Governing Body Members
The Governing Body of Bridgend College is made up of 20 members, including the CEO/Principal, three student governors, two staff governors and a local employer representative.
All members have been appointed based on their skills, knowledge, experience and close alignment of their values with the core values of the College. Their term of office is four years, excluding student governors who are appointed for one year.
Members of the Governing Body
Emma is passionate about enabling student and graduate success through innovation and collaboration. She is the Director of Learning Services at the University of South Wales with a career emphasis on leadership of Libraries, Careers and Employability Services and Student Academic Skills Development in the Welsh higher education sector.
Emma has led and been involved with several Welsh and UK boards and transformation projects and is a recipient of a Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Award achieved as part of the award winning ‘WHELF’ outstanding Library team. She is an elected member of the British Library’s Advisory Council, a member of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, a member of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), a member of the Technology from Sage UK Director’s Board and a Leadership Associate Consultant with Advance HE.
Emma has extensive knowledge and strengths in equality, diversity, and inclusion strategies, widening access and participation, and collaborative innovation activities.
Jo is the Group Chief Executive of Valleys to Coast, a not-for-profit Housing Association operating across the Bridgend County Borough Council. As Group Chief Executive, Jo is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the Association. Jo is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has over two decades of experience in senior leadership roles across the public and third sectors.
Jo is experienced in leadership, change management, strategic planning, financial management and governance. She has held pivotal roles driving organisations through growth and transformation working with Welsh Government, sector partners and colleagues.
Jo is also a Trustee for Buildings Communities Trust.
Viv worked as a lecturer in the Welsh FE sector for 12 years before moving into leadership roles. At Bridgend College she was a Dean and Deputy Principal before becoming the Principal and Chief Executive. Viv is responsible for innovating curriculum and teaching and learning, ensuring standards and quality across a breadth of WBL, FE and HE subjects. She is responsible for upholding the College mission of creating an atmosphere in which everyone can âBe all that they can beâ.
The College was named as the FE College of the Year in the 2019 TES awards. In 2018 she won the Leading Wales award for Leadership in the Public Sector. In 2022 she achieved gold in the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics, Awards in Excellence, Outstanding Educator category.
Having worked as a HE and FE lecturer, Viv has a breadth of experience in actor training and preparing performers for further training. Viv has also worked as a freelance theatre director and is currently the Artistic Director of West Glamorgan Youth Theatre Company.
Lisa Dobbs is the non-teaching staff governor at Bridgend College and has worked at the College since September 2019 as the Day Nursery and Playscheme Manager. Recently Lisa has been appointed as the Business Development Lead for Engage Training, a subsidiary of Bridgend College.
Lisa has many years experience in leadership and business management within Early Years and more recently commercial catering. Lisa excels at change management and quality improvement through her leadership techniques and business acumen.
Lisa is passionate about driving excellence and forming worthwhile and mutually beneficial business partnerships.
Lisa is also a business owner.
Marion is the teaching staff governor at Bridgend College and has worked for the College since 2017 teaching a range of subjects including psychology, sociology and anatomy and physiology.
Marion is the Welsh Manager at the College and delivers some units bilingually on the Access to Higher Education (Health Care) course allowing learners to develop their Welsh language skills. She is also an experienced AS Level Psychology and Sociology examiner.
Marion has been involved with staff development for a few years and is incredibly passionate about supporting existing and new colleagues to be all they can be.
Furthermore, Marion is enthusiastic about her own learning and is studying for a Masters qualification in Education.
Marion is a fluent Welsh speaker.
Claire lives in Bridgend and has over two decades of experience as a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a 1st Class Business degree from Aberystwyth University and an MBA from Warwick Business School. Claire has worked in senior finance roles throughout her career and is currently also a Board member of Melin Housing Association.
Claireâs experience relates to finance, governance, risk management and corporate strategy.
Claire has two young children and enjoys travelling in her spare time.
