Trustees & Governors

Dame Angela Pedder OBE has joined the Academy’s Governing Body after retiring from full time work following nearly 20 years as Chief Executive of the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and over 40 years in the NHS.

She has significant experience of acute, community, mental health and learning disability service provision plus health and local authority commissioning and has worked at a national and regional level in many senior advisory roles. Amongst many other roles she was a founding member of the board and Vice Chair of the South West Peninsula Academic Health Science Network.

The valuable skills Angela brings to the Governing Body include strategic leadership, partnership and system working, complex change management, engagement and consultation, corporate and clinical governance and operational performance improvement.

As an experienced mentor and coach Angela has an interest in supporting newly appointed chief executives and those in particularly challenging roles. She is supporting the Executive Senior Leadership Team in this capacity.

Tony is a graduate of Birmingham University where he studied English Literature.

He was a teacher for 48 years; 26 of these as a headmaster at three schools; two of which were inner city. Each of the schools required considerable improvement to their reputation; management and leadership; pupil achievement and financial stability. This gave Tony a valuable insight into the practical issues involved in improving school performance.

Rhodri is one of the Managing Partners in regional law firm Kitsons LLP.  He has specialised in employment law since qualifying as a solicitor in 1999, and has a broad portfolio of clients which includes a significant practice in the education sector, advising schools on Human Resources and Employment Law related issues.

Rhodri has been an active member of the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) for over 25 years and is currently one of the team’s trained Search Managers.

After a 30-year career as an international fashion agent, Alistair became a director of the family Touring Caravan Park business in 2008. In 2010 he was elected Liberal Democrat Member for Ipplepen on Teignbridge District Council and was elected to Devon County Council in 2013. He is Deputy Group Leader on Teignbridge and Chair of Scrutiny at Devon County.

Alistair is also a member of Devon County’s Corporate Parenting Board and is the Corporate Parent Visitor to the Atkinson Unit, a secure children’s home.

Janet was appointed in 2014. Her professional background is in education. She has been a teacher, headteacher, university lecturer and education consultant. Currently she is working freelance in quality assurance and supporting research projects.

Tony is a Chartered Accountant who has been a director of four listed companies and a number of privately owned companies, in the retail, entertainment and service sectors. He has acted as transaction director and adviser to management delivering significant corporate and private equity transactions.

Tony is a Trustee of North Devon Biosphere Foundation and was a member of the finance committee of Kings College, London for nine years.

After a successful career in policing based in Liverpool and Devon, Bob established an international business. He was a volunteer Magistrate in Devon and is a Trustee of the Clare Milne Trust. Bob Chaired Adult and Children Safeguarding Boards in both Devon and Torbay. He is a strong advocate of ensuring all people in our society are given the best opportunities to achieve their full potential. 

Bob enjoys fishing, watching rugby and football, he owns a very old wooden fishing boat which constantly needs attention and an equally time consuming Labrador.

David was, until 31 March 2011, the Finance Director of the waste management company Viridor Limited, which was then a subsidiary of the Exeter based Pennon Group PLC. He joined Pennon in 1991 as Group Auditor. Prior to that he worked for KPMG, a firm of Chartered Accountants.

David is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a graduate in Business Studies.

He was also a non-executive director of the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust from 2010 to 2017.

He is currently a trustee for two other charities in addition to his role at the Deaf Academy.

Sara is a qualified accountant with a varied career background, including Royal Mail, Devon & Cornwall Police and the education and charity sectors.

She was Director of Finance & Resources at Bicton College and later undertook the same role at the Deaf Academy from 2007 to 2020.

She played a key part in the Charity’s successful relocation from Exeter to its new premises in Exmouth.  

Sara has previously served as a trustee of the Exeter Northcott Theatre and is a current trustee of Devon Wildlife Trust.

After over 40 years working in Local Government and 13 years as Chief Officer for Adult Care and Health for Devon, Jennie retired in April 2022.  Jennie began her career as a social worker and since then has held various leadership roles across the health and care sector. Jennie has considerable experience of strategic and transformational change at scale and with a focus on quality improvement and service effectiveness and efficiency.

Jennie has significant experience of community, mental health and learning disability services as well  as commissioning across health and social care. Collaboration is at the heart of Jennie’s approach. Working in partnership with people with lived experience, with partners across the statutory/independent care sector and community and voluntary sectors underpins this. She is passionate about community resilience and doing what matters from a person’s viewpoint.

Jennie is an experienced mentor and coach supporting both health and local government leaders. She is committed to continuous improvement and has led peer reviews across the country. She is keen to both learn from others and share learning and has given evidence to House of Commons Select Committees as well as presented at national and regional events including the National Conference for Children and Adult Services and NHS Providers Networks.

In 2019 Jennie was awarded an MBE for her services to social care.

Tony is a graduate of Birmingham University where he studied English Literature.

He was a teacher for 48 years; 26 of these as a headmaster at three schools; two of which were inner-city. Each of the schools required considerable improvement to their reputation; management and leadership; pupil achievement and financial stability. This gave Tony a valuable insight into the practical issues involved in improving school performance.

 Sylvan has over 15 years’ experience of successfully managing educational provision in inner city areas. Previous employers have included Hackney Community College, College of North East London and Haringey council, specialising in inclusion, safeguarding, behaviour management and post-16 provision. Sylvan has worked at the Deaf Academy since 2017.

