Governance and Leadership

Graduated with a Law Degree from Warwick University and qualified as an accountant with KPMG in Cardiff, becoming Senior Manager responsible for audit and advisory services.  He joined Hodge Bank in 1990 as Finance Director and became Managing Director in 1997 with responsibility for the development and delivery of group strategy and has overseen significant growth of the Cardiff-based privately-owned financial services group. David also had responsibility for managing the group’s property investments and relocation to One Central Square.  David interests include golf, and in fact sport in general, reading, cinema, theatre and travel.

Dr Marlene Davies is a qualified chartered accountant and chartered auditor with 27 years experience as an academic within the University sector. Her areas of expertise and research include audit committees, forensic accounting, and corporate governance. Prior to her retirement she was Deputy Head of the School Law Accounting and Finance, having previosuly been the head of the Accounting and Finance group within the Business School at the University of Glamorgan. Even though retired from full time work she is an Associate of the University of South Wales and is employed as a tutor and lecturer for postgraduate and professional programmes on a part time basis. She retains her links with both academia and the professional accountancy bodies by undertaking external examiner roles within the UK and Europe. She has co-authored a textbook on auditing and presented [and published] research papers at conferences both nationally and internationally to academics and professional accountants. Her interested include Welsh traditional music and singing as a member of a community choir, Côr y Gleision.

A chartered accountant, who has spent the past 27 years specialising in Financial Services in South Wales. David worked initially for the Bank of Wales, before becoming the Finance Director at Julian Hodge Bank and then the CFO for the fast growing car finance company, MotoNovo Finance (owned by First Rand Bank Ltd, SA).  David was responsible for the Finance function as well as Project Office, IT, Facilities, Procurement, Risk and Compliance and oversaw the successful move to One Central Square.  He was one of the two “Senior Managers” in the Cardiff Office under the FCA authorisation regime, and worked closely with First Rand staff in London, Johannesburg and Capetown in many areas of the business - financial performance and forecasting, regulatory compliance, funding and securitisation, and attended audit and risk committees across the group. He has lived in Cardiff for 38 years, and has recently retired.

Iestyn Morrisis Head of Legal for S4C, having previously been a Partner at Capital Law LLP since 2005, where he specialised in Employment Law. In August 2014 Iestyn was chosen as one of the Western Mail's '35 under 35' top young business and professional men in Wales. Iestyn is also a non-Executive Board member of ColegauCymru and manages to combine his roles with the demands of a young family.

John was appointed to the Electrotechnical Joint Industry Board in 2016 where he serves as the Chair of their Major Contractors’ Committee. He had been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ACAS for 12 years. His previous posts include CEO of the South Wales Training and Enterprise Council, the Development Board for Rural Wales, and the Rural Development Commission. He also worked for the former Department of Employment and its agencies in several roles, including Director for the Midlands Employment Service and Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Employment. A former German Marshall Fellowship Scholar to the USA, his previous Non-Executive appointments include a Legacy Adviser to the Rio Olympics, Chair of the Careers Service for Wales, Chair of the Workers’ Educational Association for England and Scotland, Deputy Chair of the University of West London, and independent member of the NHS Partnership Board.

Liz has worked for the John Lewis Partnership for almost 30 years. Leading large retail teams and holding responsibility for commercial operations for the majority of her career, Liz has lived across the U.K, moving to Wales in 2009. In 2020, Liz moved her career into the field of HR and in that time has led the communications and engagement teams, launched an inclusion and belonging strategy and is now leading work on culture and leadership.

Dr Francis Cowe works for the University of South Wales. He has worked in Higher Education since 1999. He is responsible for HE in FE partnerships and represents higher education on the South East Wales Learning Skills and Innovation Partnership. He has previously worked in the Probation Service and a range of voluntary and community roles. He has been involved in developing HE in FE, designing and delivering professional awards, widening access (UHOVI) and has taught and published in the applied social sciences.

Councillor Sarah Merry is currently Cardiff Council's Cabinet Membher for Education, having had a lengthy political career spent working with several AMs and MPs. Councillor Merry came to Cardiff as a student and never left, subsequently raising her three children whilst combining this with being a School Governor for three different schools within Cardiff and also holding the Chair of Governors position. Councillor Merry has previously represented Cardiff Council on the Board of the Sherman Theatre and Cardiff Bus.

David Reeves has worked for Ford, Black and Decker and GEC Hotpoint and managed three manufacturing companies. David is a past-president of Cardiff Bay Rotary Club, has been a Parent Governor in Primary and Secondary Education and a Governor in Coleg Glan Hafren for five years.

Ali Abdi has recently been appointed Community Gateway Partnership Manager at Cardiff University overseeing an exciting new project taking place at Grange Gardens Bowls Pavilion. After serving 14 years as a Youth Support Worker for Cardiff Council Youth Services, a core part of his work was supporting young people that were NEET into education, employment and training opportunities, of which many of his target clients were assisted into becoming learners at CAVC. Ali is also a leader with Cardiff Citizens - an emerging alliance of churches, schools, mosques, trade unions, charities and other civil society organisations who act together for social justice and the common good. Ali is a member of the Leadership Team for Cardiff Citizens, and has a strong track record of leading young people from Somali, BME and other young people from disadvantaged background in Butetown and Grangetown into non-partisan political action. Since 2011, Ali has played a leading role in successful Cardiff Citizens campaigns to persuade Cardiff Council to pay the Living Wage and to persuade Nando's to open the first mainstream halal-compliant restaurant in Cardiff city centre.