Stephne is Talent Partner and Inclusion Lead at Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and has over 20 yearsâ experience in HR. Stephne is CIPD level 7 qualified and has experience in leadership, performance management, training design and delivery, early careers, onboarding, implantation of HR systems and equity, diversity and inclusion. Stephne delivers i-act positive mental health and wellbeing training and is a champion for breaking stigma around mental health.
Stephne has a passion around Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity and is the chair of the womenâs network in Welsh Water.
Stephne has lived in Pencoed for over 15 years and her son has recently completed his apprenticeship through the college.
Helen has a growing interest in sustainable business development and how Wales equips our future generations with skills fit for the future after working as Deputy Commissioner setting up and running the Finance and Corporate Services for the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales until 2021.
She has also held positions with the UK National Audit Office, Wales Audit Office and Older People’s Commissioner for Wales.
She is a professionally qualified accountant and corporate member of CIPD.
Hatti is studying the first year of Level 3 Performing Arts here at Bridgend College after completing Level 2 last year. She has a passion for change and finds performing a beautiful way to make awareness for that. Hatti is hopeful to allow other students to be heard so that the college can make the most efficient and informed decisions to benefit our college community.
Hatti is over the moon with this opportunity and hopes to make her peers and staff around her proud.
Mihindi is currently in her second year of studying for a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Biomedical Science. Her ambition is to become a surgeon and to specialise in internal medicine, with the goal of one day becoming Chief of Medicine. These aspirations drive Mihindiâs passion for learning and self-development.
As a student governor, Mihindi wants to develop their leadership skills while also supporting other young people by encouraging them to talk openly about their problems. Mihindi is committed to doing their best to help improve the College experience for everyone.
Emma is currently studying an Extended Diploma in Level 3 Performing Arts. Emma has seen how drama can change the world and now wants to do her own part in it. She hopes that this is the way to make her voice heard.
As a Student Governor, she is committed to being a strong voice for her peers and supporting student wellbeing. Emma is particularly interested in making sure that all students feel heard, valued, and empowered throughout their time this year at college.
Shelley was appointed as the Principal Accountant for Audit Wales in 2019 and has over 20 years experience in accountancy roles both in the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Audit Wales, Shelley worked as an accountant in various roles with South Wales Police and a not-for-profit organisation.
Shelley is the representative for Audit Wales on the Welsh Government Sponsored Bodies Finance Officer Group. Shelley has a keen interest in systems development and implementation.
Shelley is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Following a career in the NHS and government, Joe joined The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry as the Operations Manager – Wales. She has become an active member of a number of bodies as part of this role, including Public Affairs Cymru, the Health and Wellbeing Alliance, and several Welsh Government committees and groups. She has a particular interest in how inequalities can be addressed and co-production of solutions.
Joe has a son and two step-children. In her spare time she helps to run the Baobab Bach CIC – Barry Pantry and is on the Wales Advisory Board of Marie Curie.
Ceri has over 20 years experience of working in HR roles primarily in the Education Sector. Ceri was the Head of Organisational Design and Effectiveness at Cardiff University until December 2024.
Ceri has a Business Studies degree, a Masters in Human Resource Management and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Ceri has close family links to Bridgend and the College, with her grandfather having taught an evening bookkeeping course at the College 60 years ago.
Lloyd has worked at ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) since 2016. His role as Head of Wales within the ACCA UK Team is to maximise ACCAâs impact in Wales and across the UK, increase awareness of ACCAâs reach and scope, strengthen and shape relationships with members, employers, external partners and stakeholders, build ACCAâs influence, reputation and profile and to provide input into policy development at a UK and global level.
Prior to joining ACCA, Lloyd worked in the University sector for over 20 years in a variety of roles, including developing and managing overseas and Wales-based teaching partnerships, including strategy development, business development, quality assurance, due diligence, risk management and finance.
Lloyd is a fluent Welsh speaker.