Simon is a Building Surveyor with over 18 years’ experience in the south west, in the public and private sector, including educational premises. Simon has extensive knowledge of construction projects, repairs and maintenance, statutory compliance, and facilities management, and is the Academy’s link governor for Health and Safety.

Debbie’s son attends the Deaf Academy. She has worked as a nurse for many years, working with adults which has cemented her supporting, listening and communication skills. She is also a longstanding member of Girlguiding, running a very active Brownie unit and until recently acting as a local commissioner and county trustee. Debbie states “I hope to bring my friendly, approachable manner to the Board of Governors’.

Tony is a Chartered Accountant who has been a director of four listed companies and a number of privately owned companies, in the retail, entertainment and service sectors. He has acted as transaction director and adviser to management delivering significant corporate and private equity transactions.

Tony is a Trustee of North Devon Biosphere Foundation and was a member of the finance committee of Kings College, London for nine years.

After a 30-year career as an international fashion agent, Alistair became a director of the family Touring Caravan Park business in 2008. In 2010 he was elected Liberal Democrat Member for Ipplepen on Teignbridge District Council and was elected to Devon County Council in 2013. He is Deputy Group Leader on Teignbridge and Chair of Scrutiny at Devon County.

Alistair is also a member of Devon County’s Corporate Parenting Board and is the Corporate Parent Visitor to the Atkinson Unit, a secure children’s home.

Allison has had a variety of employment experiences starting off working for Lloyds Bank PLC, then for Ministry of Defence as an Air Traffic Controller in the RAF. She is now semi-retired after 15 years of teaching Philosophy and Ethics at KS3, 4 and 5 and is self-employed in horticulture (gardening!).

Matt Jenkins is Lead British Sign Language (BSL) Teacher at the Deaf Academy; his work has concentrated on BSL and communication across all areas of the Academy over the past six years. Before this, he was a BSL Teacher at the Centre for Deaf Studies at the University of Bristol.

Matt is currently working toward qualifying as a Teacher of the Deaf and is also a member of BATOD (the British Association of Teachers of the Deaf). Matt is also involved in social events and organisations for the hard of hearing and Deaf communities, drawing a wide variety of diverse members who use different sign dialects.

Matt is motivated by keeping the Academy’s communication and access up to date for all who attend and visit us, and promoting positive Deaf mental health and wellbeing, ensuring where possible everyone is Deaf Aware and ethically informed.

Mark is the Senior Safeguarding Caseworker at the Academy, and one of three Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads. He is a member of the Care & Safeguarding Standards Committee. He is a qualified registered social worker with over 20 years of experience working with a huge array of different needs. Throughout his time as a social worker, he has dedicated his career to supporting the needs of deaf young people and children with learning disabilities. 

I was very pleased when the Governors accepted my application to be a Governor of the Deaf Academy. I was a member of the team that campaigned for the Rolle College site to be kept as a place for Education. I believe all young people must be given the opportunity to fulfil their individual potential. It is for education to give them the ‘tools’ and ‘skills’ they will need with advice and guidance to achieve their aims.

I was an East Devon District Councillor representing a ward of Exmouth for 36 years. During that time I chaired a number of committees and was Cabinet member for Sustainable Homes and Communities for several years. I enjoyed representing the people of Exmouth and East Devon and was honoured to be made a Hon.Alderman. Over the years I learnt a great deal, which helps me now, in the work I still do within the community.

 I am the founder and Chairman of the Exmouth and District Community Transport Group (local charity) which began in 1990. It provides transport for those who are unable to use public transport because they have a mobility problem. We have 2 x 8 seat minibuses with passenger lifts and a wheelchair accessible car.

I retired as a Governor of Exmouth Community College having served since 1995 having been chairman of several committees as well as Chairman of Governors.

Jack works in fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK and is a freelance charity consultant, specialising in fundraising and governance. He studied Mathematics with Proficiency in British Sign Language at the University of Exeter, where he also served as a Trustee and Non-Executive Director of the University of Exeter Students’ Guild.

After graduating, Jack worked at Exeter City Community Trust, Exeter’s leading health and wellbeing charity, as Operations Manager, before moving to London to work for Prostate Cancer UK. Jack is also the Chair of Trustees for the Nightline Association, a national student mental health charity.

Rachel was appointed as a Governor at the Deaf Academy in December 2020.  She brings a wealth of experience to the Governing Body having sat on various boards including the Disability Consultant Group for the East Midlands Arts Council, the South West Disability Art Organisation (Equata), and, currently, the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.  Rachel is a strong advocate for the Academy’s student cohort, being Deaf herself, and mother to a Deaf son.

Ann is a retired consultant anaesthetist with many years’ experience in healthcare (NHS and private medicine). She has held senior leadership and management roles in both the NHS and at the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. She has had a special interest in teaching and training, specialising in paediatric anaesthesia, coaching and mentoring, and anaesthesia for learning disability patients. She has worked locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, in both the clinical and the coaching and mentoring fields. She continues coaching with NHS Leadership and other clients.

Rob Aubry is the Head Coach of British Para-Swimming and been employed within high-performance sport for the last 15 years. Under Rob’s coaching leadership British Para-Swimming saw the most medals returned from Tokyo2020 by any British Olympic or Paralympic sport. Rob strives for inclusion and advises National governing bodies including the department of digital culture media and sport on good practice when communicating utilising various accessible formats.

Rob is also an Independent Director for Boccia England, which is the most inclusive sport without an Olympic equivalent.