Governance - Who we are

Mark was appointed as Chair of the Corporation in August 2018. He is Managing Director of Continental Teves UK Ltd, a significant employer in the Ebbw Vale area which specialises in the manufacture of high-performance engineering components for the automotive industry.

Mark has extensive managerial and business experience and provides the Board with a useful insight into the training needs of the mechanical engineering and automotive industries, as well as the economy of the Blaenau Gwent area. He also serves on the Board of the Welsh Automotive Forum and is Chair of both the Blaenau Gwent Enterprise Board and the Tech Valleys Strategic Advisory Board. Mark also sits on the Welsh Apprenticeship Advisory Board and was previously a member of the European Advisory Group reporting to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister.

Sue is passionate about the importance of education, training and effective collaboration to address the skills needs of employers. After a long career in the NHS (which included both clinical and non-clinical roles), she recently retired from her role as Assistant Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Sue is continuing to engage in consultancy work for the Health Board and chairs fitness to practice hearings at the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

Guy has over 35 years’ experience of teaching and management in both the secondary and further education sectors and was appointed as Principal and Chief Executive of Coleg Gwent in April 2016. In his previous role as Deputy Principal (External Engagement), Guy was responsible for developing the College’s external partnerships and commercial activities, making strong, strategic relationships across the sector.  Guy has worked as an examiner for the University of Cambridge examinations syndicate and has been a peer Inspector with ESTYN for over ten years. He is Chair of Colegau Cymru and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Gwent in 2021.Guy will be retiring at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.

Baz has over 30 years’ experience in electronics engineering. He served for 17 years in HM Forces, joining as an Apprentice Electronics Engineer and rising to the rank of Warrant Officer. Baz is  Director, Solutions Engineer for a large digital technologies company, having previously worked as Head of Systems Engineering at CISCO UK Enterprise. He also sits on the Board of the Power Network Demonstration Centre, which is part of Strathclyde University. Baz Chairs the Board’s Finance & Resources Committee.

Moawia works in investments and property development alongside which he fulfils a number of public, charity and voluntary roles. These roles include monitoring health services and prison and detainee conditions and advising on diversity & inclusion. Moawia is also a Justice of the Peace and a Senior Independent Panel Member for Public & Civil Appointments in Wales. He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Educators and has received the Freedom of the City of London.

Liz gained her own qualifications in the workplace after leaving school at sixteen and is committed to the importance of choice in education and training. She worked her way up into management roles in the financial services sector and spent time as a civilian officer with the Police National Computer Bureau. Liz  recently retired from her role as Director of Qualifications, Registration and Fitness to Practise at the Education Workforce Council. She lives in the Newport area and her children studied at Coleg Gwent.

Andrew brings to the Board a detailed understanding of the FE sector in Wales. With a background in finance and accounting, he recently retired from a long career in Welsh Government where his most recent roles included leading on employability, careers and FE policy. He serves as an independent member of the Audit Wales, Audit & Risk Assurance Committee. Andrew is Governor with responsibility for Information Governance.

Delyth is a first language Welsh speaker who began her career as a news and current affairs journalist. She went on to work as a political speech writer and later served for three years as an Assembly Member. Delyth has held Chief Executive roles at two charities and works as a policy and strategy consultant. She also serves on the boards of Sport Wales, The Urdd and The Alacrity Foundation, an education charity that provides entrepreneurship training for young tech graduates.

Rhiannon was elected as Business Support Staff Governor in December 2021. She has worked as a Science Technician in the education sector for 21 years and joined Coleg Gwent in 2007. As well as delivering technician services for all science subjects at City of Newport Campus, Rhiannon undertakes other roles including Duke of Edinburgh Leader and Campus Health & Safety, Environment & Wellbeing Advisor. A mum to two young girls, Rhiannon is a keen hiker and enjoys learning new skills.

Chris first joined the Board of Coleg Gwent in 2010 and served two terms of office. Following a change in circumstances he re-joined the Board in 2020. He retired from his role as Managing Director of Newport City Council in 2009 and has held a number of Board roles since, including serving as a Trustee of Kaleidoscope, a drugs misuse charity and as a Governor of the University of South Wales until July 2020.

