Board of Governors’ Membership

Professor Anne-Marie Kilday is Vice Chancellor and Professor of Criminal History at the University of Northampton and joined the University on 1 August 2022.

Dayo Adedapo is a talented and experienced senior risk leader in financial services with experience in the infrastructure and fintech industries. Earlier in his career while working for Network Rail and consulting for Arup he has led high performing risk teams and held responsibility for directing risk management activities on a number of major infrastructure and transformation programmes.

More recently, Dayo has been working for HSBC, firstly leading the implementation and embedding of a new Operational Risk Management framework in their Digital Bank and subsequently leading risk governance and oversight activities for the Wealth and Personal Banking division for resilience and cyber security risks specifically.

Dayo is very passionate about equality and fairness and believes higher education can be a strong tool in addressing many issues in the world today. Dayo also chairs the board of trustees for a local charity.

Information to follow

Bio to follow

Andy is a graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, where he was also a Student Union Vice President. Since then he has a work history spanning central and local government, the NHS, the not for profit sector and working closely with the Higher Education sector. He was previously CEO of the British Dietetic Association for nearly 20 years and has over 10 years’ experience as a governance expert: advising the not for profit sector both in the UK and internationally.

He holds several trustee and non executive Director and advisory positions on Boards of charities and companies in the UK. He has worked in the health sector for over 25 years, is a visiting lecturer on governance and ethics and speaks both nationally and internationally on Board development and governance for professional and membership bodies. In addition, he has been involved with key strategic government projects and reviews in recent years. He was involved with the implementation of the Nightingale Hospitals at the start of the COVID pandemic and was a member of the Board leading the review of NHS Hospital Food.

Andy has a long history with Northampton, having lived in the area previously but is still a regular supporter at Northampton Saints RFC.

With over eighteen years experience working in education, Judy has held leadership roles in secondary, further and higher education. Currently Programme Lead of MA Education and MA in Childhood and Youth programmes at The Open University, Judy is also a member of Senate.

Beyond her substantive role as an academic, Judy supports schools in her capacity as a Chair of an upper school governing body in Bedfordshire. As a Bedford leader of governance, Judy is a member of the governance strategic partnership group which involves supporting governing boards, Chairs and governors across Bedford Borough.

Judy has a doctorate in educational leadership and management, master’s in education and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Leighton Chipperfield is Chief Executive of the Royal Economic Society. He has spent the 25 years in roles spanning academic and clinical research, policy and education, including leadership positions in the private and charitable sectors.

He began his career in academic publishing, latterly as Publishing Director managing teams in the UK and US publishing high-impact scientific and medical research. In 2012 he moved to the Microbiology Society to transform their commercial and publishing business, before commencing his role at the Royal Economic Society in 2017.

Leighton has held non-executive positions at various organisations including The Evidence Quarter, the British Society of Radiology and the Foundation for Professionals in Services to Adolescents. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Voluntary Sector Management from Cass Business School and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Samantha Coggins-Thompson is a seasoned financial services professional with a distinguished 38-year career spanning high street banking, stockbroking, investment management, commercial & corporate finance, internal audit, and enterprise risk. She began her journey at Barclays Bank before taking on senior audit and risk positions at Lloyds Bank and GE Capital.

In 2016, Samantha was appointed Chief Audit Executive at Computershare, a global Australian stock transfer company. She later joined the Board of Computershare Corporate Trust Company as Executive Director, where she chaired both the Risk Committee and the People & Culture Committee, driving governance excellence and organisational resilience.

Beyond her executive career, Samantha has been a dedicated volunteer, contributing her time and expertise to a national cancer charity and a student mentoring organisation. She also co-founded a women’s mentoring group in London, championing professional growth and peer support for women in Internal Audit and Risk.

Samantha was born and raised in Northamptonshire and continues to reside in East Northants. She has worked for Barclays Bank across the county and also at Barclaycard’s headquarters in Northampton—one of the region’s largest private sector employers.

Hafiz is currently serving as Vice President Education in the University of Northampton Students’ Union, a role that has earned him a position on the university’s Board of Governors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce with a specialisation in Finance and is pursuing an MSc in Business Analytics at the University of Northampton. He is currently on a study break to focus on his responsibilities in this role.

Originally from India, Hafiz has a background in community service and leadership, having volunteered for two years with both the National Service Scheme and the National Cadet Corps.

As Vice President Education, Hafiz is passionate about advocating for students, ensuring their voices are heard, and working to enhance their academic experience at the university.

Atif is currently the Director of Digital Strategy and Data at a large private school. In this role, he leverages his extensive experience in support, operations analysis, and strategic IT management to enhance operational efficiency and improve user satisfaction across diverse teams.

With extensive international experience, he has worked and lived in countries such as Belgium, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Egypt. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed IT initiatives that align with organisational goals, leading to significant improvements in service delivery and user engagement. His experience includes restructuring teams to meet evolving business needs and implementing cloud computing solutions that enhance accessibility and collaboration.

As an IT Consultant, he supported over 3,000 users at Trinity Mirror and was responsible for Virgin Reseller Projects at Virgin Net, collaborating with key partners such as NTL, HP, Bush, and Peugeot. He played a pivotal role in planning and executing projects like Virgin Net, Virgin Com, and Virgin Wines, while providing technical support to remote users across the UK and Europe.

Having dyslexia, he possesses a deep-rooted drive to understand the bigger picture and establish connections between everyday actions. This perspective fuels his commitment to the intricate relationship between technology and organisational success. He is a lifelong learner, continuously expanding his knowledge in IT management and staying abreast of the latest industry trends.

