Trustee Profiles

Mark Abrams became Chair of Trustees at Queen Alexandra Charity in July 2024. With over 40 years of experience as a leader, Mark has a career that includes founding and building an IT business which was successfully listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market.

He served as Partnerships Director at Advantage West Midlands, where he played a key role in delivering the Regional Economic Strategy for Staffordshire, Coventry and Warwickshire. Following this, Mark held the position of Director of the Business Development Support Office at Coventry University, overseeing the administration of non-teaching income projects.

Mark’s commitment to education is evidenced by his 12 years of governance at Hagley Primary School, including 8 years as Chair of Governors. During his tenure, he facilitated the creation of HPS Care Ltd, a trading entity that provided comprehensive childcare services and generated reliable income for the school.

As Chief Executive of Auriga Services Ltd, a charity-owned public benefit company, Mark led initiatives to assist around 1,800 people daily who were experiencing financial hardship. In 2023, he co-founded Make Life Better Ltd, a company with the ambitious goal of creating £1 billion of social return by 2035, focusing on helping individuals in financial need.

Mark is passionate about lifelong learning. He completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme, designed to support leaders of high-growth businesses, and earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in 2009.

Residing in Worcestershire with his wife and two sons, Mark enjoys sailing and is a qualified RYA Coastal Skipper

Rosemary Adams joined the Board in June 2019 and is QAC's Safeguarding Governor.  She trained as a teacher and has had a wide range of posts in education during her 55-year career. She retired in September 2018 but maintains a lively interest in all aspects of education. Her special interest is in special education having qualified as a teacher for students with visual impairment and a degree in cognitive psychology. She has taught students with physical, visual, hearing, language and learning difficulties. She was head teacher of Baskerville School for 18 years before she retired. She has worked in 8 different schools as a teacher, deputy and head teacher across 5 Local Authorities and the RNIB.

Between 1991 and 2001 she worked for Local Educational Authorities as an inspector, specialist advisor and senior advisor involved in school improvement, inspection, leadership policy and provision. She became an OFSTED lead Inspector in 1994 until 2006, inspecting primary, secondary and special schools.

Rosemary has had close working links with Bournville College since 2004 when a Resource Base for Baskerville School students was established and in 2015, she became a Governor of Bournville College.

In 2016 Rosemary had the great privilege of being awarded an OBE for services to education. The students at Baskerville School celebrated the event by hosting ‘This is your life’ for Rosemary which greatly amused the whole school and provided good preparation for the more nerve-wracking event at Buckingham Palace.

She is on the Audit and Quality Committees and is link governor to Rehabilitation and Travel Training Team and the Positive Behaviour Team

Rosemary lives in a small village in Leicestershire and enjoys walking her dogs, swimming and gardening. She greatly enjoys being a Governor of QAC and in meeting ex pupils from Baskerville School. She is particularly interested in the Curriculum and Quality Committee and in Mobility.

Christopher Gaffney joined the board in March 2024 and is a member on the Curriculum and Quality and Audit Committees.

Christopher left school as the new millennium began back in the year 2000, went into further education and found a passion for helping others and developing skills. Worked for a training company delivering various National Vocational Qualifications and Security Training.

After acquiring several teaching qualifications, Christopher went and worked for The Automobile Association delivering training and eventually working his way into the management team, planning, and organising training for over 350 people.  During this time one of Christopher’s family members fell ill and they required care and support. This developed a passion for care services and supporting the community.

In 2019 Christopher became a carer for Universal Day Care Centre supporting individuals with various backgrounds and disabilities, supporting with transitions into care and delivering care and support. Care and training became valuable skills in supporting service users and identifying strategies to support independent life skills. After being promoted to Centre Manager Christopher’s focus turned to quality delivery and management.  Christopher is a member of the Institute of Health & Social Care Management.

Sherv Garcha joined the Board in March 2022. 

Sherv is an economics graduate and started her career in a graduate training scheme with Sainsburys. She has spent most of her career in various management roles within the private, public and voluntary sectors.

Over the last ten years, she has specialised in disability support and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).  She is passionate about supporting underrepresented groups to achieve their full potential and in closing attainment and employment gaps for disabled students.  In 2021, she achieved senior accredited member status with the National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP).

Sherv has also worked in a management role at QAC (2012-2016). She has worked freelance and has a good understanding of the challenges faced by parents when trying to access specialist provision.  In January 2018, she moved into Higher Education and worked as a Disability Support Manager for Birmingham City University.  In September 2022, she will be taking on a new challenge and moving to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David as Learning Support Manager for their campuses in Birmingham and London.  

