Lesley Morrey

Director of Student Engagement and Partnerships at Newcastle and Stafford College Group. Lesley is responsible for student experience at the College including Student Services and High Needs Provision. Lesley also is the Safeguarding and Prevent Lead and strategic lead for Equality & Diversity.  Lesley was appointed in July 2015 and has over 14 years management experience in the FE and training and development sector and before this was managing registered nursing homes across the County. Outside of work Lesley enjoys the theatre, walking and spending time with her family. Lesley is looking forward to being part of Stafford Together and is keen to ensure that the community benefits from the work undertaken.

Lesley Morrey – Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group

Dr Ann Ewens

Dean School of Health and Social Care which involves the Leadership and Management of the School including responsibility for the strategic direction, vision and ambition of the School. Development and maintenance of external relationships locally, nationally and internationally, staff and physical resources across the 3 main sites of the University.

Ann Joined Staffordshire University in June 2017, 25 years working within Higher Education in health and social care, 15 years at senior management level. Nurse by professional background and currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Mike Heenan

Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1976 with Price Waterhouse, following education at King Edward VI School, Stafford and Leicester University, Mike joined the local firm, now called Deans, in 1980 and became a partner in 1981. He was subsequently appointed to the Board of Stafford Railway Building Society in 1984 and served as Chief Executive until 2010. He retired from Deans in 2015, and is currently a Non-Executive Director of a number of Stafford companies, Beverley Building Society and national and local charities including Treasurer of Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society.

He has been President of Stafford and North Staffs Chambers of Commerce, Staffs, Salop & Wolverhampton Society of Chartered Accountants and Chairman of Business Link Staffordshire and First Community Health NHS Trust.

First elected in 1976, he was a Stafford Borough Councillor for over 30 years, being Mayor of Stafford in 1990/91 and Leader of the Council 1993-1995 and 2009-2015. He is an Honorary Alderman of the Borough.

Dr Teeranlall Ramgopal, (Ram)

I worked at the Staffordshire General Infirmary for twenty-five years and at Staffordshire University for fifteen years. As Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University, my role also included supporting local communities in the promotion of community engagement and cohesion. Now as a Trustee of the Community Foundation for Staffordshire, and one of its representatives on the Stafford Together group, I aim to play an active role, not just in raising awareness about the purposes of these two groups, but also participate in fundraising initiatives to support local voluntary organisations in their promotion of cultural and social wellbeing activities for the benefit of the entire Community.

John Marshall

Until he retired John Marshall led one of the churches in Stafford. He now chairs ‘Love Stafford’ the partnership of churches and faith-based organisations active in the area. John has almost forty years’ experience of working with the voluntary sector.

Nina A Dawes OBE

Nina began her career in the private sector. After teaching, researching and travelling she joined Local Government where she served for more than 30 years.

She undertook various roles for Walsall MBC in housing and neighbourhood management, became a Director of a large West Midlands Housing Association, before joining Lichfield District Council in 1997. She became Chief Executive in 2001, and retired in 2012.

She was Chairman of the Local Government Association’s District Council Network, the body which represents the interests of the 200+ District Councils, elected to the position of Deputy Secretary of the West Midlands Local Government Association, and Chairman of the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership. Vice Chairman of the County’s Children’s Trust, and she also served on county-wide Health and Social Care Boards. She was involved in setting up the We Love Lichfield endowment fund.

For 10 years she was a non-Executive Director of a tenant owned and managed Housing Association in Walsall, and for 2 years she served on the a the Board of Business Link West Midlands.

She was awarded an OBE in 2008 for Flood Rescue in Staffordshire, and Services to Local Government.

Since retiring she has become a School Governor, a volunteer for the Pathway Project and for Crimestoppers. She has two children, who she says have brought her up very well, and three grandchildren, from whom she continues to learn.

Councillor Jeremy Pert

Elected to Stafford Borough Council (from 2011) and Staffordshire County Council (from 2017) to represent the Eccleshall area. Previously on Eccleshall Parish Council (2001 – 2011). Cabinet Member for Communities on the Borough Council looking after strategic housing and the voluntary sector, amongst other things.

Extensive voluntary sector experience having led Eccleshall Eagles Junior Football Club’s pitch project to develop five grass pitches and a club house (from 2009) and re-establish a Youth Club (YoYo) in Eccleshall. Previous commitments include with Eccleshall Show Society, Broughton Parish Rooms and as chair of the Broughton & Croxton Fair amongst others.

Professionally, work to transform supply chains, principally across Europe to reduce cost and improve efficiency. Previously used to work on business turnarounds, within the spare parts logistics, packaging, household cleaning products and food markets.