Welcome to the Corporation

Kevin Hamblin

College Principal & CEO

Kevin Hamblin was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Principal in September 2015, having been appointed Principal and Chief Executive of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College in February 2012. Prior to this, Kevin was the Principal and Chief Executive of Filton College since December 2001.

On completion of his degree, Kevin worked as Commercial Manager and then Commercial Director of a private training company, before becoming Head of Open Learning at Swindon College in 1997. This led to a role as Head of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Systems Engineering at Swindon, before becoming Vice Principal at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire in 1999.

Andres Garcia-Knight

Staff Member

Andres Garcia-Knight was appointed as one of the Staff Governors from 5th October 2023. Andres has been a corporate staff member since 2018 and has had the pleasure of working with many colleagues from across the College. Being a keen rugby and general sports fan, he is impassioned to see something that he is a part of, do well!

Matt Atkinson

Chair of the Corporation, External Member

Matt joined the Corporation on 1 April 2023 and is Managing Director of FE Associates, a provider of specialist consultancy services to the further education and skills sector and has held this role since September 2016. Prior to this he was Principal and CEO of Bath College for 9 years. Matt first started working in the FE sector in 1994 and has worked with several organisations in different parts of the country, initially as a teacher and then a college leader. He has previously served as a non-executive for a number of education organisations in the South West including the Wellsway Multi-Academy Trust, Strode College and the Bath Education Trust. In addition, Matt has contributed to the development of policy and practice at a national level as a former trustee of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service and the Chair of the Skills Commission's review into intervention in the further education sector. Matt's current professional interests are centred around developing leaders for the future and driving innovation in education and skills to better meet the needs of learners, employers and communities.

Phil Eames

Vice-Chair of the Corporation, External Member

Phil now works in internal audit governance and risk management at Bristol City Council, having previously been a freelance assurance and audit consultant after taking early retirement from the Education Funding Agency (EFA), where he was Head of Assurance. He worked for the EFA and its predecessor funding bodies for more than 20 years in assurance and audit roles, dealing with colleges and academies and other education providers. Prior to that he worked for Ernst & Young and the Audit Commission. He was a student at the former Filton College and prior to that at the Royal Forest of Dean Grammar School.

Douglas Blackstock

External Member

Douglas is the elected President of President of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) which has members and affiliates in 45 countries in the European Higher Education Area.

He is the former Chief Executive of the UK's independent Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) whose role is to ensure academic standards are maintained and that student learning opportunities are of the highest quality across the four nations of the UK. Douglas held Executive roles there for 20 years and now acts as an international consultant for QAA. He also provides independent consultancy related to higher education and regulation for other clients.

In addition to being a Board member of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College he holds non-executive director roles in education and regulation, including being a member of the Boards of Qualifications Wales, Cilex Legal Regulation, the University of Law, the British University in Egypt, and is an Advisory Board member of Future Learn.

Louise Bright

External Member

Dr Louise Bright, Director of Research and Business Engagement at USW, has undertaken secondments to Welsh Government and The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (now Advance HE). Louise continues to be an influential colleague in various fora and continues to influence policy and practice in higher education by virtue of membership on boards and committees of external (and influential) organisations. These include being a peer reviewer for the HR Excellence in Research Award; University of South Wales representative on the Welsh Crucible programme; lead for the Wales Women in STEM Network; and was a key member of the Chief Science Advisor for Wales Task and Finish Group which wrote a report considering women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Medical research in Wales.

Claire Charlemagne

External Member

Claire joined the Corporation in March 2024 and is currently Head of Languages at the University of Bath, having previously held the role of Safeguarding Manager. In her current role she leads foreign language provision and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programmes for students, faculty, and the wider community. Her focus is on delivering exceptional educational provision that fosters language proficiency and prioritizes student success, well-being, and employability. Her approach is marked by an emphasis on innovation in curricula, pedagogy, and the integration of enriching cultural experiences.

Before entering Higher Education, Claire accumulated over two decades of experience in secondary and all-through schools, both in the UK and abroad. A qualified French and Spanish teacher, she holds a Master's degree in educational leadership and a National Professional Qualification for Headship. She held varied roles in middle and senior leadership across both state and private sectors and led three schools as Head, Principal and Executive Headteacher. Claire is passionate about the profound impact of education on individuals and communities. Her dedication to enhancing the educational experience and outcomes for students is based on her firm belief in the transformative power of learning.

Lynne Craig

External Member

Lynne joined the Corporation from 1 April 2020 and has been involved in FE for more than 25 years, beginning as a part time lecturer teaching computing and office studies progressing to a full time post teaching on management and teacher training courses. A variety of posts focusing on quality and improving teaching and learning led to her appointment as Vice Principal for curriculum and quality at Gloucestershire College. During her time at the college she helped to improve standards and develop curriculum. Lynne became site Principal for the Royal Forest of Dean College when they merged with Gloucestershire College. As part of this role she led the initial design of the new college campus in the Forest.

As part of her involvement in improving quality Lynne has been an inspector with ALI and Ofsted. Other posts include the chair of the South West Peer Confederation, a member of the LSIS Council and a school governor. Lynne has also been a Trustee for Young Gloucestershire.

After leaving Gloucestershire College Lynne set up her own business as an educational consultant and she has carried out several independent curriculum projects for colleges. Alongside this business Lynne spent five years as an FE Adviser working for the FE Commissioner helping to improve performance in colleges across the country. Since leaving the Commission she has taken on interim senior management roles.