Sherv lives in Edgbaston with her husband and two teenage children. She enjoys rambling, travelling, eating out and a good book!

She is looking forward to bringing her diverse experience to the Board for the benefit of students at QAC. 

Ewan Hamnett joined the board in February 2018. Ewan qualified from Manchester Medical School in 1980. 

His career path took him abroad to Jamaica and Canada before returning to the UK in 1988 where he spent 26 years as a GP at Lordswood Practice just round the corner from QAC.

He remained full time throughout his career but was also GP tutor and honorary tutor for Birmingham Medical School.  He retired in 2014.

While working, and more so since retirement, Ewan has been a passionate advocate of prevention to cure the ills of the NHS while realising for the most disadvantaged in our community that is more difficult. In terms of wellbeing, climate health and individual health are two sides of the same coin. We must all eat a lot less meat and a lot more fibre and create a society where we cease to become dependent on the car as a means of transport.

He remains keen on activity himself having competed in 3 Triathlon World Championships. Having accepted the limitations of his running he now concentrates on cycling.

Ewan was also appointed by the city in 2014 to champion physical activity and is on the Board of ukactive and the Partnerships Board of the Canal and River Trust.

He is married to another doctor, Mandy, whose days were spent as a consultant at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. They have 3 daughters who have perhaps all wisely chosen to avoid medicine as a career.

Bev became Principal & Chief Executive of Queen Alexandra College in July 2018 and has worked at the College since 2011 when she was appointed as Vice Principal.  She has worked in leadership roles for over 20 years in both mainstream and specialist education and is a qualified teacher.  

Bev was the Regional Director for the West Midlands on the board of Natspec (the association of specialist providers for students with learning difficulties and disabilities) from 2018-2023 and recently completed her term of office.  She represents SEND at both AoC and CWM groups and is a member of the Leaders Council of GB & NI.

Specialisms in leadership and management of multidisciplinary provision; strategic development to maximise income; organisational change and its impact on organisational behaviour; management coaching and ensuring a person centred approach is utilised to maximise opportunities and progression for young people with SEND.  Bev has a keen interest in educational management, with a Masters in Educational Leadership as well as an MBA.

Bev has a book published called 'The Candy Floss Head' and when not working she writes, creates art and handmade jewellery.

Pavan Patel joined the board in October 2023. 

Pavan is originally from Wales and studied at The University of Birmingham obtaining a First Class Degree in Business Management. Since obtaining his degree, Pavan now lives in the West Midlands and is currently a Private Banking Manager based in Edgbaston. He has spent the majority of his career in various banking roles across the West Midlands. 

Alongside his degree, Pavan holds various higher education and professional qualifications such as Senior Financial Services Customer Adviser, The Chartered Management Institute Level 5 Certificate in Management and Leadership, Chartered Banker Institute Professional and Responsible Banking in a Digital Age and Association of Accounting Technicians Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting.

Previously Pavan was a Silver Sport Leader Ambassador for the Active Young People’s Department in which he coached community tennis sessions in ages ranging from 11 to 16 years old, educating them on the key techniques required within the sport, alongside the importance of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Pavan is on the Audit Committee and is also a director and board member of QAC Enterprises Limited.  Pavan is proud to be part of the QAC team.

Richard Percival joined the College’s Audit Committee as its independent Chair in May 2016 and became a governor in July 2021.  He is a qualified accountant who worked in public sector audit for most of his career. He has a thorough understanding of financial governance and financial management in the public sector.

After graduating in economics from Leicester Polytechnic Richard pursued a career in public sector finance, initially in Local Government then with the Audit Commission and latterly with Grant Thornton.  During his career he was responsible for the delivery of external audits for a broad range of public sector bodies across the West Midlands, including large local authorities and major NHS organisations.  As well as financial audit his also assessed organisational arrangements for securing value for money in the use of resources.  Richard is an experienced communicator at Board level.

As well as his audit responsibilities Richard is also an experienced trainer and presenter.  He has helped to develop and deliver technical training to auditors and public sector finance staff and designed and led the delivery of a career development programme for local authority finance staff.

Richard is also a Lay Member for Coventry and Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group and is chair of their Audit Committee.

Richard is proud to be part of the QAC team.  He is married and has two daughters and lives in Worcestershire.

Julie Reed joined the board in September 2017.

