Board of Directors

Ruth joined the Board in February 2021. She graduated from Bristol Medical School in 1979, worked in Barnstaple, Bristol, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Manchester before returning to Barnstaple in 1986. She passed exams to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and took a substantive post in Anaesthetics at North Devon District Hospital. She developed and chaired a group for senior doctors working in the hospital and the community, supporting their career development and working terms and conditions. She became chair to the committee negotiating application of contracts and policies for all grades of medical staff in NDDH. Ruth trained as an appraiser for medical staff, and continued with this role for the last 15 years of her career. She also took on Educational Supervisor, teaching and mentoring roles for trainee doctors.
Ruth was Chair of Governors of Our Lady's Catholic Primary School for over 12 years until 2005. She is an active member of St Mary’s Catholic Church as safeguarding rep, reader and was chair of the Pastoral Parish Council until the start of the pandemic. She is very happily married to Nick, has four adult children and keeps busy with a walking group, two book groups, piano lessons, exercise classes and cooking for friends.

Andy joined the CAST Board in March 2017 and is Chair of the Finance Committee. Andy’s career was in the Defence industry, mainly in the Naval Marine sector, initially with MoD then with DML and for the last 8 years of his career with Babcock International Group before retiring in July 2016. Andy held a number of Director level appointments with responsibility for various business operations at different locations including Devonport Royal Dockyard, Bristol and Canada. He has an engineering degree from Liverpool University and an MSC from University College London. Andy was a Foundation Governor at St. Boniface’s College for 14 years up to 2008, including 7 years as Chair of Governors. He is married with 3 grown up children and lives in Plymouth.

Sandy has been on the CAST Board since December 2013 and was appointed Chair of the Trust in November 2016 , a position he held until July 2018. Sandy’s career was in the management of electronic power supply companies having been MD of Coutant Electronics Ilfracombe, MD of Weir Electronics in Bognor Regis, President of the Lambda Group for Europe, Main board member for Lambda a major manufacturer of Power Supplies around the globe and his responsibilities included operations as far afield as New Zealand, China, Japan, USA, Mexico and Europe. He has a Masters degree in metallurgy and management. He retired but was then asked to recover a company from bankruptcy in Belgium where he spent three years. He is now retired (again) is married and has 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Graham is a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Information Technology Professional, a Certified Management Consultant; a Fellow of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management and the Institute of Administrative Management; and a medallist of the World Productivity Congress. He has worked in many management services roles throughout his thirty-five year career with Royal Sun Alliance in Bristol, London, Horsham and Liverpool, along with positions in the USA, Mexico and South Africa, encompassing many roles – project and change management, information technology, quality and customer service management, HR and Talent Management, facilities management, continuous improvement, transformational change, due diligence and office relocations associated with company mergers and acquisitions. Since retirement he has built up a portfolio of University, Further Education and Awarding Body Governorships along with NED and Trustee roles with Housing Associations, University Student Unions and various Charities. Graham also covers Change Management and Facilities Management pro-bono support to Charity, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations in South-West England and South-East Wales.

Deacon Nick joined the Board in December 2021. Nick was ordained for the Permeant Diaconate on the 6th November 2010. Although he has had a career in social care covering children, disabled people and older people in public, private and voluntary organisations, his founding motivation was built on relationships with older neighbours in his street and being in a family of ten children. Nick was a registered Social Worker until the end of 2020, when he retired from paid professional work. His roles have been operational and managerial, where he has learnt to do the ‘science’ of business. Nick continues to consider his perception of service to be simple and humane, focused on the individual he is trying to work with. Nick thinks that is where the ‘art’ of business happens, and the best measure of our service quality is the interaction between the persons we employ and the persons we serve.
Nick is a Governor at St Edwards School in Poole and Chair of the Business and Premises Committee. He is a member of Caritas Plymouth Management Committee, the Chair of Prama Foundation and a Trustee of Keychange Charity, where he is the Chair of the Quality and Safety Working Group
Nick is inspired by new ideas and trying to see round corners to the next big thing (or problem!) but is fundamentally committed to supporting all of the people we meet in the best way possible and ensuring we do what is needed to stay in business and to be outstanding.

Alison was born and raised in Plymouth, and has a background in business and finance, having worked in international banking prior to a career in teaching.

