Meet our speakers

Take a sneak peek at some of our headline speakers! As the programme continues to unfold, you will have the opportunity to see the complete list of speakers who will be presenting at ISBL National Conference 2024.

Keynote Speakers

  • Turning around schools from the worst in the country to exemplary models, Sir William Atkinson is recognised as one of the best teachers in the UK. Identifying structural weaknesses in the system, overcoming challenges, and developing new ways of educating the youth of tomorrow, he is highly sought after as a keynote and conference speaker. His work at Phoenix High School in Shepherd's Bush, London, from 1995 to 2010, was the inspiration for the Head Teacher character in BBC TV drama Hope and Glory

  • Siân Lewis is Head of Parent Participation at Parentkind, the network of PTA fundraisers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Parentkind represent parent voice and champion the role of parents in education to support every child to thrive and reach their potential. Siân’s focus, through a suite of training, tools, information and resources, is to support schools to embed effective parental participation and parents to be engaged in education and school life. Siân’s previous roles include leading on the delivery of a skills and careers focused mentoring programme for young people across London and working as a freelance television Producer.

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  • Benedicte is CFO at the River Learning Trust, a 28 school MAT, operating largely in Oxfordshire. She has over 30 years’ experience in audit and finance. Benedicte spent the first part of her career in audit practice with KPMG in Paris and London before working as Director of International Affairs for the French Asset Management Association. In 2010, she became actively involved in setting up a multi-lingual free school near Oxford and joined the River Learning Trust in 2019. Benedicte was awarded CFO of the year at the 2023 MAT excellence awards for her contribution to system leadership and innovation. She also received the ISBL CEO award for exceptional contribution to school business leadership. She holds the CIPFA level 7 in Schools Financial and Operational leadership and is accredited at strategic practitioner level.

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  • Dean’s professional life is characterised by guiding, supporting

    and mentoring individuals, teams and organisations to be the best

    versions of themselves. He is a registered member of the British

    Psychological Society and has a Masters degree in Psychology.

    Extremely experienced, professional and adaptable; Dean is

    one of our tried and tested Psychological Skills Mentors that

    has proved his worth across a range of sectors and industries.

    His portfolio of clients includes chief executive officers, senior

    leadership and management teams, NHS consultants, elite sports,

    specialist Military units including medical services, and several

    individuals and teams presenting with a range of diverse issues

    and needs.

    Dean views every client as unique and is regularly praised for

    his insight, understanding and empathic approach. Moreover, his

    dynamic presentation and workshop skills have been appreciated

    by several clients who have singled him out for bringing The

    Chimp Model alive. Dean’s passion and satisfaction is fuelled

    by helping others achieve, flourish and ultimately live happier,

    healthier and more productive lives.

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Workshop Speakers

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  • Justine is an experienced business manager and chartered accountant committed to demonstrating the significant impact the strategic management of business functions can have on organisational improvement. Justine has experience in both the public and private sector previously working for Suffolk and Essex Local Authorities managing their financial management traded services and had 7 years’ experience working as a school business director. Justine owns and manages SBM Services Ltd, provider of finance and business services and the SBM Toolkit. Justine is a Fellow of the Institute of School Business Leaders and has won two awards from ISBL for her outstanding contributions to the professionalisation of school business management.

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  • Charlene Pink is an Innovation and Development Lead within the Schools Commercial Team.  The team are running a series of test and learn initiatives which form part of the Enhancing Schools’ Commercial Capability (ESCC) project. 

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  • Adrienne Laing is Operations Director at The Challenge Academy Trust, a multiacademy trust based in the north-west of England centring on Warrington. She
    started her career in logistics management as a graduate trainee rising to the
    position of General Manager managing multi-million pound contracts for retailers
    such as M&S before switching into education business management after 10 years.
    Since then she has worked in secondary maintained schools, academies, primaries
    and a Sixth Form college.
    She converted a secondary school into a SAT as its Director of Finance and
    Resources, and worked on the establishment of The Challenge Academy Trust as a
    MAT in 2017. She became Operations Director of the trust in 2018 and now leads
    the Trust’s operational functions including estates, IT, health and safety,
    procurement, administrative services and governance and compliance.
    She is an accredited SRMA and believes passionately in the power of CPD to improve
    performance having taken the full suite of SBM programmes including CSBM, DSBM,
    ADSBM, SBD (School Business director programme) and the CIPFA Level 7
    Certificate in Financial and Operational Leadership. She also supports the work of
    the ISBL as a member of the Advisory Panel.
    Outside of work she loves singing and a member of the Warrington Rock Choir,
    practices yoga when she can and is involved in the Warrington Ukrainian Family hub
    which supports families who have fled from the war in Ukraine seeking safety under
    the Homes for Ukraine Scheme

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  • Dr Sandi Mann is a highly experienced Chartered (Academic) Psychologist with over 15 years of clinical experience. She has a Doctorate in Psychology, Masters in Organisational Psychology and a PGDip in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, an accredited Member of EMDR Association UK and Ireland as well as being an Accredited Member of the BABCP (British Association of Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapies).

  • Dr Sandi Mann is a highly experienced Chartered (Academic) Psychologist with over 15 years of clinical experience. She has a Doctorate in Psychology, Masters in Organisational Psychology and a PGDip in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, an accredited Member of EMDR Association UK and Ireland as well as being an Accredited Member of the BABCP (British Association of Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapies).

  • Ciara is a partner in our corporate commercial team, heading up the procurement and commercial work for our education sector clients. She is recommended  by the key legal directories – Legal 500 and Chambers for her work in the education sector.  She has a particular interest and specialism in advising on the development of joint ventures and multi-partner collaborations comprising local authorities, education and business and enjoys advising clients on their procurement strategies, using a practical and purpose-driven approach.

  • Peter Gray has worked for over 20 years as a consultant to local and national government on a range of SEND policy and provision issues. He has a particular interest and expertise in SEND funding approaches and has carried out a number of reviews for Local Authorities which have led to positive progress and outcomes. He has supported the DFE through advisory groups and other discussions in reviewing their approach to this area and their response to increasing pressures and demands. He has also had significant involvement in developing effective approaches to behaviour support and intervention and local area systems for the management of alternative provision.

    Peter is co-coordinator of the national SEN Policy Research Forum and was previously Chair of NASEN’s Policy Subcommittee.

  • Head of Professional Development for School Business Professionals nationally. Previously a Teacher for 14 years, 9 of which as a Head of Department. Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator, Assessor and trainer.

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  • Head of Academies and Partner at HCR Law (ISBL approved solicitors), Emma Swann has a long-standing specialism in education law and provides expert advice to schools on pastoral, governance and commercial matters. Emma has worked with a wide range of maintained schools and academies for over twenty years, supporting them through academy conversions, mergers and expansions. She has excellent contacts within the sector, keeping clients up to date with prospective changes and working with them to find strategic and practical solutions to complex problems. Emma frequently advises schools on sensitive issues such as parental complaints, exclusions, SEND challenges, safeguarding and Ofsted complaints.

    Emma advises on the full scope of commercial contracts, whether schools need advice on the drafting and operation of day-to-day commercial contracts or support with terminating a commercial contract as there are pitfalls which can put a school at risk of a claim for damages. Emma has also been advising schools on putting in place robust Hire Facilities Agreements that comply with the latest safeguarding obligations in KCSIE.

    Emma is a Trustee of the Board of ISBL and is regularly invited to speak at various education sector events, including for national audiences and to contribute thought leadership articles.