multiple sites, including a period in South America overseeing the establishment of a new facility in Brazil.
I have had the pleasure and privilege of seeing my three children grow up and be educated in the area, and now that I have finished full time working I have the opportunity to put my knowledge and experience to work assisting local schools and academies. I have been fully involved in the creation and growth of TCAT from its beginnings and am currently Chair of the Finance & Resources Committee.
Outside the MAT, I am active in the local community in a wide range of activities.
Peter hanmer - chair audit AND RISK committee
As a resident of Cottingham for 7 years and of East Yorkshire in total for 22 years, I am passionate in helping to support the life chances of young people in the area. I am both a chartered accountant and chartered internal auditor with many years of accountancy and audit experience at a senior level. I am also an expert in corporate governance and risk management. Having been on the Board since its inception, and previously a governor at Cottingham High School, I have been active in supporting the Trust, particularly through my role on the Audit and Risk Committee where I have supported it in developing good governance and effective use of its resources. I am also a member of the Sixth Form Consortium Board of Governors.
sharon milNer - Vice-Chair Finance People & Resources Committee
I have been a Trustee since the Trust’s formation in September 2017, and serve on the Finance & Resources Committee and the Pay & Remuneration committee. In addition, I am the Chair and Safe Guarding Link Governor at Wolfreton School & Sixth Form. Appointed in February 2015 as a parent governor, I also serve on the personnel committee.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, I have run a local marketing company since 2009 and previously worked in senior communications roles at KCOM Group and Tata Steel. I believe the skills I have gained from working in corporates and running a small business help with my governance role on the Trust board, bringing a business focus to both challenge and support the Trust’s operations.
I live in Kirkella with my husband and two teenage sons. I have recently returned to my childhood passion of music, and can be found playing the flute in a local wind band.
Leon myers
During the early 1990s, I finished my architectural training and practised in East Yorkshire and the East End of London for several years before becoming a teacher. After several years of classroom practice, I became a Headteacher 16 years ago. I am still a substantive Headteacher as well as an Educational Consultant, Interim Executive Head Teacher and Managing Director of an educational publishing company.
During my career as a school leader, I have led schools across all OFSTED threshold to secure higher ratings. As Executive Headteacher, I led schools out of Special Measures and from Requiring Improvement to Good. In my two long term headships my teams and I have led both schools to Outstanding.
As a school leader and consultant, my interests lie in efficient and sustainable financial management in order to deliver outstanding safeguarding, continuous curriculum development and the development of leadership potential at all levels in educational settings.
As a Trustee, I am interested in how our vision and strategic planning ensures leaders are supported and held to account whilst ensuring effective financial performance.