Term of Office: 01.03.2022 – 31.12.2025

Stephen has served the Catholic education sector for over a decade as a Governor at St Mary’s RC primary school in Horwich, Bolton and has held roles including Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body.

However the experience he brings to the Trust is from over 25 years employed in the private sector, across the oil, energy and logistics sectors in commercial and supply chain roles. Stephen is currently employed as Group Commercial Director for Peel Ports Group, sitting on the group’s Executive Board with responsibility for establishing and evolving the group’s strategic plan, representing the business on various national bodies and interfacing with Government departments.

Term of Office: 27.10.2022 – 05.09.2026

Sue Cronin is newly appointed as the Director of Accreditation and Quality Assurance for the School of Education. She has spent more than 25 years in education holding a variety of posts in schools and in the university including Head of Teacher Education and Director of Quality and Teacher Development. Most recently her work involved leading on mentoring and coaching teaching and research, covering the full range of professional career stages from beginning teachers to school leaders.  Sue’s current research interests and publications are focused on aspects of Teacher Education, in particular, coaching and mentoring, school leadership and partnership. This aligns with her main work activities which include supporting schools and leaders in the North West to provide quality education, largely through their involvement with university Teacher Educators and ITE. Her recent publications have focused on the impact of Covid on Initial Teacher Education.

Sue has a background of secondary mathematics teaching in a variety of Liverpool schools before joining the Liverpool advisory team. She originally taught on a variety of undergraduate modules including Teaching Assistants on Foundation degree courses. She then moved on to PGCE programmes, developing master’s mathematics education modules and CPD projects such as MaST (Primary Mathematics specialist teachers) and SKE course for non-specialist mathematics teachers.  More recently Sue’s teaching has been focused on masters and PD provision for school leaders.

Term of Office: 01.07.2021 – 30.06.2025

Catherine Marie Garside CBE (Services to Education), NLE, DLE, FRSA: Marie’s lifelong career has been spent promoting excellence in comprehensive education, initially as a geography teacher, Head of Department and Deputy, later as Head and Executive Head of an Outstanding School.

During the Greater Manchester Challenge, Marie was appointed Operational Programme Lead for all ten Families of Secondary Schools within Greater Manchester, coordinating a diverse range of collaborative learning activities to raise pupil achievement. As part of this initiative, Marie became both a National Leader of Education and a Diocesan Leader of Education supporting a number of schools and leaders in challenging circumstances.

Her school was awarded National Teaching School status which allowed the institution to train new teachers, appoint and deploy Specialist Leaders of Education, provide training and develop future leaders. The school community was awarded a great many accolades but Marie was particularly proud of being acknowledged nationally and internationally for its work as a National School of Creativity. She was asked to speak alongside the Chancellor to the creative industries at 11 Downing Street. Professor Bill Lucas from Winchester University asked the school to become the northern hub of its Expansive Education network, recognising the strength of research and development carried out by its teaching school members.

Marie believes it is a great privilege to work with young people, supporting them in discovering their talents and widening their aspirations, through the provision of a high quality and engaging curriculum. This care and concern was recognised in its award, “Flagship School for Inclusion”, acknowledging the range of interventions and support offered to all pupils.

Marie has been a member of SSAT national steering groups for Technology College and Applied Learning status; has presented at local, national and international level on topics such as raising achievement, and creative curriculum; and has been asked to write ‘think pieces’ for the DfE which have been used as case studies.

Since retiring Marie works as a consultant, has been Chair of Governors at a primary school, Vice Chair at a Creative Studio School, Trustee of the David Nieper Academy and is now the Chair of Directors of St Teresa of Calcutta Roman Catholic Academy Trust.

Term of Office: 01.09.2021 – 31.08.2025

Martin Johnson has led Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School & Teach Heart Alliance (formerly Heart Teaching School Alliance), Westhoughton, since January 2006. The school’s last graded inspection by Ofsted in April 2024 judged them outstanding in all areas. Martin has been chair of the SSAT Primary Advisory Board since 2013, and has presented at several national conferences on curriculum and innovation. As a Diocesan Leader of Education (NLE since 2015, completing NiOT training in 2022/3) with the Diocese of Salford, Martin is seconded (2 days / week since 2016) to lead system support & CPDF for schools across the Diocese, undertakes Section 48 CSI Catholic School Inspections, pastoral visits and represents the Diocese on senior leadership appointment panels; He has been CSI co-ordinator since September 2024. He spent two years co-ordinating the work of the North West Catholic Dioceses Training Partnership, and led on the organising team for Catholic Middle Leadership Programme and aspiring to leadership conferences. He is an inaugural member of the National School of Formation (NSF), experiencing the power of Catholic Social Teaching in action during several transformative visits, including to Northern Ireland & the Philippines. Teach Heart Alliance are partners with EducareM, greatly involved with the Building the Kingdom and Governance formation programmes; and leading the NSF Tabor programme for senior and middle leaders

Term of Office:  01.03.2022 – 31.12.2025

John was an Electrical Engineer with over 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors before retiring in March 2022 from his role as Joint Authority PFI Project Manager working for both Oldham and Rochdale Councils.  John is married and has three daughters and three grandchildren his hobbies include walking, reading and spending time with his family.

John has been a Foundation Governor and Chair at Holy Family RC & CE College in Heywood for over 10 years and he recently joined the Board of Directors as a Foundation Director at St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust.  John is an advocate for education and has a strong catholic ethos and a desire to support schools to be the best that they can be in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for students and to make lives better for our communities.’

Term of Office: 13.05.2024 – 12.05.2028

Julie- Ann is passionate that education can change lives. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Epworth Academy Trust, a Methodist Trust that operates across multiple local authorities and regions. She has expertise in Trust growth, rapidly improving school standards and in building relationships with key stakeholders within the sector.

Term of Office: 05.12.2020 – 04.12.2024

Jonathan has been involved with the support of Catholic education as a governor with over 20 years of experience in this role.

His background is not in the education sector but has been responsible for project developments that require the input of a range of diverse team members with multiple disciplines with a strategic goal.

Jonathan is a microbiologist and received his PhD in Microbial Culture Media development. Jonathan is the lead Scientist for 3M Europe, Middle East and Africa and works within the 3M Healthcare and the Food Safety Division.

He has a number of scientific publications and has been a key speaker for a range of expert organizations including the World Bank, Global Brand Management organization, and the Food Division of the European Union Group.

He has been a foundation governor for 22 years and is currently the Chair of Governors of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Bury.

He joined St Teresa of Calcutta in Autumn 2020.

Mrs Angela Bowman

Term of Office: 20.10.2022 – resigned 21.08.2024