Meet our Directors

Helen Keough Foundation Director
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Helen Keough

Foundation Director

Helen is a recently retired Headteacher. Serving as Headteacher at St Michael’s Catholic Academy, Billingham she led the school through the pandemic, holding standards of pastoral care at the core of the schools mission working tirelessly to meet the needs of the whole community whilst striving for excellent aspirational standards for students. Results improved despite the challenges of remote learning and the school was judged good by Ofsted in 2022.

Prior to this post Helen had worked as Deputy Head of Standards over 2 schools – St Michael’s Catholic Academy and Carmel College and in her early career as a maths teacher and then Pastoral Learning Manager where she worked closely with parents, carers and staff. Helen has a robust focus on educational aspirations for all students but in particular disadvantaged students and excellent pastoral care. She is passionate about improving the life chances of the students in our region and brings a wealth of expertise to the Board.

Kirsty Hutchinson Foundation Director
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Kirsty Hutchinson

Foundation Director

Pat Witte Foundation Director
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Pat Witte

Foundation Director

Before retirement Pat was a teacher of Religious Education for over 40 years.  She served as Head of RE, Assistant Head and then Deputy Head at St Robert of Newminster before retiring and becoming a long serving and highly skilled Foundation Governor.

Pat has led and delivered Diocesan RE leadership and RE curriculum programmes for Heads of RE and staff, lectured on curriculum RE for Birmingham Diocese, lectured on the Diocesan CCRS course over a number of years and served as a Diocesan Section 48 inspector from 2003 where she inspected many Diocesan secondary and middle schools as lead and team inspector.

David Hicks Director
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David Hicks

Director

David is a Tax Director at Deloitte in Newcastle.  He has a long established relationship with our secondary schools supporting in relation to careers, employability and raising aspirations.  He brings experience in recruitment, learning and finance and provides support to our Audit Committee.

Alan Egdell Director
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Alan Egdell

Director

Alan retired in 2014 after a 40 year career in primary education, with 32 years served as a Deputy then a Headteacher, leading St. Bernadette’s, Wallsend, to numerous ‘outstanding’ inspection outcomes. Alan also supported schools as a National Leader of Education and supported St. Cuthbert’s North Shields for 7 years as an Executive Head. Alan also was also a seconded LA Primary Advisor where Alan worked across Gateshead, Newcastle and South Tyneside.

Alan also worked as an OFSTED Inspector and School Improvement Partner and lead ITT at St. Bernadette’s, was the Northern representative on the SCITT National Panel and also a founder member of NASBIT, a consortium that championed school centred ITT. Under Alans leadership St Bernadette’s became a lead school for the Carmel College ITT programme that encompassed many Diocesan schools. Alan has continued to work for Carmel since his retirement and is a Liaison Tutor working in a number of schools within BWCET, a role which he loves.

As a parishioner of St. Patrick’s, Alan was a Governor at 3 local schools and served as Chair at St Alban’s.

Fr Colm Hayden Foundation Director
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Fr Colm Hayden

Foundation Director

Father Colm is from Dublin, Ireland. He was appointed as Parish Priest to the Parish of the Durham Martyrs in 2005.  In 2015 Bishop Seamus further appointed Father Colm as the Episcopal Vicar for the East Durham and Sunderland area  

Ian Mearns
Ian Mearns MP Non-Foundation Director
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Ian Mearns MP

Non-Foundation Director

Ian is a member of parliament for Gateshead and a member of the parliamentary education Select Committee. He was first elected in the 2010 general election. He was educated the St Mary’s Primary school in Forest Hall and St Mary’s Technical School in Newcastle before commencing his employment with Northern Gas in 1974. Ian was the chair of the Campaign for the for a North East Assembly and was a member of the North East Constitutional Convention Steering Group.  Ian chaired the Scrutiny and Policy Development Board for the North East assembly for three years. His skills lie in strategy, governance, HR, business, finance, policy, and regional development. Ian has also held a number of governance posts and currently serves as Chair of Governors at Kelvin Grove Primary School in Gateshead.

Angela Boyle Foundation Director
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Angela Boyle

Foundation Director

Angela is a retired primary school Headteacher from within the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. She has extensive experience of leadership within the primary sector giving her great empathy understanding and the necessary insight for the Board. Angela was also able to bring her knowledge of Diocesan ethos and requirements to assist the Board in their decision making. Her particular skills lie within Catholic education, governance, leadership, project management, communication and change management.

Christopher Coxon Foundation Director and Vice Chair of the Trust Board
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Christopher Coxon

Foundation Director and Vice Chair of the Trust Board

Chris is a retired BT business leader. He has had two main employers, the British Coal Corporation and British Telecom prior to his retirement in 2017.

Chris has a secure understanding of the distinctive nature and purpose of Catholic education and has been successful in numerous and varied leadership and management posts.  His business experience is invaluable to his role in governance. His governance skills include Catholic education, governance, leadership, project management, communication, change management, HR, and finance.  

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