
Meet our speakers
Take a sneak peek at some of our headline speakers! As the programme continues to unfold, you will have the opportunity to see the complete list of speakers who will be presenting at ISBL National Conference 2025.
Motivational Speakers
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A trailblazer in both the fire service and academia, Sabrina’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. From experiencing homelessness at fifteen to becoming one of the UK’s most senior female firefighters and a leading expert in behavioural neuroscience, her story is a powerful testament to resilience, leadership, and the power of determination.
As a Research Fellow at Cardiff University and the National Fire Chiefs Council International Lead, Sabrina brings a unique perspective on high-pressure decision-making, leadership under adversity, and breaking systemic barriers—insights that resonate far beyond the fireground.
She is also the bestselling author of The Heat of the Moment and The Gender Bias, where she shares gripping frontline experiences and challenges the status quo on gender equality.
Join us to hear Sabrina’s inspiring story and gain transformative insights that will empower you to lead with courage, challenge limitations, and ignite change.
Keynote Speakers
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Rachel Younger has worked in schools for more than 20 years and is currently the Business Manager at St Nicholas C of E Primary School in Blackpool. She is a fellow of the Institute of School Business Leadership and a governor at a local all-through special school for pupils with autism.
Rachel has been an active member of NAHT since 2012, becoming branch secretary for Blackpool in 2015. She was NAHT regional president for the North West in 2018, the first School Business Leader to be elected to that office in any region. Rachel has been a member of NAHT’s national executive committee since 2017. She is the first school business leader to be elected to the role of president in the union’s 125-year history.
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Harry leads a team of experienced specialists and engineers dedicated to helping schools reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions through innovative mechanical and electrical engineering design, compliance strategies and energy efficiency solutions.
With seven years of experience as an energy consultant, a degree in renewable energy engineering, and an Executive MBA in progress, he combines technical expertise with a passion for sustainability
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Nick is a sustainability leader with 20+ years’ international experience across construction, retail, and government. His interest in sustainability began during a Geography degree followed by a Climate Change MSc. This background led to senior roles shaping strategy and delivery at Carillion, SGN, HS2, and Selfridges. Most recently, he was Sustainability Lead at Crown Commercial Service.
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As the Chief Executive of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), I have dedicated the last 10 years of my career, in a national role, to unleashing the potential and promoting the professionalisation of a disparate community of school leaders. In collaboration with the Department for Education (DfE), ISBL has supported over 10,000 practitioners in gaining formal qualifications. As part of my vision for a professionalised workforce of school business leaders, in 2015, I instigated the development of professional standards that are now nationally recognised and feature in the Academy Trust Handbook.
In 2017, I led the complex transition of the National Association of School Business Management to institute status. The process involved making a robust case to Companies House, securing Secretary of State approval and ensuring unwavering support from key sector stakeholders.
Since I took up the reigns of the organisation nearly 10 years ago, ISBL has trained thousands of school leaders in the areas of financial assurance and effective resource management. We have secured numerous government contracts including a developing programme for clerks, better access to financial expertise for primary schools, the school resource management adviser (SRMA) initiative, and, more recently, the trust CFO mentoring pilot.
I strongly believe that school business professionals and indeed their leadership and governance colleagues are better equipped, more sophisticated and technically stronger as a result of ISBL’s work over the last decade. As a standing member of the DfE’s Financial Reporting Programme Board, I am privy to data that supports this assertion.
In a non-executive capacity, as an Academy Ambassador, I have discharged my governance responsibilities with oversight of school improvement strategies, ensuring appropriate support for children with additional needs and providing Ofsted with confidence in our work.
This experience and influence has afforded me unique insights into both policy and practice. I have a very strong understanding of policy levers and the role of key actors in the ongoing evolution of our mixed economy education system.
As well as leading transformational change at ISBL, I have supported trust leaders across the country with a range of strategic priorities, including the importance of a clear organisational culture and values, organisational design, preparing for growth, developing central teams, striking the balance of autonomy over funding, and how to attract and retain talented staff by becoming an authentic employer of choice. In addition, I work with numerous think tanks and sector bodies, addressing some of the main issues confronting society.
I initiated and continue to chair a sector leaders’ equity, inclusion and diversity focus group.
In my current capacity as CEO, I believe I have fostered a culture of continuous improvement, where we embrace new thinking and individual contributions are recognised and valued.
