Trust Board
The following individuals are members of the Trust Board. Some are appointed by the Members, and some are co-opted.
Trust Board is primarily supported by the Chief Executive Officer (who also serves as the Accounting Officer for the Trust) and the Chief Financial Officer. Other members of the Executive Leadership Team also attend Trust Board meetings as required.
Emily Tofield (Appointed Trustee - Chair)
Emily Tofield is the Chair of the Trust Board.
Emily is an experienced non-executive who has held senior leadership roles across UK government, local government, higher education, the media, and the global commercial sector. For more than two decades, she has been a chief adviser on strategy, communications, corporate affairs, reputation, marketing, fundraising and transformation, having led major structural and cultural change in some of the UK’s largest, most complex institutions. She lives in Kent with her family and is passionate about work that improves lives.
Term of office expires: 16 July 2029
James Brown (Appointed Trustee)
James joined the Trust Board on 16 December 2024 and is a member of the Trust Finance Committee.
James is a qualified Chartered Accountant (ACA) with over 10 years’ experience of academy sector finance and holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Bristol. He began his career as a charity and not-for-profit auditor and then moved on to hold senior finance roles in two of the largest Multi Academy Trusts in the country. He is currently the Chief Finance Officer for a growing 11 school Trust in Bromley and East Sussex.
James lives in Coulsdon and enjoys days out with his family, keeping fit and travelling to places with great food.
Term of office expires: 16 December 2028.
Lynne Chambers (Co-opted Trustee)
Lynne Chambers joined the Board in 2025 and brings a wealth of experience from her career as a senior executive coach and leadership development specialist. She is a Partner at Praesta, the UK’s leading firm of executive coaches, where she works with CEOs, board directors and senior leaders across private and public sectors. Prior to her coaching career, Lynne held senior leadership roles in industry and has a track record of supporting individuals and teams through complex change and integration. She has a BA in French & German from Durham University and an MBA from Bayes (formerly City) Business School. She was previously a Trustee at School Home Support and Chair of the Charity Committee at the London Stock Exchange Group. She is professionally qualified in executive coaching and psychometrics, and is committed to enabling confident, authentic and effective leadership.
Term of office expires: 17 July 2029.
Chris Chant (Appointed Trustee)
Chris joined the Trust Board in October 2024. He is currently a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Defence, with an experienced career in numerous Civil Service and military roles. Chris has volunteering experience within the public
sector, having previously served on the Children and Young People’s Committee within the London Borough of Bromley and brings a wealth of experience in managing complex projects to the Trust Board.
Term of office expires: 21 October 2028.
Raeesa Chowdhury (Appointed Trustee - Vice Chair)
Raeesa was appointed to the Board as a Co-opted trustee in 2022. She is a corporate solicitor, practising for approximately 9 years and currently works for an international private practice legal business in London. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from UCL and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Law. She has is passionate about equal opportunities in education and is keen to promote, develop and support policies for the benefit of students and educational institutions in this regard. Outside of work, she enjoys keeping active (whether by hiking or going to the gym) and is a keen traveller (travel restrictions permitting) with the objective of visiting at least three new cities or countries a year.
Term of office expires: 17 December 2027
Andrea Cooke (Appointed Trustee)
Andrea is Chair of Governors for Nonsuch High School for Girls having started as a parent at Nonsuch 12 years ago. She is a Chartered Accountant with a degree in Natural Sciences and Management Studies. She has had a career in finance working as an audit manager in a city accounting practice before transferring to the education sector with experience in both secondary and primary schools. She now works as a School Business Manager in a local primary school. She has been involved in finance across the Trust since it was set up and has been Vice Chair of the Trust Finance Committee for the past 4 years. She was a former pupil in a girls’ grammar school and has keen interest in girls’ education.
Term of office expires: 17 December 2027.
Adrian Docherty (Co-opted Trustee)
Adrian served as a Trustee of Weald of Kent Grammar School and now serves as a Trustee of the Girls’ Learning Trust, bringing extensive experience in financial management, corporate strategy, governance and risk oversight to the GLT Board.
Adrian has spent more than three decades working in senior leadership and advisory roles across the international financial services sector. He is currently Managing Director and Global Head of Bank Advisory at BNP Paribas, where he leads a specialist team advising major banks on strategic challenges, including financial performance, regulation, capital management, risk and long-term sustainability. Previously, he held senior positions at Barclays Capital, including Global Chief Operating Officer of its Investment Banking Division, and worked as a management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton, advising organisations on strategy, restructuring and organisational improvement. His professional experience includes working closely with senior executives, regulators and boards across international financial institutions.
Adrian studied Modern Languages at the University of Cambridge and is the author of Better Banking, a book examining the financial crisis and the lessons for the banking sector. Outside work, he enjoys motorcycles and vintage Vespas, running half marathons, beekeeping and travelling to Australia with his family.
