Our Board of Directors

Dr Roger Mason

Chair of Directors Board and Chair of Finance, Audit, Risk and Resources Committee

Before retirement, Roger was a Managing Director of a Specialist Freeze Drying Company. Previously he had managed a large heavy industry factory in Leith with 250 employees. He has experience in small scale manufacturing with a company in South Korea.

Roger has also worked in Research and Development, and Distribution and Warehousing. Capital expenditure and accounts have been a very important part of these experiences.

Roger was a Chair Governors for many years at a local Catholic Primary School.

Damien Callagher

Position Chair of Ethos, Intervention and Standards Committee

Damien is a recently retired Headteacher of a Catholic High School with thirty three years experience in Education. Experience of governance in both primary and secondary sectors, as well as pupil referral unit.

Damien feels that leadership in Catholic education has been a great privilege and has helped him to develop professionally, personally and spiritually. As he begins his retirement, he views the position of Director as one which will enable him to give something back to education in the Diocese.

Rebecca teaches French and Spanish as the Curriculum Leader for Languages at a mainstream secondary school.

She has two young daughters who attend one of the primary schools within the Mater Ecclesiae Multi-Academy Trust.

Rebecca also delivers the children’s liturgy programme for children of her local Catholic parish.

Robert John Deed

Director

After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Bob specialised in the education and charity sector. He is currently Vice Principal Finance & Resources at Cardinal Newman College – a successful Roman Catholic sixth form college in Preston with over 4200 students. He has worked with academies and colleges in a range of financial management and governance roles. He understands that effective financial management is vital to ensuring that teaching, learning and pastoral support are adequately and sustainably resourced, so leaders can focus on the success and welfare of children and young people.

Jacky Kennedy

Director

Jacky is a CEO of a Catholic Multi Academy Trust and formed the Trust in liaison with the Diocese of Lancaster. In the first year of set up and making important decisions, Jacky feels she could bring the experience that she have recently undergone to Mater Ecclesiae Catholic Multi Academy Trust. Jacky has been a teacher since 1987, has been a Deputy Head in secondaries since 2002 and Head since 2016.

Canon Adrian Joseph Towers

Director

Canon Adrian has been a Catholic Parish Priest for over 40 years. He has been a governor at both primary and secondary school level usually serving as a governor responsible for Religious Education. He has experience of teaching moral theology and English. Canon Adrian has also served on the Diocesan Education Commission for several years.

Felix is a lecturer in Marketing at the University of Lancaster.  Previously he worked as a lawyer for leading multinationals and Law firms.  Felix is a Spanish and British national.