Angela is passionate about ensuring all children have the best education but grow up knowing that they each have a role contributing to society. She has recently retired from the post of Diocesan Director of Education for the Catholic Diocese of Leeds where for over 11 years she advised schools in 8 local authorities mainly in West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. She is a member of the DfE Early Years and Schools Recovery Advisory Group and a member of the DfE Working Group 1 advising on the Academy Trust Handbook and a collaborates regionally through the DFE West Yorkshire Strategic Partnership. Angela has been chair of a Leeds MAT since its establishment 5 years ago as a single primary school trust that has since grown to 8 academies. She has also overseen the establishment of a further 4 MATs in the Catholic diocese and the conversion of around 60 schools. Previously Angela worked for the Education team at Leeds City Council specialising in governance and has been a school governor for 26 years at primary, secondary and special schools in the region. Angela was awarded the OBE for services to education in the Queen’s New Year Honours in Jan 2017. Prior to her career with schools, she was a virologist at Leeds University before working as an accountant specialising in trusts. Whilst bringing up her two daughters Angela was appointed to the regional Consumer Council for Water with a special interest in consumer debt issues, complaint management and improving the quality of Yorkshire rivers.