Chief Executive Officer and Senior Executive Headteacher: Gail Brown has over 25 years’ experience in primary education and as a school leader, having taught every age group. She has successfully led a number of schools, taking one from Good to Outstanding and a school in Special Measures to Good in all areas. Gail spent six years working within a local authority context and as part of the National Strategies Yorkshire and Humber Regional Adviser team, supporting, challenging and improving practice and provision.
Director of Education: Dave Barber has over 21 years’ experience in the primary sector, 11 of those in senior management positions. Dave, an LLE, has worked effectively across the full primary age range in six schools in a wide range of contexts. He has extensive experience of providing school to school support that has proved instrumental in bringing about positive change.
Andrew Robinson is a CIMA qualified accountant with a BA in Accounting & Management Control. He has over 15 years’ experience of working with fast-growing entrepreneurial businesses in senior finance roles. Following his last role as finance & risk director for a financial services company in York, he joined Ebor in April 2017. Andrew is also the trust’s Chief Finance Officer.
David Wheeler is an HR professional with over 25 years’ experience across the private and public sectors. As Head of HR for the Ministry of Justice, he led the delivery of HR services to over 90,000 staff. During his career, David has led substantial business change projects, fostered effective trade union relationships and worked in specialist areas of HR including HR Systems. Pay & Reward and Job Evaluation. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.
Richard Swain is a chartered engineer with over 30 years’ experience of engineering, project and operational management within industry. He spent eight years as chair of The Education Alliance (TEAL) multi-academy trust, overseeing significant growth and development. Richard has been in school governance for almost 20 years.
Tim Moat is a former journalist and photographer, responsible for communications, press liaison, marketing and reputation management for the trust and its schools. As IT lead, he also supervises Ebor’s IT provider and internet service provider and, with them, he is continually horizon scanning to ensure Ebor remains innovative and at the forefront of IT in the classroom.
Andy has over 30 years’ senior level managerial experience in project, operations and facilities management within sectors such as energy, the NHS and education. He is now engaged in developing facilities, site management, maintenance and connected operational requirements across the estates in the trust. Andy is also the trust’s health and safety officer.
Neil comes from a farming family. He has grown up with a love of numbers and has a BA in mathematics and statistics. Having worked on the accounts of a small business for over 10 years, Neil moved to Ebor in January 2018.
He is currently working towards his AAT level 3.
Lara has over 20 years’ accountancy experience in various business environments including the educational sector. She worked at Great Yarmouth College in Norfolk and after relocating to Yorkshire she was employed by Askham Bryan College. Lara joined the Ebor Academy Trust in April 2018.
Jane is currently undertaking a secondment in the role of Finance Assistant, which she started in October 2023. In her new role, Jane’s main duty is to process invoices for Ebor Academy Trust. Jane also continues to undertake various governance and compliance tasks for Wendy Harrington, Head of Governance and Compliance.
Caren brings over 30 years of administrative experience and organisational skills to the Estates and Facilities Assistant role. Her personal skill was developed through experience supporting a management consultancy and for the past 10 years, the education sector. Caren shows enthusiasm for organised and clear ways of working, timely communication and colleague support. Ebor’s new premises management software will be supported by Caren and she will work with Andy Roberts in developing facilities, site maintenance and compliance across our schools.
Sophie qualified in 2007 with BTEC National Diploma in Early Years and went on to complete her degree in Education Studies at York St John University.
Sophie has always worked within Early Years in private nurseries and pre-schools and joined Ebor from a primary school. She now has three children – and a little dog of her own – and felt this was a good time to move into the HR and admin side of the education sector.
Michelle has worked in the education sector for over ten years. She started as an administrative assistant before progressing as an HR Business Partner in 2013. In this role, Michelle managed a number of teams, projects and initiatives. Michelle joined Ebor Academy Trust in May 2018.