Ask the experts

Our Executive team

David Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer

David Gallagher is Chief Executive Officer at NCFE and a Non-Executive Director of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, as well as Vice Chair at Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB). He has worked in employment, education and skills for over 20 years, focused on delivering social impact - from frontline delivery in some of the most disadvantaged communities through to advising sector bodies and stakeholders on the development and delivery of new policy and programmes.   

Specialisms: employment, education, skills, social impact, education policy

Philip Le Feuvre, Chief Operating Officer

Philip Le Feuvre is Chief Operating Officer at NCFE and responsible for group wide strategy and the organisation’s transformation. He has experience working across all levels of the education, employment and skills systems, in the UK, Australia and South East Asia. The businesses and programmes he’s established have developed national qualifications and training content, created pathways for school leavers into work, and helped people upskill and transition in their careers.  

Specialisms: careers advice, careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG), unemployment, skill shortages within key sectors, digital skills, future of work 

Health and social care

Craig Wade, Sector Manager for Health and Social Care

After a 10-year military career as a registered nurse for the Royal Navy, Craig joined NCFE as the Sector Manager for Health and Social Care. He provides a deep understanding of the respective sectors and the occupational and labour market trends, advising NCFE on current specialist skills needs and predictions for future development.

Specialisms: social care, health and social care workforce, health, skills needs

Early years and childcare

Janet King, Sector Manager for Education and Childcare

Janet is the Sector Manager for Education and Childcare at the educational charity NCFE and plays a crucial role in developing new and existing qualifications under the CACHE brand, ensuring they are market leaders. Janet’s previous work has involved management in both further and higher education across care provision and within social services and education.

Specialisms: early years, nurseries, workforce, Montessori, professional development

Angie Rogers, Subject Chair for Early Years and Childcare

Angie is a subject specialist for teaching and learning at NCFE, with a passion for supporting the diverse needs of children and young people, particularly surrounding SEND and mental health and wellbeing. Working in product development has allowed an opportunity to create a wide range of material to support those in the sector to become the best they can be in supporting children and young people. 

Specialisms: SEND, mental health, wellbeing, teaching assistants  

Further education (FE) policy

Michael Lemin, Head of Policy

Michael is Head of Policy at NCFE and has spent his career working across education, local government, and international development. He is an expert in vocational and technical education policy, working closely with colleagues and government to support the development of a system that works for all. 

Specialisms: FE policy, government policy, vocational and technical education, public affairs  

T Levels

Philip Le Feuvre, Chief Operating Officer

Philip Le Feuvre is Chief Operating Officer at NCFE and responsible for group-wide strategy and the organisation’s transformation. He has experience working across all levels of the education, employment and skills systems, in the UK, Australia and South East Asia. The businesses and programmes he’s established have developed national qualifications and training content, created pathways for school leavers into work, and helped people upskill and transition in their careers. 

Specialisms: T Levels, technical and vocational education, qualifications, assessments 

Apprenticeships

Suzanne Slater, Commercial Director

Suzanne is our Commercial Director here at NCFE. Having formerly worked at the North East Chamber of Commerce, she moved into further education through roles at two colleges in the region, before taking up her current position. Suzanne is passionate about the transformative impact apprenticeships can have on disengaged and disadvantaged young people.

Specialisms: apprenticeships, end-point assessment

Leanne Poole, Head of End-Point Assessment Operations

Leanne is the Head of EPA Operations at NCFE. Having formerly worked for national training providers and awarding organisations in the work-based sector, she has 18 years of experience working in apprenticeships. Leanne is keen to provide a sector-leading end-point assessment provision that is apprentice-centric, high quality, and accessible to all.

Specialisms: end-point assessment

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Gray Mytton, Assessment Innovation Manager

As NCFE's Assessment Innovation Manager, Gray identifies and develops assessment solutions to enhance teaching, learning and assessment for future learners. After developing an interest in the use of AI in education, Gray has experienced the planning, building and deployment of safe and effective AI support tools including the personalisation of learning and automation of marking and feedback. Gray previously worked at the Association of Colleges and spent 15 years at two large North East colleges as a lecturer, curriculum leader and head of department in the curriculum areas of sport, public services, travel and A Level. 