Julie is a clinical psychologist who has worked in the NHS since 1986. She has worked with young people with disabilities through most of her career. Julie led and managed a team of psychologists at Birmingham Children’s Hospital until 2015. She has worked as a lecturer in School of Psychology, Birmingham University and has published a number of research articles and book chapters.

Julie is now semi-retired, but continues to work part-time at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Julie lives in Harborne with her partner, Neal, and they have two adult children. She enjoys yoga, travelling, reading and gardening.

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Naresh Kumar joined the Board in October 2021.  He has worked at QAC since 2014 and has held the posts of Residential Support Worker, Senior Residential Support Worker, Learning Support Assistant and is currently a Student Support Officer, a post he has been in since 2018.  In 2021 he joined the colleges safeguarding team and is also a Mental Health First Aider. 

Naresh holds a BA (Hons) degree in Religious Studies and Philosophy and is a NCFE Certified Skilled Helper using Counselling Skills. In the 8 years he has been at QAC he has been motivated by working with students and staff alike and qualified as a Coach and NLP practitioner in 2019 to equip him to serve the needs of those around him in a more diverse and robust manner.

In his spare time, Naresh enjoys walking, reading and photography.

Kimberly Tierney joined the Board in July 2020. Kim has worked at QAC since 2012, starting off as the Residential Coordinator leading to her current role as Residential Services Manager and the nominated individual for CQC. Kim has also been a part of the college’s safeguarding team since 2013, working on residential and IP safeguarding cases in particular.

Over the 9 years Kim has worked at QAC she has also held two advanced practitioner roles, firstly for personal care and secondly for Databridge. Kim is also a dignity in care champion and a member of skills for care local manager network.

Kim’s background is in Psychology, she holds a degree in Psychology and Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Birmingham. She sought a full time role at QAC after completing work experience here whilst volunteering for Mencap during her degree. This volunteer work, combined with her Masters dissertation examining executive functioning in young people with learning disabilities, inspired her to follow this career path.     

In her free time, Kim enjoys walking, reading and gardening.

Nicola Coombe joined the Audit Committee in December 2022. 

Nic studied German and Music at the University of Nottingham before training for her CIPFA Qualification with Robson Rhodes LLP in Bristol. She subsequently moved to Grant Thornton UK LLP, and after a two-year stint in Australia working on commercial audits, she is now working in Birmingham, where she specialises in public sector audit.

Outside of work, she is kept busy with her young family, but enjoys reading and playing the piano and loves a night out at the theatre (live comedy and musicals are particular favourites) and taking in classical music performances at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. 

Helen Parks joined the Audit Committee in February 2018. 

Helen studied for a degree in Geography at the University of Sheffield before training to be an auditor with the Audit Commission.  She has since worked in audit and other finance professional roles for Grant Thornton UK LLP, TNT and HSBC UK.

Helen has worked abroad in New Zealand, Cambodia and Thailand, the latter two being with local NGOs.

Her interests include travelling, reading, cooking and sport. She is a qualified swimming instructor and played hockey for Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club for 15 years.

Matt is a business development and fundraising expert with over twenty-five years’ experience of working in blue-chip, university and charity sectors.  He joined QAC as an Independent Director in 2023.

Matt studied Business Studies at Nottingham Trent University before embarking on a career in sales and marketing, firstly for Electrolux and then at Coca-Cola Enterprises where he undertook a variety of roles including Regional Account Management and Area Sales Management.

In 2005/6 Matt and his now wife took a career break to travel the world for a year. Focussing mainly on Latin America, they travelled overland from Guatemala in the north of Central America to the snowy depths of Patagonia in the south.   It was during that year away where Matt reflected on how he could apply his skillset learnt in the commercial sector to help others, which led to a move into the charitable sector.

What followed is an incredibly rewarding career as a fundraiser, firstly at the University of Birmingham (UoB) and now at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity.  In that time, Matt has worked with some of the UK’s leading businesspeople and philanthropists to secure millions of pounds for a range of projects, including bursaries for less-well-off students, medical research programmes, life-saving medical equipment, and a brand-new music building at UoB (The Bramall Music building).

Elly Tobin joined the Curriculum & Quality Committee in May 2018. 

