Our people

Trustees

• Steve Smith

  Chair of the Board

  I began my career forty years ago, moving to North Staffordshire to take up a post as a history teacher in Newcastle under Lyme. I was soon able to take on the role of head of department in a nearby school, before moving on to be able to develop both academic and pastoral expertise by adding a head of year post to my responsibilities.

• Ammy Patel

  Chair of FPHS

  A dedicated professional working within the NHS for the past 20 years, I was pleased to bring the knowledge and experience I have gained into another key sector of public service when I became a school governor at Sir Graham Balfour School. I made the transition to Trustee of Insight MAT and now currently chair the Finance, Premises, Health and Safety sub-committee.

• David Wright

  Trustee

  I have extensive experience in secondary education and have worked in schools in very different and diverse contexts ranging from inner-city to semi-rural, in 5 different Local Authorities. During a long career, lasting for almost 40 years, I gained in-depth knowledge and experience of all aspects of teaching and of school leadership.

• Hillary Carroll

  Chair of S&S

  After a career of over 30 years in Human Resources (HR) within the private sector, including time with Lloydspharmacy, Central England Co-op and Monsoon, I retired in 2013 to seek out challenges that would continue to use the broad range of skills that I had gained over this time. I was delighted to be asked to bring these skills to the Insight MAT in 2017 in the important role of a MAT Trustee.

• Lesley Beck

  CEO

  After a very short stint working in the private sector, I made the leap into teacher training nearly 30 years ago and have never once looked back. I am as passionate about the power of education and its ability to transform lives as I was thirty years ago, and I suppose it is that zeal that has helped to nudge me into the school leadership positions I have held over the past twenty years.

Our Central Team

• Lesley Beck

  CEO

  After a very short stint working in the private sector, I made the leap into teacher training nearly 30 years ago and have never once looked back. I am as passionate about the power of education and its ability to transform lives as I was thirty years ago, and I suppose it is that zeal that has helped to nudge me into the school leadership positions I have held over the past twenty years.

• Rebecca Kerr

  CFO

  Having worked for over 20 years as a Finance Manager in a College of Further Education, I decided to move to a new educational environment and joined Sir Graham Balfour School as the Business Manager in 2017, just after its conversion to a Mult Academy Trust. I was aware this new role would be a huge change, but never expected it to be as diverse and challenging as the job description hinted at, with no two days ever the same. I am now enjoying the CFO role at Insight MAT, embracing the many different challenges this brings.