Tomos is currently the Deputy Chief Executive at Oasis, a charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Cardiff and South Wales. He also sits on the Board of the Bevan Foundation, a Welsh think tank working to address inequality and reduce poverty. He began his career working at several law firms before moving to the third sector.
He has a passion for social justice and human rights advocacy and has been involved with various organisations in this field, most recently as Chair of Cardiffâs Amnesty International Group.
He holds a degree in Law and a Masterâs degree in Human Rights Law, both from Cardiff University.
Susan has recently retired after a 30-year career in Social Services. Starting in London, Susan moved to Wales in 1992 for family reasons and has held various management roles in Local Authorities in South Wales, including 16 years at Bridgend County Borough Council. Now retired from frontline services, she works part-time in Workforce Development.
Susan has a Masterâs Degree in Healthcare Management and is currently training as a workplace coach/mentor, embodying her values of compassionate leadership and motivational team-building.
Susan enjoys the beach, spending time with loved ones, audiobooks and lifelong learning.
Susan is excited to be part of the Governing Body and to be working with the College teams to achieve the best outcomes for learners.
Jo Creeden is Agored Cymruâs Deputy Chief Executive and Responsible Officer. Jo is responsible for the regulatory compliance of Agored Cymru, and the leadership of the management team within the Curriculum Development/Quality and Regulation Directorate.
Governance plays a vital role in the compliance of Agored Cymru with regulatory requirements. Key to this is the Quality, Standards and Regulation Committee, and Jo is the lead Officer for the panel.
Jo is an accomplished education professional with a career spanning over 30 years in assessment, quality assurance, audit and compliance. During her career Jo has held various roles, including Director for Quality, Standards and Regulation, Regulation and Qualifications Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Accreditation Manager, Staff Development Manager, Adult Community Learning Coordinator, Head of Training and Delivery, Lead Internal Quality Assurer and Assessor.
Jo’s particular area of expertise is Awarding Body compliance, policy development and quality assurance.
Co-Opted Members
Paul is a co-opted member of the Resource Planning Committee since early 2023 and has extensive experience across the built environment sector being directly employed and providing consultant services to various private, public sector and charitable organisations.
Paul was a former student of Bridgend College during the 1980s and early 1990s and subsequently graduated from Coventry University having gained a BSc Honours and Masterâs degree studying in Denmark, Portugal, France and other participating universities across Europe.
Paul was employed as the Head of Estates at the former Coleg Morgannwg in 2009 and was subsequently promoted to Director of Estates and Executive Director of Resources at Coleg y Cymoedd following the merger of organisations with the former Ystrad Mynach College in 2013.
Since 2017, Paul has been employed within the higher education sector by Cardiff University and currently Cardiff Metropolitan University as the Assistant Director of Environment & Estates.
Paul remains passionate about providing opportunities for learning and developing new skills to people of all ages and abilities in order to reach their full potential.
Rachel Bowen has over 15 years experience of working in policy and public affairs in the spheres of health, economy, equalities and education. This included six years as Director of Policy and Public Affairs at ColegauCymru, representing the interests of the FE sector and working with colleges across Wales. She has a successful track record of influencing policy and working with others to achieve change.
Rachel has a PhD in History from Cardiff University where she continues to teach adult learners, specialising in gender and sexuality in the early modern period.
In her spare time, Rachel is a keen long distance runner and has represented Wales at masters level in both marathons and half marathons.
Clerk to the Governing Body
Nicola was appointed as Clerk to the Governing Body at Bridgend College in 2015 having gained governance experience within the local government sector.
Nicola qualified as a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountant in England and Wales over 20 years ago with one of the big four accountancy firms and is experienced in audit, accountancy, governance and strategic planning.
Nicolaâs passion for governance, together with the dedicated service and commitment from the members, has seen the Governing Body go from strength to strength.
Nicola was born, raised and lives in Bridgend and has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of its local communities.