Elly Tobin, OBE has over three decades of experience as a senior leader in international and UK national institutions.  She worked for over 25 years in international education and from 2008-2019 was Principal of Joseph Chamberlain College in Birmingham, UK as well as the Director of the College for International Citizenship which offers short programmes in global studies and international relations.  She continues to work as an international school accreditor with WASC and CIS accreditation teams and has inspected international schools at all levels.  She is also a Lead Improvement Practitioner for COBIS (Council of British International Schools). She is one of the founder directors of the International Writing Project (IWP) which delivers teacher training to develop better writing skills most recently in Thailand, Panama, India and Europe. 

Retiring as Principal of Joseph Chamberlain College in January 2019, she retains the directorship of the College for International Citizenship and is now a senior consultant for Consilium Education operating worldwide with the most recent projects being in Siberia and Uzbekistan.  She also coaches and mentors senior leaders and delivers Middle Management training in UK colleges. 

Elly is a respected workshop presenter and keynote speaker at conferences around the world.  She has published two children’s books and continues to write children’s stores as a hobby. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by Aston University for her work in education and is currently living in Birmingham UK.

Dave was born 24^th November 1957.  He is married to wife Debbie whom he whisked off to Gretna Green (a romantic at heart).  They have a hat trick of girls whom he is very proud of; also an important member of the family is his guide dog Seamus.

He was always known as a clumsy kid, never a day passed without cuts, bruises or a broken pair of glasses, until at around ten years of age all was revealed, he was diagnosed with an eye complaint called Retinitas Pigmentosa, just a slight problem, it meant he was going blind.  When first diagnosed he was quite a celebrity at school, “Wow Dave’s going blind”, no one else was so it was a case of “I’ve got something you haven’t got”.  He attended mainstream schools, Greets Green Junior and George Salter High School, his only claim to fame; he was the town champion at 1500 metres for five years.

The realisation of his eye complaint hit him with some force at the age of seventeen, his career in the army shattered and with all his friends taking driving tests made him realise the true implications of going blind, it was at this point he inwardly started feeling sorry for himself, “Why me”, but in life there are two paths to tread, negative or positive and as he will tell you he took the positive route.

Regardless of his sight problem, he’s had a varied working career, mainly office bound, other than his short stint on a fork lift truck, he admits he wasn’t always honest about his sight problem, he had his own company for around seven years, distributing suspended ceilings, partitions, dry lining and joinery, he loved the buying and selling but with bad luck, bad debt and bad eye sight, all good things come to an end.  After spending three years at the Queen Alexandra College for the Blind where he achieved skills in Braille, computers, carpentry and wood turning, it’s now easy for him to lose himself in his workshop where he loves to design and make all kinds of furniture.  He now even has a weekly radio slot on Insight radio called DIY with Blind Dave and still no fingers missing!

Dave tried hard over the years to conceal his blindness but with his eyesight gradually declining the accidents kept increasing until he had to admit defeat and resort to using the white stick, which made him feel incapable, vulnerable and extremely frustrated.  Suddenly overnight Dave’s life was changed when he was introduced to Peter his first Guide Dog. No longer the hunched figure trawling the footpath, but full of confidence, standing and walking tall, feeling very proud, striding out with a sure footed four legged friend, mobility assured, as for independence, the perfect recipe for adventure, with a social life, second to none, his only regret is not having a Guide Dog sooner.

For fun he’s up for most challenges, he’s had a go at most things, ski-ing, water ski-ing, horse riding, cliff jumping in Corfu, drove around Brands Hatch, rode motor bikes, drove a tank in the Highlands of Scotland, abseiled, was let loose in a speed boat, completed the Go Ape course in Grisedale forest, an Aerial assault course in the trees and he certainly enjoys his running. Competing in many half marathons, including the Great North and South runs along with the New York marathon and to date completing his 7th consecutive London marathon.  Oh! And of course completing 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents the ultimate challenge! Not forgetting he is now also the first blind person in the world to achieve this.

After completing the epic challenge, which took him on a running journey around the world, as stated previously, running 7 marathons, in 7 days, over 7 continents, which began on 7^th April 2008 in the Falkland Islands (Antarctica), Rio, Brazil, (South America), Los Angeles, (North America), Sydney, (Australasia), Dubai, (Asia), Tunisia, (Africa), with the challenge ending in the Flora London marathon, (Europe), on 13^th April 2008.

The challenge launched Dave into a new career as a “Motivational Speaker” with a diverse audience i.e. After Dinner, Corporate, Colleges, Schools, Special needs etc.

A fitting end to 2008 was Blind Dave and his running guide being acknowledged at the BBC Midlands Sports Awards as the winners of the “Outstanding sporting achievement of 2008".

