Our people

The Rt Hon the Lord Knight of Weymouth, Jim Knight, became Patron of ASDAN in January 2015.

Jim Knight has an extensive background in education, digital technology, and legislation. He serves as the Non-Executive Chair of several educational organisations, including the E-ACT Multi-Academy Trust, the Council of British International Schools, Century-Tech, and STEM Learning Ltd. Additionally, he is a member of the Pearson Qualifications Committee and offers his expertise as an advisor to GoodNotes, Edwin Group, and Everfi.

During his time as a government minister and MP, Jim Knight's portfolios encompassed rural affairs, schools, digital policy, and employment. He was a member of Gordon Brown's Cabinet before being appointed to the House of Lords in 2010, where he continues to speak regularly on education and technology policy.

Brian Doidge has been an ASDAN Trustee since 2019 and is passionate about the role of education in society. A Chartered Manager and Chartered Marketer, he has held lecturing, management, and senior positions in both academia and global commercial organisations. His achievements have been recognised through numerous awards and fellowships from the Chartered Management Institute, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and the Institute of Leadership.

Brian holds an MA from the University of Plymouth and Postgraduate Diplomas from the University of the West of England and the Chartered Institute of Marketing. With 25 years of experience in committee and board roles – many as chair – he brings invaluable skills and strategic expertise to ASDAN’s board.

Victoria is a professionally qualified CIMA accountant with an MBA. She has held chief financial officer and finance director roles in the commercial manufacturing sector, higher education, careers advisory services, independent schools and an NHS charity. She has also worked as a strategic financial consultant in the education and charity sectors, including financial deployments into academy trusts on behalf of the Department for Education.

Victoria has held non-executive director and trustee roles in the education sector and with cultural and arts organisations, and was board chair of a growing South West multi-academy trust. 

Alongside her vice-chair role, she is chair of ASDAN’s Performance, Audit, Risk and Compliance committee.

Read more about Victoria in our interview.

With extensive knowledge of trauma-informed education and adverse childhood experiences, Jamie has broad experience as an education manager, working with young people aged 8-18 across a range of educational settings in the residential childcare sector. 

Passionate about breaking down barriers to education, she develops bespoke education packages that provide each young person with a tailored, supportive learning experience. By addressing individual needs and past challenges, Jamie ensures young people can take positive, sustained steps in their educational journey. Committed to inclusion and opportunity, she works to ensure all young people have access to meaningful learning experiences that empower them for the future.

Jemma is Head of Organisational Development and Culture at Great Western Railway. With over 15 years working in HR, she brings expertise at a senior level in relation to HR, employee relations, employment law, inclusion and diversity, and wellbeing.

Jaswinder is an experienced senior leader in a specialist residential school. She has designed bespoke curriculum and has a track record of improving the quality of education and achieving strong outcomes for SEND learners. A trained practitioner within the further education sector, Jaswinder has a master’s degree in Autism, an MBA in Educational Leadership and a keen interest in improving autism practice.

Kala Parasuram has wide international experience in inclusive education. Her career has spanned across roles in teaching in schools and universities, research, community-based practice, and leadership positions in strategy and policy making. Kala currently leads on Equity and Inclusive Education at the International Baccalaureate (IB), giving an organizational vision and implementation to develop inclusive and accessible IB programmes and inclusive education in IB schools worldwide.

Dr Dean Smart is a former history teacher and taught at St. George School (now City Academy) in Bristol. He now works at the University of the West of England (UWE) where he supervises doctorial students, offers consultancy and works as a researcher. Find out more in our interview with Dean Smart.

Steve’s current work as an executive coach, mediator and HR consultant was preceded by a 30-year corporate career with director-level roles in finance, HR and customer management.

He is currently a trustee for Citizens Advice and also has experience as a primary school chair of governors and an accredited SEND mediator. 

David is a retired education professional with extensive experience in teaching and leadership. His career began in a 14–18 college before moving into sales management, where he specialised in financial services. Returning to education, he developed a strong interest in supporting children with special educational needs. His experience spans a range of settings, including residential provisions, pupil referral units, secure units, and therapeutic schools.

David holds a master’s degree in therapeutic education and a doctorate in alternative education. As a headteacher and inspector, he played a key role in establishing and developing an out-of-school education programme, which received national recognition for excellence in engaging disengaged learners.

David and his wife Gill have dedicated much of their time to voluntary service, recently spending 18 months on a Christian mission in the Philippines. They enjoy family life with their five children and five grandchildren.

Melissa has 25 years’ experience across the UK education landscape. Prior to her role as CEO at ASDAN, Melissa held leadership roles within education and charitable providers as well as governance and advisory roles across local authorities and within the non-maintained and independent sector. Holding trustee and advisory roles with organisations such as NASS, The Children’s Trust, Priors Court and the BSI has allowed Melissa to gain a broad and knowledgeable understanding of the sector.

Throughout her career Melissa has worked with a range of stakeholders and education communities including NGOs, devolved funding commissioners, government leaders, and policy groups. She is a passionate advocate for the education and care sector and the position they hold in shaping successful outcomes for young people.

Melissa will bring the voice of ASDAN to the forefront of the education landscape. She has been involved in numerous policy consultation responses and has represented the sector within policy and governmental workshops, Green Paper development, and conferences. Melissa was a member of the Council for Disabled Children, reviewing the actions arising from ‘Tomorrow’s leaders – a world beyond disability’, and has taken part in Ofqual and Standards-based advisory groups to identify reasonable adjustments, better and equal access, as well as explore the impact of technology on assessment.

Melissa is passionate about leading and supporting the growth of ASDAN’s mission to engage more young people to thrive on a passion to learn, elevate their aspirations and opportunities and empower them to open the doors to their futures.

James has over 15 years of experience working within local authorities and the charity sector. Most recently, he has worked for the UK’s foremost fostering charity, leading a department for education funded programme on the recruitment and retention of foster carers utilising a psychographic profiling tool and incorporating core marketing principles. He has also transformed a membership service, uniting teams and implementing new operational models and working with partners from across the business sector. James also has experience working with organisations across Europe and Asia keen to develop and utilise the skills and knowledge honed in the UK.

James is committed to helping ASDAN achieve its mission to engage, elevate and empower young people in greatest need.

Zoë has extensive experience in teaching, leadership and curriculum design, drawn from working in and with schools, government, Multi Academy Trusts, universities and local authorities for over 25 years.

Her experience working with practitioners is grounded in her roles as a middle and senior leader in schools and as a local authority senior school improvement adviser. She has designed and led school improvement programmes, establishing action research networks for practitioners working with learners from diverse contexts.

Throughout her career, Zoë has worked with executive senior leadership teams and practitioners in primary, special and secondary school settings as an Advanced Skills Teacher, LA adviser and senior leader.

Most recently, she completed her PhD whilst working as the research officer on a Welsh Government school improvement and professional learning project. Before this, she worked as the Director of Education and Director of Curriculum Design and Professional Learning in a multi academy trust.

Zoë is committed to ASDAN’s work in creating powerful professional learning for leaders and practitioners through which they can collaboratively design evidence-informed teaching approaches and learner-centred assessment strategies that engage, elevate and empower all learners.