After moving back to Plymouth to start a family, Alison trained as a teacher, with a specialism in Early Years and Maths and began working at Calstock School. During this time, she completed her NPQH (Headship training) and five years later was appointed as a non-teaching Deputy at North Prospect Community Primary School. Alison took up her headship at Weston Mill after two years and moved the school forward in many areas, but in particular on standards.

Alison has trained as an Ofsted Inspector (Primary and Early Years) and continues to work with other trust’s and Plymouth Local Authority in developing collaborative approaches to support children and families. This has led to the development of a city-wide nurture provision to support vulnerable and at-risk children.

As Chief Executive Officer/Executive Headteacher of Discovery Multi Academy Trust, Alison works to improve outcomes and opportunities for all of the Trust's children, by leading school improvement across each of the academies. Developing links and working collaboratively across the city is also important to Alison.
In her spare time, Alison enjoys gardening and spending time with her family.

Steve joined the CAST Board in June 2022. He had served as a Devon County Councillor and had been on the Education Committee. He was a School Governor for over 40 years in RC schools and is a parishioner at St Pauls RC Church.
Steve has a background in engineering, management, project management, staff development and health & safety, retiring from Babcock International in 2019. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (CFIOSH) and a Member of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Managers (MIIRSM).
Steve was appointed to the Board of the Plymouth Charity Trust in 1983 and became the Chair of the Board in 2008. The Charity provides sheltered independent living accommodation for those over 60 years of age in need. The charity is 400 years old and is run by 9 unpaid trustees, and three members of staff.
He also supports a large academy with careers, interview and CV techniques, as well as delivering lectures on engineering and health and safety to approximately 300 students. Steve believes this interaction really makes a positive difference. As one student recently commented to him, “there is no chance of falling asleep during one of your lectures”! Steve took this as a compliment.
Steve looks after his elderly parents, and they live with him. In his spare time, he has a great circle of friends who he sees regularly and loves going for a walk with his dog.

Polly joined the Board in July 2023. Polly began her career as a police officer, where she remained as an operational officer for 17 years. During this time Polly spent time working on response, local policing and the criminal investigation unit (CID), working in the Family Protection Unit (FPU) as a specialist child witness interviewer. Alongside her day-to-day policing role Polly volunteered as a Wildlife Crime Officer (WCO) and was the nominated specialist officer for her division. Upon leaving the police, Polly completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and secured her first post as a key stage two teacher in her local catholic primary school. Polly undertook the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) and prepared children to receive the Sacraments, in addition to undertaking the Masters' level national qualification for Special Educational Need and Disability coordination (SENDCo), a role she undertook across several schools. Polly went on to become an Assistant Head Teacher for SEND and Inclusion and was instrumental in introducing a new behaviour and relationships policy and trauma informed practice. Polly is a qualified Trauma Informed School Practitioner (TiSUK), Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) and Nurture Group Practitioner and set up nurture provision across several schools. Polly has also acted as Mental Health Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL). Polly currently works for the local authority in the Vulnerable Pupils Team.
In her spare time Polly enjoys spending time at the coast and exploring the national park. Polly has previously served as a school governor and as a Parish Councillor in her local community. Polly is a practising Catholic; she is married with two grown up children.

John joined the Board in the summer of 2023 and serves on the Finance and Resources Committee. He holds an LLB from Manchester University and has practiced law as a Solicitor for over 40 years although currently trying to wind that down. His work has focused on Trust and Probate Litigation but he has also been involved in a wide range of work in the field of education both for schools and colleges, maintained and independent and also on behalf of parents in relation to admission, disciplinary and SEN issues.
He has been involved in governing schools for many years and the Chair of three, most recently a large independent school in Dorset. He is married with four children and six grandchildren. He has been a member of St Catherine’s Parish in Wimborne for 42 years.

Brought up in Plymouth, where he was a pupil at Holy Cross Primary and then St Boniface’s College, John now lives in West Cornwall. Married, with five children and eleven grandchildren, he was a teacher for forty years, has held leadership roles at both primary and secondary level and served as head, or acting head, of three different Catholic primaries. John has a strong interest in Special Educational Needs and is firmly committed to Catholic Education and delivering the very best opportunities and outcomes for every single child entrusted to our care. The author of four books he has also written dozens of articles published in the national press, mostly about schools and teaching.