Term of office expires: 15 October 2027
Fiona Johnston (Appointed Trustee)
Fiona is a former Chair of the LGB at Carshalton High School for Girls, as well as a former parent at Wallington High School for Girls - where she was an active member of the PTA. She has recently left teaching, after over 34 years in the SEND sector. She has worked as a consultant with a specialist provision in Sutton, as well as in a voluntary capacity with local Children's Centres, in developing early communication. In her spare time, she enjoys running, pilates and yoga, as well as growing her own veg.
Term of office expires: 12 July 2027.
Robin Jones (Co-opted Trustee)
Robin joined the Girls’ Learning Trust Board of Trustees in October 2026, following his appointment as a Trustee and Chair of the Board at Weald of Kent Grammar School. He now serves as Chair of Weald’s Local Governing Body and as a Trustee of the GLT, helping to provide continuity of governance and strengthen the relationship between Weald and the wider Trust.
Robin has spent his career in financial services regulation, working initially at the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and subsequently at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). He has held a range of senior leadership positions, including leading the FCA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and spending more than two years overseeing part of its Risk and Compliance function. Most recently, he was appointed Chief Internal Auditor, with responsibility for providing assurance to the FCA Board on the effectiveness of the organisation’s risk management, governance and internal controls.
Alongside his professional responsibilities, Robin contributes to the leadership of a charitable organisation. Outside work, he enjoys running, reading and watching cricket in the sunshine.
Term of office expires: 15 October 2027
Anita Patel (Co-Opted Trustee)
Anita Patel is Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer at Springer Nature, a leading academic publisher. She plays a pivotal role in driving operational excellence across global teams, with a focus on embedding a culture of continuous improvement and delivering strategic outcomes. Her career spans digital transformation programmes, strategic leadership and cross-functional collaboration, with a consistent focus on delivering meaningful change.
Anita has previously worked across education and training supporting funding for students with learning difficulties and disabilities, overseeing the national delivery of curriculum tests for thousands of schools across England, and helping launch new GCSE and A-level qualifications.
Term of office expires: 16 July 2028.
Laura Peters (Co-Opted Trustee)
Professor Laura Peters was appointed to the Board in July 2025 and has recently started a role as Vice-Principal at West Dean College
Most recently, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Academic Development and Transformation at the University of Roehampton, Laura has led institutional strategy across research, teaching, academic transformation and sustainability.
Laura studied English Literature at Trinity College, University of Toronto and gained her MA and PhD from the University of Kent at Canterbury.
Term of office expires: 17 July 2029.
Veena Sivapalan (Appointed Trustee)
Veena is a UK qualified solicitor, having read Law with German Law at Oxford. She spent a number of years practising as an employment lawyer at a global law firm, before moving to a large international children’s charity, where she is responsible for the day-to-day running of its in-house legal team. As a former pupil of Wallington High School for Girls, and with a young daughter, Veena has a keen interest in girls’ education.
Term of office expires: 31 August 2028.
Alison Sleight (Co-Opted Trustee)
Alison is Chair of Governors for Wallington High School for Girls. She worked at Wallington High School for Girls from 2015 to 2022 as Exams Officer and became a Staff Governor in 2019. On leaving Wallington Girls, she continued as an appointed Governor and Vice Chair of WHSG LGB before taking on the role of Chair of WHSG LGB from January 2025. She also sits on the Admissions Committee.
Alison has worked across a variety of industries, focused on data management and analysis. She currently works for a local company supporting schools with their management information systems.
Alison attended a girls’ only secondary school and is a strong advocate of girls’ only education.
Term of office expires: 31 August 2028.
Victoria Tomlin (Co-opted Trustee)
Victoria joined the Board of Trustees at Weald of Kent Grammar School in September 2023, where she served on the Leadership and Management Committee. She now serves as a Trustee of the Girls’ Learning Trust, bringing experience in financial management, public sector investment, commercial strategy and major infrastructure projects to the GLT’s governance.
A qualified management accountant, Victoria has worked across the public and private sectors, specialising in financial oversight and major government programmes. She is currently Assistant Director in EY-Parthenon’s Infrastructure Advisory team. Previously, she spent eight years in the Civil Service, holding senior roles at HM Treasury and the Department for Transport. At HM Treasury, she oversaw government spending on major transport projects, including HS2 and Crossrail. Her experience includes financial scrutiny, commercial negotiations and ensuring value for money in public investment.
Victoria grew up in Kent and attended Weald of Kent Grammar School for both her secondary education and sixth form studies. She studied Geography at the University of Exeter and now lives in London, regularly returning to Kent to visit family and friends. Outside work, she enjoys DIY projects, playing tag rugby and trying new baking recipes.
Term of office expires: 15 October 2027
We’re always keen to speak to potential Trustees and School Governors. If you’re interested in volunteering you can find out more information here.
If you would like to contact the Trust Board directly, please email via the Clerk on: governance@girlslearningtrust.org