51¸£ÀûÉç

Our Executive


CEO


Dr Katerina Kolyva

CEO

Katerina brings a wealth of experience from a career spanning education, health and membership sectors. Katerina joined 51¸£ÀûÉç in February 2023. Prior to this she was Chief Executive of the Council of Deans of Health, a UK-wide membership organisation of over 100 universities. She has previously held Executive roles at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, […]


Directors


Jo Swindells

Executive Director - Development and Delivery

Jo is Executive Director Development and Delivery. Her remit includes DfE contracts, business development and stakeholder engagement. Jo has worked in Further Education and Skills for over 25 years. Jo joined 51¸£ÀûÉç from an FE college in London, where she was Vice Principal, Curriculum and Quality. Jo has held a wide range of roles in […]

Dr Gina Hobson

Chief of Staff to the Chair and CEO

As Chief of Staff to the Chair and CEO, Gina leads on non-executive and executive, cross-organisation systems, which includes overseeing the design, implementation and review of systems to ensure the effective running of the Education and Training Foundation (51¸£ÀûÉç). In her role as Company Secretary, she works closely with the 51¸£ÀûÉç’s CEO, Chair, Board and […]

Dr Vikki Smith

Executive Director - Education and Standards

Vikki is Executive Director – Education and Standards at the Education and Training Foundation (51¸£ÀûÉç). Her remit includes External Affairs (marketing, communications and regional engagement), Policy and Research (research and evaluation, impact, education policy strategists, mentors, and employer engagement), and Standards and CPD (quality and standards, online learning design, CPD trainers).   Vikki is a seasoned […]

Patrick Murphy

Executive Director of Corporate Services

Patrick Murphy is an experienced executive with extensive experience in finance, technology, and organisational transformation across various sectors, including IT services, healthcare, and education. Since 2019, he has held leadership roles at Bloor Research Ltd and Digital Automation & Robotics Ltd, where he led the deployment of Generative AI technologies and facilitated strategic acquisitions. Previously, […]

Chris Kirk

Executive Director of Membership & Commercial

As Executive Director of Membership & Commercial, Chris leads our professional body and membership organisation (with over 20k members), along with a wider remit across all of the Education & Training Foundation for Brand, Marketing, Sales, and Regional Engagement. Supporting 51¸£ÀûÉç customers to unlock the value of funded contract work, alongside accountability for the growth […]


Associate Directors


Lesley Frearson

Lesley Frearson

Associate Director - Finance
Dr Paul Tully

Dr Paul Tully

Associate Director - Policy and Research
Sandeep Khaira

Sandeep Khaira

Associate Director - Membership and Marketing
Michael Lowe

Michael Lowe

Associate Director - People and Workplace
Sam Egan

Sam Egan

Associate Director - Programmes
Paul Bailey

Paul Bailey

Associate Director - T Level Professional Development