Sophie Chester-Glyn

External Member

Sophie joined the Corporation in March 2018. Sophie has been the Managing Director of a social care organisation for over nine years. Sophie previously worked in project management at BT Global Services. Sophie has a Master's in Business Administration and recently completed a Master's in Social Care Law at Cardiff University. Sophie has a particular interest in disability law and practice and is embarking on a PhD at Bristol University on Human Rights in Adult Social Care.

Mike Croker

External Member

After graduating from the University of Bristol, Mike joined the accountancy firm Ernst & Young, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986. Mike was a Senior Manager at the Learning & Skills Council and its successor organisations from 2001 to 2014. There he worked with a number of FE colleges, sixth form colleges and academies in the South West of England on financial plans, capital project funding, mergers and financial management and governance reviews. After a spell as a consultant in education finance with RSM, Mike now undertakes interim roles, most recently internal audit reviews at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust.

Charmain Eaton

External Member

Charmain joined the Corporation 1 March 2024, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience as an accomplished Safeguarding Lead. Her career journey includes serving in various educational capacities, such as Pastoral, Behaviour, and Safeguarding Lead in diverse school environments. Currently Deputy Head at Bredon School, Charmain also possesses substantial leadership and strategic expertise as well as ensuring the well-being of students.

Charmain's passion lies in working collaboratively with children, young people, parents, and staff. She is driven by a desire to elevate standards and strive for excellence, ensuring that everyone in the educational community feels not only safe but also valued, respected, and understood. Charmain believes in creating an environment where individuals have a sense of purpose and belonging, emphasising the importance of responsibility.

Charmain's dedication to creating a positive, inclusive, supportive, compassionate, and kind culture resonates not only in her professional endeavours but also in her personal interests. Her leadership and strategic experience make her a valuable asset, capable of steering organisations towards success and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Namrah Khan

Student Member

Namrah joined the Corporation from 1 August 2024 and is a student at SGS College studying maths, economics and politics. She has just finished year 12 and is hoping to apply for university to do an economics degree. As elected student governor, Namrah wants to provide an opportunity for all students to share their opinions and be comfortable and thriving at SGS.

Yusuf Ibrahim

External Member

Yusuf Ibrahim is an Assistant Principal at Cardiff and Vale College. He is passionate about enhancing the leadership prospects for people from all walks of life, particularly those from under-represented and under-privileged backgrounds. Yusuf has worked at national level, contributing to the design and delivery of the adapted assessment model during the pandemic. He is currently leading the Anti-Racism Materials Project across the FE sector as well as leading significant curriculum areas within the college. A digital transformer, Yusuf is determined to ensure that new technologies are an enabler for positive change for all, allowing more people to access opportunities to learn and progress.

Yusuf began as Religious Education & Psychology teacher and quickly progressed to lead on designing a new KS3 Skills Based Learning programme. With over fifteen years' experience, Yusuf's career has seen him work as a middle, senior and executive leader in London, Bristol and Cardiff. Working within the schools and FE sectors, Yusuf's experiences have seen him hold a variety of leadership positions at middle, senior and executive level. A values-based leader, Yusuf believes in building supporting teams that work in effective systems to meet the needs of learners, staff, communities and businesses.

Dave Merrett

External Member

Dave has worked within the plumbing and heating industry for over 30 years and is the owner and Managing Director of Merretts Heating Services. In 2014, Dave was part of the launch of the new plumbing and heating apprenticeship standard, and he has been heavily involved in the development of that standard. He also now serves on the apprenticeship board, overseeing the new standard.

Irene Molodtsov

External Member

Irene joined the Corporation on 1 November 2021. Irene is a business leader and a serial entrepreneur. She is the former CEO of Sia Partners UK & Ireland (management and data science consultancy) where she led a Business Transformation, Growth & Innovation, Utilities and FS practices. Prior to joining Sia Partners in 2016, Irene co-founded a business transformation firm Molten (which was sold to Sia Partners) which had offices in London, Houston and Moscow. Irene co-founded Molten Technologies (virtual Desktop firm), was a Chairman of Giffords Circus, an NED and Co-owner of Lillingston (bespoke event organisers) and is the NED and co-owner of Lynwood & Co (a Cotswolds Cafe Chain). Irene's specialism is digital and business transformation having developed and implemented strategies and operating models for multinational globally. She knows how to grow and pivot business to be profitable and sustainable. Irene’s passion is Diversity & Inclusion and she has run numerous programmes in this area.

Gary Parsons

Staff Member

Gary joined the College in 2014 teaching A Level History, a role he still undertakes in addition to running the GCSE Plus programme in the Sixth Form at Filton Campus. Gary had previously been on placement at, the then, Filton College whilst undertaking his PGCE in 2011. In the Sixth Form, Gary helps with the day-to-day running and management of the centre in conjunction with the Head of Sixth Form whilst also developing the strategic future direction of the Sixth Form. Gary is also a keen historian and has completed a History MPhil at Bristol University centred around the evolution of governance in Bristol in the 1980s and 1990s.

Sarah Woodhouse

Staff Member

Sarah joined the Corporation in March 2024 and is a Director and Co-Owner of AMBITIOUS, one of the South West's largest independent strategic communications agency.

A core sector for the agency is education. Clients include Lifetime Training, the UK's largest provider of apprenticeships. The agency has also worked with University of Bristol, Access Creative College, Cabot Learning Federation, Wellsway, City of Bristol College, ASDAN, Digitech School Studio and supported UCAS move into apprenticeships.

AMBITIOUS works with many organisations that represent the key economic pillars of the region including technology, professional and financial services, built environment, creative industries, healthcare, engineering and innovation.

Prior to AMBITIOUS, Sarah owned a PR agency in Hong Kong with offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore. Sarah began her career in London at world's largest PR agency, Edelman. Sarah holds a BA Hons in Public Relations from Bournemouth University.