He believes that fostering a healthy work-life balance is essential for productivity and employee well-being. Mindfulness plays a pivotal role in his approach to leadership.

As a new member of the board of governors, he is passionate about leveraging technology to drive institutional success and is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision-making. He looks forward to connecting with stakeholders who share his vision for creating impactful solutions in education.

Sarah is the Northampton Students Union Welfare Officer, this role earns her a position on the university board of governors. She has just graduated from her degree BSc Health Sciences. Sarah has a background with Northampton Students Union, being a committee member for a society and part time officer for her faculty. She also has a background in the care sector. Sarah is passionate about improving the students experience at UON and promoting inclusivity in all the work she does.

Harriet is an experienced finance practitioner having worked in a variety of not for profit organisations, acting as an enabler and business partner to embed commercial disciplines and drive evidence based decision making, Harriet has led finance and wider support functions including technology and digital, data, governance, property and HR teams to deliver efficient and effective business operations. Harriet is a Chartered Accountant by training and is currently Director of Finance and Operations at Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre.

A 20+ year career with a significant portion of that spent in the financial sector and more recently in the B2B retail technical sector, Rachel has worked across different business functions – including business development, sales, operations, marketing, events, project and programme management. This broader experience has been invaluable and helps to bring a broad and rounded experience to the board. She has a particular passion for people and the employee experience, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion.

Rachel is proud of the fact she came to higher education through the non-traditional route. Achieving her MBA from Cranfield University later in her life and without having an undergraduate degree helps her to bring a different perspective to the University. Demonstrating the role and importance of access to higher education at any age or experience.

This isn’t the first volunteer role that Rachel has held, she previously held a governor role for a first school based in Milton Keynes; she was a former police Special Superintendent in Oxfordshire and has even been a volunteer dog walker at a local animal rescue centre!

Being able to actively contribute to her local community is really important to her and Rachel is delighted to be part of the governing board, helping the University to achieve its goals for the students, colleagues and wider community.

Deborah Parker is a Senior Human Resources professional with more than 20 years working in the HR field.  She has worked across a range of industries from banking, brewing and logistics within globally well-known household brands.   She is currently Vice President HR for an American-owned global chemical cleaning company where she has responsibility across the European region.

Where people are seen as the key differentiating asset in any business, Deborah has a keen interest in the role that the University can play preparing people for the workplace and fostering strong links with local employers.

Deborah has a BA in Comparative American Studies from the University of Warwick and gained her MA in Human Resource Administration from the University of Northampton.

Jon is a higher education consultant with extensive experience in quality assurance and developing practice in learning and teaching. His most recent academic roles were as Professor of Bioscience Education and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) at the University of Leicester.

Jon has led on a range of projects, including assessment and feedback, academic integrity, belonging and retention and the student experience. In 2011 he was named UK Bioscience Teacher of the Year, a National Teaching Fellow in 2012 and Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE in 2013.

Jon is actively engaged with various HE organisations including as a member of the TEF Panel, as a longstanding QAA Reviewer and UKPSF Accreditor for AdvanceHE.

Ketan Soni is a qualified Chartered Accountant with more than 24 years of professional experience, gained across both India and the UK. He began his career in India, including experience in investment banking, before moving to the UK where he has held senior finance and leadership roles. Over the course of his career, Ketan has worked across healthcare, property, retail, manufacturing, renewable energy, and e-commerce, building expertise in finance strategy, business transformation, and system implementations.

Ketan has significant experience in the healthcare sector, particularly in care homes and the pharmacy industry, where he has worked closely with the NHS, local councils, and community partners. As the owner of multiple community pharmacies, he has contributed to delivering essential healthcare services, creating employment opportunities, and supporting the well-being of local communities.

Alongside his professional career, Ketan actively volunteers with BAPS Swaminarayan temple, supporting community, cultural, and educational initiatives that promote social harmony and well-being. He is passionate about education, governance, and sustainable growth.

Outside of his professional and voluntary commitments, Ketan enjoys travelling and exploring new cultures. He is also a keen sports enthusiast, with particular interests in badminton, table tennis, and cricket.

Michelle has an extremely broad working experience, both across industries (medicine, banking and social finance), and geographies (London, Hong Kong, Singapore, the US). She is committed to making a positive change in society, and strongly believes that education can help address inequalities in the world.

Currently, she is Chief Investment Officer at a social finance company that uses innovative finance to increase access to healthcare products in underserved communities. Michelle has a key leadership role providing strategic oversight and direction, and is also responsible for all deal investment activity.

Michelle was previously an accomplished managing director in the corporate finance team at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and is a proud recipient of a BA (Physiological Sciences) and a BM, BCh from the University of Oxford.

Paul is an expert in corporate communications and brings to the Board significant experience in fields such as change communications strategy, employee engagement, stakeholder management and media relations.

In a career that has taken him around the world, Paul has worked with market leaders across many industries, including aviation, precision engineering, financial services, insurance, telecoms, utilities, e-commerce, health and social care.

After a successful career in journalism and public relations in the UK, Paul lived and worked as a PR consultant in the Far East (Tokyo, Hong Kong, Brunei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur) and the Middle East (Bahrain, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar), before returning to the UK, where he held a number of senior in-house corporate communications roles with multi-nationals.

Since 2008, Paul has run a successful consultancy specialising in supporting FTSE 100 / 250 companies experiencing operational, organisational and cultural change, where reputational management and employee engagement are key.