The Women's Leadership Network aims to develop a strong, dynamic and influential network of women leaders, to ensure equality of opportunity throughout the FE system.

Sally Dicketts

Sally Dicketts has been principal and chief executive of Oxford and Cherwell Valley College since October 2003. She is chair of the Women’s Leadership Network and serves on several other boards. She has been a principal for over 12 years and has worked in a number of colleges of further education and in comprehensive schools, including in London and South Wales.

Sally chairs and sits on a number of local and national committees and boards. Among her interests are curriculum design, and the impact of emotional and social behaviour on learning.

Maria Eagle MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice and Deputy Minister for Women and Equality

Maria Eagle was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice on 29 June 2007. She was also appointed Deputy Minister for Women and Equality in October 2008 and splits her time between these roles. She was educated at Formby High School; Pembroke College, Oxford; and Lancaster Gate College of Law. Maria qualified as a solicitor in 1992 specialising in employment law, civil personal injury, medical negligence and housing law.

Maria was elected Member of Parliament for Liverpool Garston in 1997.

Penny de Valk – Chief Executive of the Institute of Leadership & Management

Penny de Valk became the chief executive of the Institute of Leadership & Management in October 2007 moving from Ceridian UK, a US$1.5bn HR services organisation.

She was chief executive of New Zealand’s Institute of Management in Auckland for four years, and moved to the UK a decade ago. She was named as ‘one to watch’ in the HR magazine Most Influential league table 2008. "I remain convinced that the quality of management and leadership is the most powerful catalyst to driving value in any organisation," she says.

Chief Constable Sara Thornton – Thames Valley Police

In April 2007, Sara Thornton was appointed chief constable of Thames Valley Police, the largest non-Metropolitan force in England and Wales. Her career in the Metropolitan Police has alternated between operational postings and strategic roles within New Scotland Yard. She is a member of the Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPO) Terrorism and Allied Matters for the South East of England.

She is also a member of the Royal College of Defence Studies, a member of the advisory board for the Oxford University Centre for Criminology and an active alumnus of the Windsor Leadership Trust. In 2006, Sara was awarded the Queens Police Medal.

Janet Nevin – Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College

Having been educated in Wigan, Janet Nevin went to St Edmund Hall, Oxford. After completing her PGCE at Oxford, she taught in comprehensive schools before realising that her interest was in the older end of the age range and moved to Holy Cross College Bury where she became Deputy Principal.

During this time she obtained an MBA, was a part-time Ofsted inspector and did consultancy work for several colleges and the Centre for Excellence in Leadership. In April 2008 she completed a doctorate which explores the career experiences of women managers in Catholic sixth form colleges.

Princess Adetope Adebola Kosoko

Princess was born and lives in Lagos State, Nigeria. She has worked at Lagos State Polytechnic (LSP) since 1988 and is now the Registrar of that Institution. As registrar, she is responsible for the all day-to-day administration and record keeping.

She has a BsC in political science and a master's degree In public administration (MPA). Her memberships include Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics In Africa (CAPA) She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Administrators of Nigeria and an associate member of the Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.

Princess is a passionate advocate for women’s rights in her country.

Peter Daley – Protocol National

Following a seven-year tenure as a college principal, Peter has led and managed more successful senior appointments in the sector than all other recruiters put together. Through him, Protocol National is a key partner for the Network for Black Professionals.

He is seen as an exemplary practitioner of leading edge equality and diversity practice and has worked on a range of innovative projects, including the High Fliers Programme and Talent Management Service, which are making a real difference to the pace of changing the landscape of leadership in the learning and skills sector.

Dr Elaine McMahon – Hull College

Elaine McMahon is principal and chief executive of Hull College, a role she previously held at Salford College. Outside the FE sector, she has worked as a Chamber of Commerce director and as a CIPD committee member.

She has been involved with advisory groups for QIA and LSC and is a member of Sir George Sweeney’s task group on self-regulation. She was chair of the 157 Group, and is a board member of the Humber LSC and the University of Lincoln.

Heather Maxwell, OBE - Principal, South Devon College

Heather Maxwell has been principal of South Devon College since July 2002. She became principal after the College was inspected by Ofsted in April 2002 when 40% of the curriculum areas and leadership and management were graded as ‘Unsatisfactory’. The College was inspected in November 2008 and all areas were graded as ‘Outstanding’.

