Trustees
The Board of Directors acts in the best interests of the Trust, governing in accordance with its Articles of Association and having governance arrangements that demonstrate visionary leadership, clarity of relationships, effective oversight and sustainability, and achieve the greatest possible economies.
Catherine Borel-Saladin
Trustee term of office 11/11/21 – 10/11/25
Skillset and experience
Catherine is a qualified accountant employed as a Business Partner for a global bank based in London, she has been with the same firm for just over twenty years. Within the organization Catherine is also a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ambassador across the finance division and spent several years supporting mobility and career development initiatives.
Until 2020, Catherine was a parent governor at Skyswood Primary and Infant School for 7 years, 6 of which she was chair of governors.
She lives in St Albans with her husband and two children, both attending an AAT school. Catherine believes through equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives individuals will be able to bring their full selves to all that they do and reach their full potential.
Outside of work Catherine enjoys spending time with her family, exercise, travel and music.
Tom Brighton
Trustee term of office 21/04/2022 – 20/4/2026
Skillset and experience
Tom graduated from the University of Kent with a degree in Business. He then obtained accountancy qualifications before choosing a career within education finance. Over the past 20 years Tom has held the post of Chief Financial Officer for several Multi Academy Trusts (MATs). He is currently a Chief Operating Officer for a MAT in South London.
Tom is passionate about making a difference in education and has been an advisor to various education partners.
Away from work Tom is a member for a local charity and enjoys keeping fit.
Greg Comninos
Trustee term of office 11/09/2021 – 10/09/2025
Skillset and experience
After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Greg qualified as a chartered accountant and spent his whole career, from trainee to partner, with Deloitte, a large professional services practice. He retired from the firm in 2008. He became a governor at Sandringham School in 2013.
When the Alban Academies Trust was set up, Greg resigned as a school governor and became a trustee of the Trust where he chairs the Resources and Audit Committee.
Greg is a trustee and chairs the trustee board of Citizens Advice St Albans. This role gives him the opportunity to get involved in wider community issues in St Albans. Greg lives in Berkhamsted and enjoys bridge, travel and, when time permits, retirement.
Alan Gray
Trustee term of office 11/09/2021 – 10/09/2025
Skillset and experience
Headteacher of Sandringham School for 15 years and previously Headteacher at The Hemel Hempstead School. Alan is a National Leader of Education and has experience of working with a number of secondary schools in this capacity to support leadership. Alan has trained and served as an additional OFSTED inspector and chairs Hertfordshire Schools Forum, the Alban Federation (ITT provider) and the Alban Teaching School Alliance. He has previously chaired local and Hertfordshire Headteacher groups. He was a member of the DfE Secondary Headteacher Reference Group, supporting the DfE with guidance on education matters. Alan is also a trustee of the Saracens High School MAT, contributing to the development of a new school in North London and a Trustee of the Radio Communications Foundation, supporting students with an interest in electronics and communications. Alan has worked closely with governing bodies for over 25 years and has significant experience of school leadership and how to create an outstanding learning environment for all.
Lin Keen
Trustee term of office 11/09/2021 – 10/09/2025
Skillset and experience
Lin’s career was in business. After graduating from Edinburgh University, she started in Market Research in Birmingham, moving on to Marketing and eventually relocating to St Albans to take a position with Cadbury Schweppes. Lin engaged in freelance work whilst her children were young and worked with her husband to build up a Market Research company. She took on responsibility for the finance and company secretarial functions.
Lin has extensive experience in school governance, having first become a governor in 1999. She has been a governor at three different schools in various roles including being chair at two of these. She spent eight years as a National Leader of Governance, working with primary and secondary schools.
Now retired, Lin is a St Albans Green Badge tour guide and enjoys time with her grandchildren.
Norman Leinster
Trustee term of office 20/03/2022 – 19/03/2026
Skillset and experience
Norman qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991 with the then Touche Ross, and worked in various accountancy roles in the private sector, with firms such as Parity and Citigroup. Norman’s roles focused on financial and management accounting, budgeting, and installing financial systems. Norman then joined the diplomatic service at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 2003, and has worked in various policy areas such as Syria and Lebanon, Iraq, the UK Overseas Territories, and also in corporate areas such as IT and Freedom of Information, and Data Protection. He is currently Desk Officer for Anti-Corruption. He has been posted overseas to Kuwait and Pretoria, South Africa.
Norman has lived in St Albans since 1988, attends a local church in St Albans and goes regularly to the National Theatre, Tate Modern, Tate Britain and the Royal Academy of Arts. He travels widely both with work and for leisure, including many of the southern Africa countries when he was working in Pretoria. He worked for three years in Germany and France, and speaks both languages.
Jeremy Loukes
Trustee term of office 28/01/2022 – 27/01/2026
Skillset and experience
Former Headteacher of a Hertfordshire Academy judged outstanding by Ofsted. Jeremy has spent three years as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors, based in the London region. Jeremy currently has a leadership role in a schools’ company providing school improvement services to primary schools in and beyond Hertfordshire.
Having started his teaching career in London, Jeremy taught across the primary age range, having held teaching and leadership posts in Hertfordshire and London schools. In addition to leading inspections of maintained schools, independent schools and academies, the role included reviewing local authority arrangements for school improvement and inspecting initial teacher education providers. It also involved carrying out a broad range of quality assurance tasks and leading training for school leaders, Governors and Ofsted Inspectors. He is committed to promoting high standards, including those of disadvantaged students.
James Rodea
Trustee term of office 19/11/2020 – 18/11/2024
Skillset and experience
James is employed as a Chief Operating Officer within in a Financial Services company based in London, he has been with the same firm for twenty years. The varied nature of his operational role has provided him with a breadth of experience in many areas of running a medium sized business.
Prior to becoming a trustee James was a parent governor and then a co-opted governor for Wheatfields Infants School, a role he undertook for five years.
He lives in St Albans with his wife and three children, all of whom are pupils within schools of the A.A.T. He is passionate about the idea of encouraging everybody to ‘give something back’.
James enjoys most sports.
Deborah Strazza
Trustee term of office 19/09/2018 – 18/09/2022
Skillset and experience
Deborah is an experienced HR practitioner, with both operational and strategic experience.
Passionate about learning and leadership development she works across a variety of sectors as an independent HR consultant. Her experience includes Adult Learning, Retail, Professional Services, Tech and not for profit sectors. She is also an associate with KPMG, in people consulting.
Prior to establishing her consultancy business, she has worked at a senior level in both commercial and HR roles most recently for John Lewis Partnership, as Head of Organisational Effectiveness and Talent Management. She has also led large teams including as the Managing Director at John Lewis Milton Keynes and High Wycombe branches. Deborah was a member for the MK Chamber of Commerce Board for three years and has a long standing relationship with Young Enterprise Board in Hertfordshire.
She lives in St Albans with her husband and two children. Her daughter attended Marlborough Science Academy and her son is a current pupil at Verulam.
Jonathan Sweet
Trustee term of office 19/11/2020 – 18/11/2024
Skillset and experience
Jonathan graduated with a degree in philosophy from Hull University and is a qualified solicitor, living in St Albans. Jonathan’s current role is as a Director of Legal and Compliance at the Abbeyfield Society, a charity providing care and housing for older people. Previously Jonathan worked as in-house Counsel for VSO, the international development charity and before that, was a solicitor with an international law firm in London.
Jonathan and his wife have recently become parents and Jonathan has said he is delighted to be involved in the world of education and is looking forward to supporting the children and staff in any way he can.
