Our Team
David Weston, Chief Executive
A former maths and physics teacher (MEng (Oxon) ALCM PGCE) with ten years experience, David founded the Trust in 2012. He is Chair of the Department for Education’s Teachers’ Professional Development Expert Group and, alongside Bridget Clay, wrote Unleashing Great Teaching: the secrets to the most effective teacher development. David taught maths and physics for ten years in schools in London and the South East. He is a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and a member of the College’s Council. David speaks and writes frequently for the education sector and national media and has had a number of radio and TV appearances on the subject of teaching, teacher development and LGBT issues. . David.Weston@TDTrust.org
Maria Cunningham, Head of Education
Maria is a former London primary school teacher and participant of the Teach First leadership development programme, with a degree in Modern Languages from Durham University. She joined TDT in the Summer of 2016, having also worked as Communications Officer for Latin American Foundation for the Future (LAFF) in Cusco, Peru. Maria writes for educational publications including SecEd and Headteacher Update and is currently acting as secretariat for the Department for Education’s CPD Expert Group.
Maria.Cunningham@TDTrust.org
Rachel Dunsby, Head of Office Operations
Before joining TDT, Rachel supported Watford Grammar School for Boys as their chief Exams and Admissions Officer, liaising with the local authority, exam boards, teachers, and parents, and coordinating cross-phase and mid-year admissions. She sat on the Education and Health & Safety Committees as staff governor during this time. Alongside her work with TDT, Rachel is Partner and Company Secretary for Ace Garden Services Ltd. and has 7 years’ previous conference organisation experience within the leisure and events industry. Joining the team in 2019, Rachel is motivated by TDT’s mission of supporting and empowering robust professional development school-wide. Contact Rachel for all queries on internal events management, bookings, legal information, billing, and accounts.
Rachel.Dunsby@tdtrust.org
Michelle Barker, Communications and Network Lead
A former Centre Director for Explore Learning and EAL teacher, Michelle has over 6 years’ experience in supporting both UK and overseas education. Specialising as a trainer in customer experience, she joined the team in 2019 eager to continue delivering on the needs of the Teacher Development Trust’s network and expanding the reach of our charitable mission by connecting the people at its core.
Michelle.Barker@TDTrust.org
Ian Campbell, Partnerships and Network Lead
Ian has worked in various educational charities including the Institute of Physics, Yes Futures and The Challenge. He has previously taught English in Hong Kong for two years and holds a degree in Psychology. Ian supports TDT schools with their membership and is enthusiastic about expanding the TDT Network.
Ian.Campbell@TDTrust.org
Bethan Hindley, Training Programmes Lead
A former maths and economics teacher and a participant of the Teach First leadership development programme, Bethan has taught in London and São Paulo, Brazil. An Economics and German Graduate (University of Leeds), Bethan joined the Trust in 2018 and leads on developing and delivering TDT’s training programmes.
Bethan.Hindley@TDTrust.org
Kathryn Morgan, Expert Adviser
Kathryn is an experienced senior leader as both a Primary School Deputy Head teacher and then as a Director of CPD across a Multi-Academy Trust. Most recently, she was Associate Dean of Learning Design at Ambition Institute. She has close links with Newman University, delivering modules on their PGCE course and also the University of Birmingham where she designed and delivered part of their MA in Leadership. Kathryn is a trained Fierce Conversations coach, facilitating workshops on: how to have challenging conversations, team conversations, delegation skills and mineral rights coaching. Kathryn joined TDT in 2020 and works on TDT’s training programme design and delivery as well as spearheading our work with Multi Academy Trusts and school groups.
Kathryn.Morgan@TDTrust.org
Advisory Board
- Professor Rob Coe, Professor in the School of Education and Director of the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM).
- Philippa Cordingley, Chief Executive, Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education (CUREE).
- Professor Pete Dudley, Associate Director of Children’s Services in the London Borough of Camden and Professor of Education, University of Leicester. Honorary Secretary of the World Association of Lesson Studies. Formerly Director of the National Primary Strategy.
- Liz Francis, Deputy Director, Performance Unit, Department for Education. Formerly director of workforce strategy, standards and qualifications at TDA.
- Laura McInerney, Editor of Schools Week. Fulbright Scholar, journalist, author, former teacher and consultant at LKMco.
- Dr. Jonathan Sharples, Manager of Partnerships at the Institute of Effective Education, currently seconded to the Education Endowment Foundation.
- Jo Palmer-Tweed, Advisor to The National College for Teaching and Leadership and is Strategic Lead for the expert subject advisory groups for the new primary curriculum.
- Professor Daniel Muijs, Professor of Education at the University of Southampton and is acknowledged expert in the fields of Educational and Teacher Effectiveness and quantitative research methods.
Trustees
- Chair: Dame Sue John, Executive Director, Challenge Partners; Chair, Brilliant Club; former headteacher of Lampton School, former secondary director of London Leadership Strategy; former director of the Department for Education, Future Leaders and Teaching Leaders.
- Vice Chair: Anna Pedroza, Director of Pedroza Communications, a communications agency that specialises in the education sector. Former Director of Marketing at Teachers TV. Co-founder of CommsED, UCL EDUCATE mentor, Accredited member of the CIPR and RSA fellow.
- Andrea Carr, Chair, Sumdog; Vice-chair, Langley Park Learning Trust; Founder, Rising Stars Education.
- Sam Freedman, Chief Executive, Ark Education Partnerships; former Executive Director of Programmes at TeachFirst, former Policy Advisor to Michael Gove at the Department for Education.
- Veena Naidoo, Head Teacher at Cleveland Road Primary School. As of 1st January 2016, Cleveland Junior School amalgamated with Cleveland Infant School to form the new larger than average sized, primary school that serves the community of South Ilford, an area of considerable socio-economic disadvantage.
- Martin Post, Part-time Director of Strategy at Aspirations and a member of the STRB. Former Regional Schools Commissioner for South-Central England and North-West London, Headmaster of Watford Grammar School for Boys and National Leader of Education.