Governors

Stephanie Cryan

Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Business and Innovation at Southwark Council with responsibility for economic development and employment including employment and enterprise support, apprenticeships, promoting fair pay and the London Living Wage, closing the gender pay gap, supporting businesses to engage with schools and colleges, paid internships, digital strategy and infrastructure.

Cllr Cryan has been a Councillor in Rotherhithe Ward since May 2014 and was previously Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Modernisation (2016-2019), Cabinet Member for Adult Care (2015-2016) and Deputy Cabinet Member for Financial Inclusion (2014-2015).

Elaine Hawkins

Elaine is a semi-retired educationist whose most recent senior management role was in postgraduate medical education, acting as an Assistant Dean for Education seconded to the NHS/ Health Education England from the University of London. Elaine continues to do part-time education-related consultancy for the General Medical Council as an Associate, where she is a member of the GMC Curriculum Advisory Group which advises whether new and changing postgraduate medical curricula meet specific quality management, teaching and learning, assessment and equality and diversity standards.

Prior to changing her focus to postgraduate Medical Education from 2011 onwards, Elaine’s career had developed through a variety of teaching and management roles in Arts and Social Science based education with a focus on provision that widened access to educational opportunities in further and higher education. Elaine began her career as a University Extra-Mural tutor in Wales; taught English/ Liberal studies in a Further Education college in South Wales and taught for the Open University in Wales.

Elaine’s educational work then developed through posts in FE/HE colleges in Cornwall and West Suffolk to focus on the management of access, distance learning and degree level provision for adult students seeking learning opportunities that had previously not been available to them.

In 2003, Elaine relocated to London to manage learning programmes at Birkbeck, University of London which facilitated mature students’ entry to and inclusion in higher education. As a part of the strategy to achieve this aim, Elaine built award-winning partnerships with other learning providers of adult, further, higher and community education across London. Elaine also worked at senior management level to advise on, and implement, first year undergraduate curricula that supported the attainment of ‘non-traditional’ students in the university context. During this period, Elaine also led the university’s Academic Staff Development programme.

As far as formal qualifications relevant to the role of FE Governor are concerned, Elaine holds a PhD from the University of London (2011) focussed on the education of adults; a BA (Hons) and MA in Literature from University of Wales; a Postgraduate Certificate in the Education of Adults (University of Surrey); a Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language. Elaine has also completed a variety of non-qualification courses in management and financial management in the Education sector.

Sinead O'Sullivan

Sinead is currently the Director for Career Learning, Analysis, Skills and Student Loans Company at the DfE, which involves leading the people responsible for a range of functions across Higher and Further Education. Prior to this, Sinead held roles at the National College for Teaching and Leadership which included Directory for Delivery and Accounting Officer, and also some prior roles at the DfE.

Sinead has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Imperial College London.

John Jeffcock

John is currently the Chief Executive of Winmark Limited, a company which he established in 1997. Alongside his current role, John is involved with a number of Charitable Boards and Committees, such as; sitting on the WMBA Advisory Board at Imperial College Business School, Trustee at School Home Support and President of the Coldstream Guards Association.

John has two published books of poetry, and has a Masters Degree in Poetic Practice from the University of London and in Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University. He also has qualifications in Digital Transformation Strategy (Boston University), Executive Management Programme (Stanford University Graduate School of Business).

Alongside his current role, John is involved with a number of Charitable Boards and Committees, such as; WMBA Advisory Board at Imperial College Business School, Board of Trustees at School Home Support (ongoing) and President of the Coldstream Guards Association.

Kim Caplin

Kim has worked in the education sector for over 30 years and has held a range of management and leadership roles in both schools and Further Education colleges. A qualified teacher she has a thorough knowledge and expertise in curriculum design and its role in enhancing quality for learners, staff and the organisation. She has also led on systematic improvements to teaching and learning and especially the role of innovative teaching. She is currently Director of Jasia Education where she works on a range of projects which support partnerships of schools and colleges with universities and employers.

Until 2020 Kim was Principal of Westminster Kingsway College, a General Further Education College and DCEO of Capital City College Group previously having been Vice-Principal for 7 years. The college is known for its excellence in vocational education especially for its award-winning work in Hospitality where it received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education. During this period the college has also won several awards for its partnership engagement, careers education and work with learners with special educational needs. Updating her expertise, she completed the Strategic Leadership Programme for Principals and CEOs at the SAID Business School, Oxford University.

She has advised on policy development at a local, regional and national level, and has been a member of the DFE Advisory Group for 16-18 Study Programmes and advisory groups for the Youth Justice Board. Kim has also been a Trustee for Coram Life Education a national children’s charity for 8 years and is currently also a Trustee for Inspire! Education Business Partnership and OCN London. She is a member of the London Symphony Community Choir, enjoys cycling and hopes to ride for charity once COVID subsides.

Damien Williams

Damien Williams took up post as the Student Services Manager at Southwark College on the 1st of January 2020. He has been working in FE for over ten years and has also worked in Children Services as a Head of Operations. He currently sits on the Safeguarding and Prevent Panel, the Equality and Diversity Panel and chairs meetings with the Students’ Union, this puts him in a strong position to speak on staff views at many different levels. He manages a very successful football team out of the college on a voluntary basis. Damien believes that every young person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential, and is looking forward to working with his colleagues to make Southwark College an Outstanding environment to learn in.