2009 sees Dave becoming the Physical Activities Champion for Sandwell Council and an Ambassador for the Birmingham Half Marathon.  He was also acknowledged with an award by the High Sheriff of the West Midlands.  Since the challenge he has been involved with many charities, including running the first Birmingham half marathon for the Kidney Kids appeal with “Team Blind Dave” and the last Flora London Marathon with a personal best time of 3 hours and 24 minutes.

2010 - Appointed to the Board of Governors at QAC, Patron of Ideal for All and Ambassador to West Bromwich Albion Football club.

2011 - Top2Toe challenge ten days of running/cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End for Macmilliam Cancer Support.  Received West Bromwich Albion Players award “Contribution to the Community”.  10^th consecutive Great North run.

In recognition of Dave’s charity work over the years he was invited to Buckingham Palace for a Christmas reception with the Queen, her summer garden party and also to a function at the House of Lords.   Honoured by the Wolverhampton University with an Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters.

2012 - 11^th consecutive London Marathon.  Changing our Lives charity 240 miles bike ride.  Received 2 awards “Justgiving Endurance Fundraiser” and “Griffin Trophy”.  11^th Honoury Freeman of the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell.  Took part in the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games 2012.

2013 events included:

• 12th consecutive London marathon in April.
• September - 7 in seven bike ride, 7 countries, in 7 days covering over 700 miles from Switzerland, into Germany, France, Luxemburg, Belgium, Holland and finally England and Birmingham New Street.

2014 - Wheels for Change 100k bike ride in aid of Unicef.  Aberdovey bike ride.  Coast to Coast Challenge East to West across England and through Ireland for Teenage Cancer.  13^th Great North Run.  50 mile Gower Coast Run.

2015 - Dave completes 6 gruelling days running over 160 miles across the Sahara Desert for the Albion Foundation.

2016 - New year, new challenge; Escape from Alcatraz! Considered by many the toughest annual triathlon in the world this event tested Dave to his limits.

Dave’s book “From Light To Dark” was launched at Waterstones flagship store in Birmingham and a book signing tour was organised.

2017 - There are 24 Great runs in the 2017 series, starting January in Edinburgh and finishing November in Ethiopia  with a variety of distances including 5k, 10k, 10 miles, half marathons and marathons. Fundraising for The Albion Foundation, Dave will aim to complete the whole series.

Please take a moment to have a look on his website, www.blinddaveheeley.co.uk

John Hilbourne is visually impaired and latterly dyslexic. He has a slight hearing problem and suffers from visual agonisia. He was a Governor at the College between 1999-2018.

He was educated at Worcester College for the Blind and the London School of Economics where he studied sociology.  He taught in a number of universities holding a number of senior academic posts.  Between 1985 and 1993 he was HMI for further and higher education. Latterly he was an Assistant Director for the Higher Education Quality Council from which he retired in 1996.  Between 1996 and 2008 he worked as a Review Chair for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and also has an honorary Associate Professorship at Brunel University and an Honorary Visiting Professorship at Leeds Metropolitan University.

He has been Chairman of a Community Health Council and a Health Authority member. He is an honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, and has an honorary DSc from the University of Brighton for his contribution to the education quality and quality assurance of the professions allied to Medicine.  He has been an HMI for Further & Higher Education, a registered Ofsted team member and a member of the national Low Vision Services working party.  He is a JP.  John has recently stepped down from being a trustee for Guide Dogs for the Blind. He has recently retired from the Chairmanship of the Governors at Queen Alexandra College and remains a trustee.

John is the author of several reports on quality enhancement issues in higher education and quality assurance in health care and the relationship between further and higher education in England and Scotland.

He is a Rotarian, a member of the Lunar Society, the Birmingham and Edgbaston Debating Society, U3A and The Birmingham Book Club.

Mikail Huggins is a former Paralympic Guide Runner for visually-impaired athlete Libby Clegg. Mikail and Libby were Gold medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Silver medallists at the London 2012 Paralympics.  He joined QAC as a Patron in October 2016.

In 2015/16 Mikail worked with students at QAC in a variety of ways and governors at the college saw the impact and benefit this had on students. Using his experience in athletics, and his role as Mentor with The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Mikail was able to engage and inspire many of the students, some of whom showed little interest in their studies and/or sport.

Although no longer guide running, Mikail is still heavily involved in his athletic routes, coaching for Welsh Athletics and Team GB and working with local schools, clubs and individuals.