It is my belief that the success of any education system cannot exceed the quality of its workforce. Highly motivated and valued teachers are central to any high-performing education system. The mix of ingredients including strong culture, robust structures and effective talent management is essential to any successful trust and, most importantly, the outcomes for the children it serves. Any people strategy must successfully attract and retain committed and highly motivated teachers if we are to ensure optimum pupil attainment. Supporting the personal and professional ambition of the staff, both pedagogical and non-pedagogical, should be a priority for any school.
I have been a long-standing advocate of joined-up leadership, and I have spent my career promoting the importance of a strong leadership triangle where pedagogy, business and governance operate seamlessly and inclusively together. To that end, in 2021, I published a paper entitled “Barriers to joined-up leadership in the English education system”.
I understand the heavy scrutiny on trusts and the effort required to adhere to a very demanding regulatory framework. I have a deep understanding of these requirements, and I have been close to many of the policy developments related to trust accountability. I have a background in strategic finance and understand the importance of rigorous evidence-based planning, optimal resource management and robust controls.
As a sector leader, I am not afraid to challenge orthodoxy, and I will always encourage innovation and creative thinking. My leadership approach is underpinned by the Boyatzis self-directed learning model characterised by a continuous improvement loop of plan, do, review and reflect.
Panel Speakers
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TBC
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I've been working in the education sector for 26 years across secondaries, primaries, for the local authority, and now at a special school. I think I have done most support roles in schools and have worked my way up through the ranks as well as studied for my CSBM, DSBM, level 6 in leadership and management and most recently my MBA in Business Administration. I have been a school business manager for 16 years and I love my role, especially finance. I'm part of SYSBL (South Yorkshire Business Leaders), the Sheffield Support Staff Review Body (SRRP) and lead a network for approximately 40 Sheffield Business Manager - I get about to say the least! Networking and CPD are so important to me and I definitely try and keep ahead of what is going on in this fast paced and ever-changing industry, as well as learning from others and giving help and support where needed.
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Vicki is currently making a significant impact as an Executive School Business Manager at Esteem Multi-Academy Trust. Her role focuses on driving operational excellence and strategic financial management across multiple schools, building on a career trajectory that began in 2005 and includes securing funding and implementing widespread school improvements. Earlier this year Vicki accredited in Associate Lead Practitioner in ISBL’s Op-Ex for Education. Vicki is further enhancing her expertise by undertaking a Senior Leader Apprenticeship/Master's in Educational Leadership with NITE/Coventry University. Passionate about developing the School Business Leader role, she is committed to ensuring high-quality education for all children
Vicki is an active committee member of BASBM - Birmingham Association of School Business Managers and have been since 2022 after being a member since 2013.
Workshop Speakers
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Emma Gray is an experienced School Business Leader, Consultant and SRMA, specialising in operational excellence and risk management in schools. With a strong background in education, Emma helps school leaders enhance internal communication, manage teams effectively, and drive innovation. She is passionate about empowering leaders to navigate challenges, mitigate risks, and streamline operations to improve school performance. In her session on Effective Internal Communication and Managing Teams, Emma will share practical strategies to enhance communication, foster collaboration, and create high-performing teams that support continuous improvement and student success.
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Phil brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in supporting the education sector. He currently leads our national education proposition, overseeing a team of 14 specialist Education Relationship Managers who work with 8 out of 10 academy trusts across the UK. Phil is committed to delivering value to our clients through cutting-edge digital innovations—driving efficiency, reducing risk, enhancing oversight, and strengthening financial control
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Lou is CEO of the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE), which supports schools to develop successful fundraising and engagement programmes, through providing training, guidance, support, benchmarking and partnership work across the schools’ sector.
Lou has over 20 years’ experience of working across fundraising disciplines, and has previously held senior fundraising roles at The Stroke Association and Shelter Cymru. Lou has also volunteered for a number of organisations, from being Chair of Trustees for Cardiff Women’s Aid to being a Board member for the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and more recently, supporting the PTA at her children’s primary school.
Lou is passionate about fundraising, and as such has found herself hiking across Iceland, running a marathon and cycling from Cardiff to Dublin, to raise money for good causes.
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Rachel Younger has worked in schools for more than 20 years and is currently the Business Manager at St Nicholas C of E Primary School in Blackpool. She is a fellow of the Institute of School Business Leadership and a governor at a local all-through special school for pupils with autism.
Rachel has been an active member of NAHT since 2012, becoming branch secretary for Blackpool in 2015. She was NAHT regional president for the North West in 2018, the first School Business Leader to be elected to that office in any region. Rachel has been a member of NAHT’s national executive committee since 2017. She is the first school business leader to be elected to the role of president in the union’s 125-year history.
