Members, Trust Board and Committees
All three Academy Trusts in the Diocese of Lancaster have the same three members at the top of the organisation:
Bishop Paul Swarbrick, Father Michael Docherty, Canon Peter Hart.
The Mater Christi Board is made up of nine volunteer Directors, appointed by the Bishop. They meet as a Trust Board and in four committees:
- Standards and Intervention
- Finance, Staffing and Audit
- Vision and Development
- Growth
Each of the schools in our Academy Trust has a Local Governing Body made up of volunteer Foundation Governors appointed by the Bishop, as well as two parents, a staff member and the Headteacher.
Mater Christi Directors
The Trust has 8 Catholic Directors
| Name | Appointment Date and Term of Office (All directors appointed by the Diocese) | Committees | Occupation | Profile Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr John Murray | Term of office from 17 Mar 2021 to 16 Mar 2025 First appointed on 17 Mar 2021 | Standards and Intervention, Growth, Pay | Headteacher (Retired), The Catholic High School, Chester | Mr. Murray led a secondary school for over 15 years and helped set up a Multi Academy Trust. He has also served as a Governor and Chair of a hospital school. An active member of the Mountain Rescue Team in Cumbria and a recently elected local councillor for Westmorland and Furness. |
| Mrs Ann Marie Pinguey | Term of office from 17 Mar 2021 to 16 Mar 2025 First appointed on 17 Mar 2021 | Finance and Staffing, Audit | Management Accountant, Finance Manager – Tullie House Museum, Carlisle | Mrs. Pinguey is an experienced management accountant who has worked in various sectors, including education. She has four years of experience as a school bursar and recent experience working for an Academy Trust. |
| Father Luiz Ruscillo | Term of office from 17 Mar 2021 to 16 Mar 2025 First appointed on 17 Mar 2021 | Vision and Development, Growth | Catholic Priest, Diocese of Lancaster | Fr. Ruscillo has served as a Parish Priest for 30 years in the Diocese of Lancaster and has held positions in the Diocese’s Education Service, working extensively with primary and secondary schools. |
| Professor Keith Hanley | Term of office from 12 Sep 2023 to 11 Sep 2027 First appointed on 12 Sep 2023 | Vision and Development | Professor Emeritus at Lancaster University | Prof. Hanley founded the Wordsworth Centre and has held posts at several universities, including Notre Dame, Indiana. He has been a member of the executive board of the American organisation, INCS. |
| Elizabeth Anne Mallinson (Chair) | Term of office from 25 Jul 2023 to 24 Jul 2027 First appointed on 25 Jul 2023 | Finance and Staffing, Audit, Growth | Former Local Councillor | Mrs Mallinson was a local councillor for many years, serving in key roles, including Chair of Cumbria County Council and Cabinet Member for Organisational Development. She is a champion for children in care. |
| Dr. Andy Johnson (Vice Chair) | Term of office from 15 Nov 2023 to 14 Nov 2027 First appointed on 15 Nov 2023 | Standards and Intervention | Former County Councillor for Education | Dr. Johnson has 37 years of experience in education, including roles as Director of Children’s Services, an HMI with Ofsted, and a headteacher. He is also the Chair of the Diocese Building Committee. |
| Simon Clarkson | Term of office from 3 Sep 2024 to 3 Sep 2025 First appointed on 3 Sep 2024 | Finance, Staffing and Audit, Pay | Counter Fraud Specialist | Mr. Clarkson has had a long career in fraud and crime management, including work as a police officer and involvement in national crime initiatives. He has expertise in risk management and equal opportunities. |
| Joan Hadley | Term of office from 11 Sep 2024 to 10 Sep 2028 First appointed on 11 Sep 2024 | Standards and Intervention, Vision and Development, Pay | Retired | Joan has served as a school governor for many years, including as a Chair of Governors for the St Ninian Federation for over 18 years. |
Previous Directors
| Name | Resignation Date | Committee | Occupation | Profile Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Douglas Lovell | First appointed on 17 Mar 2021 Resignation 01/10/2024 | Development and Ethos | School Buildings Surveyor, Diocese of Lancaster | Mr. Lovell oversees school estates and trustees’ interests in the Diocese of Lancaster. He also has experience in Finance, Premises, HR, and H&S and serves as a primary school governor. |
| Mrs Bernadette Barnes | First appointed on 17 Mar 2021 Resignation 30/09/2024 | Standards and Intervention | Headteacher (Retired), Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Barrow | Mrs. Barnes was the headteacher for 9 years and worked in various roles at Sacred Heart for 26 years. |
Director’s Attendance 2024-2025
| Name | Oct 2nd | 4th Dec | 5th Feb | 2nd April | 4th June | 2nd July |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Murray | Y | Y | ||||
| Ann Pinguey | Y | Y | ||||
| Fr Luiz Ruscillo | Y | Y | ||||
| Elizabeth Anne Mallinson (Chair) | Y | Y | ||||
| Keith Hanley | Y | Y | ||||
| Andrew Johnson (Vice Chair) | Y | Y | ||||
| Joan Hadley | Y | Y | ||||
| Simon Clarkson | Y | Y |
Finance, Staffing, and Audit
| Name | 27th Sept | 25th Oct | 4th Nov | 29th Nov | 21st March | 25th April | 4th July |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Pinguey (Chair) | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||
| Simon Clarkson | Y | Apologies | Y | Y | |||
| Elizabeth Anne Mallinson | Y | Y | Y | Apologies |
Standards and Intervention
| Name | Oct 2nd | 27th Nov | 22nd Jan | 26th March | May 21st | 9th July |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Murray | Y | N | Y | |||
| Joan Hadley (VC) | Not yet in post | Y | Y | |||
| Andrew Johnson (Chair) | Y | Y | Y | |||
| Elizabeth Anne Mallinson | Y | Y | Apologies |
Vision and Development Committee
| Name | 10th Oct | 9th Jan | 12th June |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Hadley | Not yet in post | Y | |
| Fr Luiz Ruscillo | Y | Y | |
| Keith Hanley | Y | Y | |
| John Murray (Chair) | Y | N |
Growth Committee
| Name | 20th Nov | 5th Feb | 4th June |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Murray (Chair) | Y | ||
| Fr Luiz Ruscillo | Y | ||
| Elizabeth Anne Mallinson | Y | ||
| Keith Hanley | Y |