She is totally committed to the view that learning transforms people’s lives in a positive way and that the very best learning experience should be available to everyone.

Rajinder Mann – Director, Black Leadership Initiative

Rajinder is the director of the Black Leadership Initiative, a leadership and management programme that provides mentoring, coaching support and secondment opportunities to aspiring black staff in FE and has won the British Diversity Award for Education.

Rajinder has 20 years' experience in FE, adult, youth and community education. Passionately committed to the equalities agenda, Rajinder is also an ACM council member and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Maxine Room - Principal, Park Lane Campus, Leeds City College and Principal Designate, Lewisham College

Maxine has always worked in further education and was the second black woman Principal to be appointed in the UK and the first in Wales, where she was Principal and Chief Executive of Swansea College. Passionate about education, training and skills Maxine started her career journey at Bridgwater College, Somerset and progressed to Filton College, Bristol, and then on to Swansea.

In September 2007 Maxine took up her post as Principal and Chief Executive of Park Lane College, Leeds the largest Further Education College in Leeds with over 38000 students. Following another merger this year, Leeds City College was formed and Maxine became the Principal of Park Lane Campus. As the Principal of a large, urban FE college, Maxine represents the institution on The 157 Group, is on the Board of Common Purpose and of Leeds Cares, and is a mentor for the Black Leaders initiative. She is also a member of a range of boards and committees linked to education, skills and training in Leeds, Bradford and the UK.

Maxine is now the Principal Designate of Lewisham College. She says, Being a woman in a leadership role is one thing - being a black woman in a leadership role is another. The two are inextricably linked for me as a person and make me determined to challenge any inequalities both within my organisation and outside it by what I do and how I do it.

Cathy Walsh, Principal & Chief Executive of Barking College

Cathy was educated in Scotland, has an MA and qualified teacher status and has worked in education and training for over 25 years, spanning, primary, secondary and mainly further education.She has continued with her own learning and development throughout her working life and is a trained coach and mentor to other aspiring leaders.

She has worked in five London Colleges and joined Barking College in September 2008 having previously been Deputy Principal at two other London Colleges.

Christine Tyler

Christine Tyler retired as principal of Eccles College in August 2006, having worked in the sector for over 30 years, mainly in general further education. As colleges specialist for the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), she liaises with leaders of colleges and wider sector organisations.

In addition to membership of the FE Reputation Strategic Group and Framework for Excellence Inspection and Regulation Group, she is an assessor for the Principals Qualifying Programme.

She maintains an active interest in the sector and its reputation through her roles as a governor of Carmel College, St Helens and Salford University.

Vicky Fagg – College of North West London

Vicki Fagg first joined the College of North West London in 1992 as Vice Principal, Human Resources. She was appointed as Principal of the College in September 2003. Since then, Vicki Fagg has led a drive to raise aspirations and service standards.

Amongst her current wider activities, Vicki is the WorldSkills UK London Regional Champion, a mentor under the Black Leadership Initiative Mentoring Programme, an Investor in People Recognition Panel hair and a member of the Women’s Leadership Network Steering Group.

Marjorie Semple - Principal at West Thames College

Marjorie Semple first joined West Thames College in 2001 as Vice Principal for Curriculum, and became the college Principal in August 2008. Marjorie graduated at St Andrews University and then moved to London in 1977.

She started her career in further education as a French and German lecturer at what was then Kingsway College, then moved on to South Thames College and then Brooklands College before joining West Thames College. Marjorie was drawn to further education through her love of teaching and supporting students and that passion has not diminished.

She remains in further education through an absolute belief in the mission of the sector: to give students opportunities through providing appropriate support, raising aspirations, and combating obstacles to their learning.

Thalia Marriott – Director, Women’s Leadership Network

Thalia retired in August 2008 after nine years as Principal of West Thames College in West London and 34 years in further education.  Prior to that she worked at the United Nations in New York and in the fashion export industry in London.  She has been a volunteer mentor on the LSIS-funded Black Leadership Initiative mentoring programme for three years and now that she is retired she works as a mentor/coach for a number of further education clients.  She is committed to equal opportunities and is proud that West Thames College won Beacon Awards for equality and diversity in both 2007 and 2008.  

She coordinates the Women’s Leadership Network, working with the Chair, Sally Dicketts, and the Steering Group to promote activities which will encourage women to apply for the top posts in the further education and skills sector.