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Miriam is an experienced barrister in our Regulatory Risk and Resolution team, specialising in education law, human rights and equality. She has a vast range of experience in advising educational providers, local authorities and families in education law disputes, from early years to higher education. Miriam provides advice and representation on admissions, exclusions, SEND, discrimination, school complaints, OFSTED and OIA matters.
Miriam acts for a full range of clients in this field and past and present clients include schools (maintained, independent and academies), parents, students, local authorities, universities and FE colleges. She appears regularly in SENDIST appeals including highly complex multi-day extended appeals and disability discrimination claims both in the First-Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal.
Miriam has a strong practice in judicial review claims in the field of education and equality acting for claimants, defendants and interested parties, having practiced public law throughout her practice. She has particular expertise in discrimination law and claims under the Equality Act 2010.
Throughout her career, Miriam has been actively involved in human rights and human rights claims regularly arise in most of her areas of practice. She has considerable experience of advising both individuals and public authorities on their rights and duties. Her experience ranges from litigation before the European Court of Human Rights, lecturing and training lawyers and judges to work with grass roots organisations and advisory and advocacy work at the Bar.
Miriam is a qualified mediator in disputes within her areas of practice.
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Matt Isherwood is an Associate Partner at Barker following 14 years at Brooke Weston Trust as Director of Estates. He has been a long-standing and strong advocate for best practice on Good Estates Management, Energy, Sustainability, and use of data-driven decision making. Matt has enormous knowledge and experience of estates management from the client side and is now working with Barker to promote this knowledge to the wider education sector.
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With over nine years in banking, Jack specializes in cash management, including liquidity, treasury, and payment solutions. He partners closely with schools and trusts, delivering tailored strategies to optimize cash flow and streamline payments.
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I’ve worked in the built environment, asset management, and FM for over 25 years, across local authorities, private estates, and internationally. In recent years, I’ve focused on the education sector, and after working as an Estate Manager for a MAT of 30 schools, I now run my own consultancy, helping schools and trusts adopt a more strategic, practical approach to managing their estates. I’m also publishing a book on leading and managing an education estate, a practical guide for anyone involved in the process, from site staff to CEOs and the kind of resource I was looking for when I first took on that responsibility.
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As the Chief Executive of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), I have dedicated the last 10 years of my career, in a national role, to unleashing the potential and promoting the professionalisation of a disparate community of school leaders. In collaboration with the Department for Education (DfE), ISBL has supported over 10,000 practitioners in gaining formal qualifications. As part of my vision for a professionalised workforce of school business leaders, in 2015, I instigated the development of professional standards that are now nationally recognised and feature in the Academy Trust Handbook.
In 2017, I led the complex transition of the National Association of School Business Management to institute status. The process involved making a robust case to Companies House, securing Secretary of State approval and ensuring unwavering support from key sector stakeholders.
Since I took up the reigns of the organisation nearly 10 years ago, ISBL has trained thousands of school leaders in the areas of financial assurance and effective resource management. We have secured numerous government contracts including a developing programme for clerks, better access to financial expertise for primary schools, the school resource management adviser (SRMA) initiative, and, more recently, the trust CFO mentoring pilot.
I strongly believe that school business professionals and indeed their leadership and governance colleagues are better equipped, more sophisticated and technically stronger as a result of ISBL’s work over the last decade. As a standing member of the DfE’s Financial Reporting Programme Board, I am privy to data that supports this assertion.
In a non-executive capacity, as an Academy Ambassador, I have discharged my governance responsibilities with oversight of school improvement strategies, ensuring appropriate support for children with additional needs and providing Ofsted with confidence in our work.
This experience and influence has afforded me unique insights into both policy and practice. I have a very strong understanding of policy levers and the role of key actors in the ongoing evolution of our mixed economy education system.
As well as leading transformational change at ISBL, I have supported trust leaders across the country with a range of strategic priorities, including the importance of a clear organisational culture and values, organisational design, preparing for growth, developing central teams, striking the balance of autonomy over funding, and how to attract and retain talented staff by becoming an authentic employer of choice. In addition, I work with numerous think tanks and sector bodies, addressing some of the main issues confronting society.
I initiated and continue to chair a sector leaders’ equity, inclusion and diversity focus group.
In my current capacity as CEO, I believe I have fostered a culture of continuous improvement, where we embrace new thinking and individual contributions are recognised and valued.