Bal is Senior Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Companies House. She has worked in the equalities and community cohesion field for over 23 years, including roles in Welsh Government, South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner’s Office, The Equality & Human Rights Commission and The Commission for Racial Equality.  She lives in Newport and was formerly a School Governor as well as a Trustee at Torfaen People First.  Bal has recently taken on the role of Link Governor for Diversity & Inclusion.

Joe was elected as a Student Governor for FE in May 2023. He is studying BTEC Business Studies and plans to train as an accountant. Joe is an active member of the student body and is the current Student Union President on our Crosskeys Campus. In this role he has worked with staff to develop peer support and resources for learners around a number of important topics.

Claire was elected as Student Governor for HE in January 2023. She is a mature learner studying on the Foundation Degree in Sports Conditioning, Rehabilitation & Massage at Crosskeys Campus. Claire enjoys being active and playing netball. She is a Wellbeing Ambassador for HE learners and hopes to pursue a career in rehabilitation within the NHS when she completes her degree.

Following a long career in senior management in the pharmaceutical industry, Ray is now owner/director of a successful domiciliary care business delivering services to clients across Newport. He volunteers with The Alzheimer’s Society and is a Dementia Friends Champion, recently supporting City of Newport Campus to achieve ‘Dementia Friendly’ status. Ray is strongly committed to improving the care sector through training and partnership working and serves on a number of groups across Gwent to support this.

John began his career as an apprentice engineer and worked in industry for several years before retraining as a teacher. He worked in education for over thirty years and much of that time was spent in the FE sector. He was Vice Principal at Coleg y Cymoedd for ten years, with responsibility for curriculum and quality development. Since retiring, he has worked as a self-employed educational consultant and adviser. John is Governor with responsibility for Health & Safety.

Matt has extensive experience in retail management at store and regional level. He is now self-employed as a management consultant and business coach. He provides support with strategic planning and implementation as well as ongoing support and mentoring to SME business owners in the region.

Wendy was first elected as Teaching Staff Governor in August 2018 and has worked for the College for over thirty years. She holds an MA in Leadership & Management and works as a lecturer in Heath & Social Care. She also works part-time as a Support Tutor with learners identified as being at risk of dropping out of education. Wendy is Vice Chair of the University & College Lecturers’ Union and represents UCU members on the Coleg Gwent/UCU negotiating team.

Lizzie is Chair of the Curriculum & Quality Committee. She is a fluent Welsh speaker and brings to the Board extensive experience of the public sector, especially partnership working in the education sector. She currently works for an educational charity and has previously held roles at Qualifications Wales, UWTSD, the Heads of the Valleys Education Programme and in local government.

Having served as an external Member of the Audit Committee for several years, Gareth joined the Board as a Governor in October 2022. He is an experienced accountancy and audit professional and has worked in both the domestic and international public sector. Gareth is currently Director of Corporate Governance at a large Health Board  having previously worked at the Senedd, Wales Audit Office and the United Nations Board of Audit.  Gareth is also a School Governor and an honorary auditor for the Unitarian Church.

Dorota was appointed as an External Member of the Audit Committee in July 2021 and has extensive public sector accounting and audit experience. She is currently responsible for Portfolio Assurance at the UK Government Department for Digitial, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and previously held assurance and audit roles across a number of other public bodies. Dorota is also a Magistrate and volunteers as an Independent Member of the Monitoring Board for Usk Prison.

Farishna joined us as an External Member of the Audit Committee in April 2023.  She is a Finance Manager at Legal & General with responsibility for areas of risk, control, governance & regulation. She also has experience of working as an auditor, including in the education sector and is co-owner/Director of a family podiatry business.

Rafi also joined as an External Member of the Audit Committee in April 2023. He has worked in audit, control and risk management roles for over a decade, most recently as Head of Internal Control at Leadway Assurance Co. Ltd. in Lagos, Nigeria. He has recently relocated to Newport and is looking forward to supporting the college.

Marie has been Governance Officer since June 2015. She is responsible for the day to day operation of the Board, providing it with advice on procedure and policy, organising and recording meetings and record keeping. She also acts as Freedom of Information Officer for the College. Marie has worked at Coleg Gwent since 2008, previously in learner support and teaching roles. Prior to that she had a career in the Civil Service which included several years as Clerk to a Government advisory committee in London.