Specialisms: artificial intelligence (AI), assessment innovation, assessment solutions, automated marking and feedback, personalised learning 

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Future of assessment

Jessica Blakey, Head of Innovations and Investments

Jessica Blakey is Head of Innovations and Assessments at NCFE, overseeing our charitable initiatives as well as the Assessment Innovation Fund. She previously worked in educational research, teacher training, and as a French teacher in South Shields. Jessica is particularly focused on how to make assessment better, fairer and more accessible for all learners. 

Specialisms: assessment design, assessment development, assessment innovation, accessibility 

Dean Blewitt, Senior Innovation and Investments Manager

Dean Blewitt is NCFE's Senior Innovation and Investments Manager. He manages several innovation pilots which explore the potential benefits of new educational technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and virtual reality/augmented reality. Dean previously worked as a Curriculum Leader of Numeracy and a maths teacher at a secondary school in the North East. He has also volunteered as a school governor at a multi-academy trust in Northumberland. 

Specialisms: assessment innovation, innovative approaches to teaching and learning, assessment technologies, maths and numeracy 

Assessment design

Dr Rebecca Conway, Director of Research and Innovation

Rebecca is the Director of Research and Innovation at NCFE and has worked within assessment for over a decade. She held technical assessment roles at several organisations, including Cambridge University Press and Assessment, before moving to the Federation of Awarding Bodies to lead on policy and strategy. Rebecca has a particular interest in building better assessment practices through practitioner research and professional development, which led to a teaching role as Academic Supervisor on the University of Cambridge’s postgraduate assessment programme. 

Specialisms: assessment, assessment design, assessment policy 

English, maths and digital skills

David Redden, Product Manager

Over the past 12 years, David has played a leading role in shaping and developing NCFE’s Functional Skills qualifications. Working closely with tutors and practitioners from schools, colleges and training providers, he’s gained valuable insight from those on the ground to help shape what’s required within the sector. David is also focused on solutions for the digital skills sector and the implementation of skills assessment tools.  

Specialisms: English, maths, functional skills, digital skills, essential digital skills 

Schools and post-16 pathways

David Rowley, Product Manager – Technical Education 

David manages NCFE’s portfolio of technical qualifications, with a specific focus on schools, 16-19 study pathways, and Higher Technical Qualifications. He’s passionate about ensuring NCFE uses its expertise in technical education to craft qualifications that meet the needs of all learners. This includes shaping and developing NCFE’s suite of V Cert Technical Awards – vocational alternatives to GCSEs – where, as a former teacher, David’s focus is ensuring all pupils, no matter their background, can succeed at school and understanding what the sector needs to make this happen. 

Specialisms: Technical education, further education, higher technical qualifications, qualification reforms, travel and tourism, public services, health and social care, sport, schools, Key Stage 4, School Performance Measures (Progress8) 

Adult learning

Emzi Mills-Frater, Product Manager – Learning for Work

Emzi is the Product Manager for Learning for Work, a team focused on adult education and training (AET) in the workplace. A qualified teacher and lecturer, Emzi has worked within FE and HE environments as well as previously supporting other awarding organisations. She has a wealth of experience in quality assurance, assessment, the learner journey and progression through qualifications.

Specialisms: adult learning, lifelong learning, Adults Skills Fund (ASF)

Accreditation

Michelle Storey, Accreditation Manager

With 17 years of experience in accreditation and two decades spent working in the wider education sector, Michelle is our Accreditation Manager. Her areas of focus include identifying development and diversification opportunities, overseeing product development, and ensuring our customised qualifications and endorsed programmes successfully support organisations to train and upskill their workforce.

Specialisms: accreditation, qualification and training programme development, management and coaching, internal quality assurance, digital credentials