Board of Trustees - Biographies
David Knight (Chair)
Regional Director, Open University in the North
David has been involved in the Open College Network since 2000 when he joined the Board of the North East Open College Network, becoming the Chair two years later. In 2005 David led NEOCN into the merger with TROCN to form a single Open College Network for the North East. David was elected to the Chair of the new Open College North East Region by the merged board of the new charity.
When David first became involved in the Open College Network movement he was based at the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Newcastle. After three years as Chief Executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust David returned to the world of education as Regional Director of the Open University of the North, his current role.
Alan Bell
Retired
Alan has over 30 years experience of working in the education sector as a teacher, trainer, operational and strategic manager as well as holding a number of directorships.
Alan's career in education started when he moved from a Personnel Management role to become an Advisor with the Food Drink and Tobacco Industry Training Board. This was a role which involved helping companies to improve their efficiency and effectiveness via the education and training route which was evaluated against a levy and grant process.
Alan has taught in Adult, Further and Higher Education and has undertaken the role of external moderator.
Alan has been involved with the OCN for a number of years and prior to his role on the OCNNER Board was a TROCN Board member and former Chair of the Finance and Business Development Committee. He is currently a member of the Finance and Personnel Committee.
Kathy Dunn
Retired
Kathy has been a keen supporter of the Open College Network since she became the Access Co-ordinator at the University of Teesside and Chaired the Working Party which established the Teesside Region OCN (TROCN) in 1994. Subsequently Kathy became the first Chair of TROCN and chaired both the original Access to HE and Quality Committees.
Although now retired from the University of Teesside, Kathy continues to support the Open College Network as a Trustee.
Minna Ireland
Management and Training Consultant
Minna is a freelance Management and Training Consultant who works mainly with the voluntary/community sector and social enterprises. She has many years experience as Honorary Treasurer of several national and regional charities. Currently she Chairs the North East Empowerment Partnership.
She has been a Trustee of OCN North East Region since its formation and Chairs the organisation's Finance and Personnel Committee.
Her commitment to quality in the accreditation process may be seen in that, formerly a volunteer Moderator for TROCN, Minna is now both an active External Verifier and also holds three Chief Verifier roles for OCR - in Management & Leadership, Business Enterprise and Business Support.
Minna is a published author of both management and local history.
Ray Snowdon
e-skills UK
Ray's industrial experience was gained primarily in the private sector - working as an IT professional within both SMEs and multi-nationals (Unilever and BICC). During this time he specialised in the implementation of MRP/MRPII systems within the electronic semiconductor, cable and food manufacturing industries. Ray also spent time in the public sector working for the Freeman Group of Hospitals.
He joined academia at Northumbria University in the early 90s, becoming Director of Academic Programmes for the School of Informatics and then Manager of the New Technology Institute for Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. In May 2004, Ray joined the Sector Skills Council for IT, e-skills uk, as Regional Development Manager for the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber before joining Proskills UK in March 2006. During his time at Proskills UK he was involved in leading activities within the Nations and Regions Team before taking up the role of Project Director for the National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply. Ray has recently returned to e-skills UK and is involved in the development of the potential National Skills Academy for IT.
Ray took on the role of Deputy Chair from November 2009.
Bernie Wallis
Assistant Dean, School of Health & Social Care University of Teesside
Bernie is a registered nurse and spent 16 years as a ward sister before working pursuing a career in nursing education in 1989 and Higher Education in 1992, having completing an MSc in Health & Social Care. She maintained an element of clinical practice within her various academic roles leading nursing programmes and practice development as a principal lecturer at the University of Teesside. During this time, Bernie spent three years working within the Directorate of Nursing at the Strategic Health Authority on a part time secondment.
She joined the senior management team of the School of Health & Social Care at the University as an Assistant Dean in 2004. She is currently seconded to the central University to lead on organisational-wide recruitment.
Pat Whaley
Regional Development Officer, NIACE
As a Regional Agent, Pat Whaley represents NIACE in the North Eastern region, liaising with strategic bodies and a range of organisations including learning and skills providers, keeping them informed about developments in policy and practice concerning adult learning, supporting the sharing of good practice and encouraging the implementation of NIACE national programmes in the region.
Pat has worked in a number of Universities in the field of Adult, Continuing and Community Education, most recently as Director for Lifelong Learning and Community Studies at the University of Durham. Her career has been characterised by cross-sectoral, collaborative and developmental ways of working and membership of a number of key local, regional and national committees and working parties.
Pat has researched and published quite extensively on issues of access, curriculum development, widening participation and women's education, and, as a historian, on women's history and community history. Some of her research has been televised.
Andy Wright
Assistant Principal Curriculum, Dumfries and Galloway College
Andy has been involved in Further Education for 18 years in a variety of roles from Lecturer, Curriculum Manager, College Equal Opportunities Coordinator, through to Curriculum Manager at Furness College in Cumbria.
He moved to Dumfries and Galloway College in 2002 as Head of Department for Arts and Technology and was promoted in 2005 to Assistant Principal, and more recently also now has Deputy responsibilities.
Other roles Andy has been involved in are Chair for the local Dumfries and Galloway Construction Industry Forum, and Specialist Advisor and Presenter for Scottish Qualifications Authority.
Andy is passionate about creating learning opportunities for individuals and communities and sees his work with the OCN as supporting these aspirations for all concerned.
Andy has introduced OCN frameworks into his own College and has seen real benefits of true access programmes. He currently Chairs the Access to HE Committee.