Margaret joined the NHS in 1974 as a Graduate Management Trainee, and worked in a number of Health Authorities and trusts in South Wales for 38 years. Margaret was appointed Chief Executive of the East Glamorgan Trust in 1995 and led the organisation through three mergers until her retirement from her role as Chief Executive of Cwm Taf Health Board, a provider of integrated health services to the local population.

Currently, Margaret chairs the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, which provides an extensive portfolio of back office functions for NHS Wales on a collaborative basis, including education commissioning for NHS Wales.

Margaret previously held the role of NHS Equality Commissioner for Wales. She has held a number of non-executive roles on boards including Skills for Health, Career Choices Wales, University of South Wales and the Principality Building Society.

Rhian Huws Williams has spent the last 30 years in leadership roles within the Care Sector, most recently as the Chief Executive of the Care Council for Wales.

Rhian’s has had a long-term commitment to learning and development across the whole of the social care sector. She was instrumental in introducing vocational qualifications and the value of work-based learning in social care across the private and voluntary sector and local authorities. The focus was on collaboration, inclusion and partnership working.

Rhian's greatest achievement was to develop a national approach to workforce planning and a development strategy for the whole of the social work and social care sector in partnership with government and employers.
This was underpinned by occupational standards and qualifications; commissioned training; practice guidance; resources to support recruitment, retention, supervision, knowledge and skills; and, using the evidence to influence policy and strategy in skills, education and learning.

Her passion was to ensure the workforce is supported in becoming ‘the best they can be’ and proud of their role and achievements.

Rhian has sat on several Ministerial Task Groups for Welsh Government and is currently a member of the Ministerial Partnership Board on the Welsh Language. She is passionate about increasing the use of the Welsh Language in all aspects of life. Her other passions include the various other portfolio of prestigious Board roles at organisations such as City & Guilds, Menter Caerdydd, the Living Room and National Eisteddfod, to name but a few!

In her spare time, Rhian is very much into active pursuits such as running and climbing and also sings in a local choir.

I am a retired secondary school teacher, I taught in Cardiff schools for over 25 years. I am passionate about inclusive education which allows each child to achieve their potential.

As well as being a Vale councillor, I am the Leader of Penarth Town Council, and I feel that being part of both bodies allows me oversight of the problems facing my constituents, and a better understanding of possible solutions. A collaborative approach to issues usually results in better outcomes for all.

Rhianwen Davies has been with the College for ten years. During her time at the College she has taken on a variety of roles, from Learning Support Assistant to Welsh Language Officer to her current role as Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator. She is passionate about helping and supporting learners. Prior to her time at the College she was a Primary School Teacher and then an Education Officer at the National Assembly for Wales.

Maisie is studying A Levels at CAVC and hopes to progress on to university and eventually end up with a career in academics or lecturing. Maisie is delighted to have the opportunity to become a CAVC Student Governor and is sure the experience will be an unique and fulfilling one that will teach her valuable skills for the future.

Naomi Hodkinson has been with the College for 17 years, teaching Media, English and Welsh Baccalaureate in the A level department. She was previously a professional chef with a real passion and love of food! Her interest in education started when she was a Parent Governor at her son’s primary school, and then a Student Governor during her Cardiff University PGCE. She has further developed her knowledge and understanding by studying for a Master’s degree in Leadership and Management whilst being supported fully by the College to do so.

I’m an 18-year-old music student and currently the student president at my college. I’m really passionate about music and aim to build a career in the industry, whether it’s through performing or working behind the scenes. As a Governor, I’m hoping to bring a fresh perspective and learn more about how decisions are made at a higher level. I want to use this experience to help improve things for students and develop my own leadership skills for the future.

I am the Headteacher and Director of Eastern Community Campus having been appointed to the post in September 2021. Eastern High serves the communities of St. Mellons, Llanrumney and Rumney on the eastern edge of Cardiff. The school is in a new building and shares the site with Cardiff and Vale College allowing a unique partnership between a school and a college to develop. The school has been on a rapid improvement journey under the previous headteacher and resulted in a very positive Estyn inspection in December 2022. The school is now oversubscribed and expanding to include a resource base for students with Additional Learning Needs.

My previous role was Principal of City Academy Bristol, part of the Cabot Learning Federation. In April 2019 the academy received an Ofsted judgement of “Good” having been in Special Measures in January 2015. As well as being Principal of City Academy I also held the post of Senior Principal within the Cabot Learning Federation. As part of this role I chaired the Bristol Association of Secondary Headteachers and represented secondary colleagues on a number of groups across Bristol. City Academy was my second headship for the trust. Previously, I was Principal of John Cabot Academy, at that time described as the “flagship” of the trust and I was seconded to City Academy as part of a support package in March 2019.