It is my belief that the success of any education system cannot exceed the quality of its workforce. Highly motivated and valued teachers are central to any high-performing education system. The mix of ingredients including strong culture, robust structures and effective talent management is essential to any successful trust and, most importantly, the outcomes for the children it serves. Any people strategy must successfully attract and retain committed and highly motivated teachers if we are to ensure optimum pupil attainment. Supporting the personal and professional ambition of the staff, both pedagogical and non-pedagogical, should be a priority for any school.
I have been a long-standing advocate of joined-up leadership, and I have spent my career promoting the importance of a strong leadership triangle where pedagogy, business and governance operate seamlessly and inclusively together. To that end, in 2021, I published a paper entitled “Barriers to joined-up leadership in the English education system”.
I understand the heavy scrutiny on trusts and the effort required to adhere to a very demanding regulatory framework. I have a deep understanding of these requirements, and I have been close to many of the policy developments related to trust accountability. I have a background in strategic finance and understand the importance of rigorous evidence-based planning, optimal resource management and robust controls.
As a sector leader, I am not afraid to challenge orthodoxy, and I will always encourage innovation and creative thinking. My leadership approach is underpinned by the Boyatzis self-directed learning model characterised by a continuous improvement loop of plan, do, review and reflect.
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Paul is a Legal Director in the Education Team at HCR Law. Paul handles a full range of complex and challenging issues that clients face, from parental complaints to exclusions, and from safeguarding to compliance. Data protection is also a key issue on which Paul advises schools, charities and other businesses. He advises both strategically and practically when clients face regulatory scrutiny on matters such as subject access requests, personal data breaches and freedom of information requests, owing to his considerable experience dealing with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). governance. Her expertise also lies in supporting NGA’s broader membership base and scoping potential projects with new and existing partners.
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TBCBC
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James is a Senior Associate in Stone King’s Employment Team, specialising in the education sector. He advises a wide range of educational establishments across the full range of employment issues, including disciplinary matters, grievances, absence management, performance management, whistleblowing, safeguarding, discrimination and industrial relations. An experienced Employment Tribunal advocate, James has substantial experience representing clients in both multi-day and contested preliminary hearings, and in supporting clients through complex projects, such as academy conversions, difficult TUPE matters or industrial relations issues.
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Myles is founder and CEO of Bremner & Co, which was established in 2016. He and the team work closely with national and local governments, NGOs and civil society organisations, academia, and the corporate sector to make the food system better and fairer.
Myles is the former Director of the government’s School Food Plan, spearheading the transformation of food culture in schools. Myles has been an advisor to the Jamie Oliver Group, and was Chief Executive of Garden Organic, a leading UK educational horticultural charity, for six years. He is a former member of the London Food Board and has held Trustee positions at Sustain, the Alliance for Better Food and Farming, and at the Royal Academy of Culinary Art’s Adopt a School Programme.
Myles cares deeply about children’s nutrition and health and his works spans the full 0-8,000 days of a child’s development. Myles is currently helping to co-ordinate the work of England’s School Food Review, campaigning for national free school meals auto-enrolment, and working with the international school meals coalition.
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Rachel Younger has worked in schools for more than 20 years and is currently the Business Manager at St Nicholas C of E Primary School in Blackpool. She is a fellow of the Institute of School Business Leadership and a governor at a local all-through special school for pupils with autism.
Rachel has been an active member of NAHT since 2012, becoming branch secretary for Blackpool in 2015. She was NAHT regional president for the North West in 2018, the first School Business Leader to be elected to that office in any region. Rachel has been a member of NAHT’s national executive committee since 2017. She is the first school business leader to be elected to the role of president in the union’s 125-year history. Ruth leads Forbes’ nationally recognised Public Sector Employment team, specialising in employment law for over 22 years with particular expertise in education, housing, and local authority sectors. She has guided the team since 2018 contributing to its growth by offering strategic advice rooted in deep sector understanding. Ruth is highly regarded by education and public sector clients for her direct, pragmatic communication style and approachability. She excels at complex matters involving team management, trade union relations, and reputational risk, while maintaining keen awareness of public sector value principles and responsible use of public funds.
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Craig is Head of HR Consultancy Services at Stone King, as well as Head of Team for Employment, HR Consultancy, and Immigration. He advises clients across all sectors, with particular expertise in education, and plays a key role in business development, regularly speaking at regional and national events. A people-focused HR professional, Craig specialises in recruitment, talent management, people strategy and workforce design. He also provides advice on complex HR issues including TUPE, absence management, disciplinary, capability, grievance, TUPE, restructure and redundancy.
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Alex has over 12 years of banking experience, including 4 focused on corporate card solutions. He works closely with schools and trusts to improve payment processes, offering practical solutions that save time and deliver real value .