I studied Chemistry at the University of Bristol and then continued on to complete my PGCE before starting to teach at Downend School in what is now South Gloucestershire but what was then Avon. I completed a Master in Arts in Raising Achievement in City Schools which was sponsored by Bristol City Council. I still live in Bristol but am exploring “God’s own country” whilst still managing to play rugby and bird watch though not normally at the same time.

Brenig Davies On completing his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, Brenig worked for the motor car division of Rolls Royce. There followed a decade teaching in Further Education, before working for the UK Government's Further Education Unit. He then lectured and tutored on PGCE and vocational education degree programmes at Cardiff University. He retired as a further education vice principal, having served on several national policy groups, coupled with considerable engagement with European vocational education curriculum development projects. He remains active in the further education sector through being a lead assessor for the AoC Beacon Awards and the Queen's Awards for FHE, board positions in primary, secondary sectors and a qualification body.

Dr Isabel Graham MB Bch is a family GP based in a practice in Cowbridge and has a particular interest in mental health. Working with a number of charities close to her heart are Vale Plus for adults with additional needs; Velindre Cancer Centre; Patron for Horatio’s Garden Wales for spinal rehabilitation; Ty Hapus for patients with early onset dementia; and, Elidyr Communities Trust Carmarthen for adults with ALN. Dr Isabel has two adult sons, and her youngest Ed, has significant autism, and therefore has first-hand experience of the challenges faced by parents, colleges and local communities in providing adequate support and care.  Aside from all the challenges a busy career and family, Dr Isabel’s interests include cycling, skiing and walking.

Jayne is an experienced public servant having served at an executive level across UK Government, devolved nations and in a diverse range of public bodies. She has led HR operational delivery for central government and its agencies creating new organisations and innovative operating models to enable public service reform. She fully appreciates the value of brokering competing demands across complex stakeholder groups and the energy that requires.

Professional qualifications and experience in the diverse fields of Human Resource and organisational development, finance and civil contingency, provide a more unusual blend of leadership tested in uncertain and volatile environments. Jayne has been a Fellow of the CIPD since 2006. She is an experienced MSP Practitioner engaged in business transformation including ICT enabled programmes, focused on core high risk people services.

Jayne currently undertakes a non-executive role on the Civil Service Pensions Board and is an independent reviewer of major government programmes which she combines with a broader HR consultancy career.

Laura Farrow (MSc FCA) graduated with First Class Honours from Aberystwyth University, and joined Broomfield & Alexander as a trainee in 2003. Laura subsequently qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2006, and in the process, became a National Prize Winner as Best Performing Student in her ACA examinations. Laura is currently a Senior Audit Director, whose duties include advising on technical and compliance matters, alongside managing a large portfolio of clients. Laura is originally from Carmarthenshire but is now based in Cardiff with her young family.

Khushboo studied economics in London, during which she worked at HM Treasury under Gordon Brown. Upon graduating with a First Class Honours degree, and being awarded Best Student in the Business School, Khushboo moved into banking.
In 2007, Khushboo joined Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest where she undertook various roles, from relationship management to credit risk and senior leadership. After 12 years at RBS, Khushboo took on a new challenge with Metro Bank by launching a brand new bank in Wales, and is currently leading the banking revolution for Metro Bank in Wales.
In addition to this Khushboo champions education and employability skills amongst young people by mentoring and advocating the Cardiff 2030 initiative and the 21st Century Schools Programme. Khushboo is also a keen supporter of charities and volunteer work, especially with dogs!
When she’s not with her playful German Shepherd, in her spare time, you’ll find Khushboo crafting, cooking, and planning her next travels with her partner and family!

Heather is the Community Board representative who currently works for Age Cymru and heads up a number of sector-leading projects. Prior to this role, she was a Student Partnership Consultant for National Union of Students Wales as part of the Wise Wales project.  Wise Wales is a collaboration of sector organisations working to develop meaningful partnership between educators, students’ unions and students across Wales.

Heather also previously worked at Cardiff and Vale College as the Learner Involvement and Inclusivity Coordinator, during which time she was the founding chair of the Learner Voice Practitioner Network in Wales.  She also served as the sabbatical President of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Students’ Union.

In addition to her experience within the education sector in Wales, Heather is a qualified cognitive behavioural therapy counsellor.  She also recently completed a Masters research project at University of South Wales which focussed on clinical perfectionism and performance anxiety.

A qualified accountant and retired in 2013., Arwel Thomas's early career was spent working for British Coal. He left shortly before it was privatized in 1994. He then joined the Further and Higher Education Funding Councils for Wales as an auditor and subsequently as a Senior Audit Manager.

In 2006 Arwel joined the Welsh Government and in 2008 became its Head of Governance and Risk Assurance. Following his retirement Arwel has taken on a number of non-executive roles: Non-Executive Director at Estyn (until August 2022), and an independent member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committees of the Arts Council for Wales and the Children's Commissioner for Wales . In September 2022 Arwel was appointed as a Council member of Aberystwyth University.