Personnel: AET Staff

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Name	Biography
Stephen Chamberlain Regional Director of Education	Stephen is Executive Principal of the Clacton Coastal Academy and, more recently, the Executive Principal of the new academy in Felixstowe, which opened in September 2011. Clacton Coastal Academy was one of the top fifteen most improved academies nationally in 2010 and in the top three in the Eastern Region. Ofsted commented: ‘The Executive Principal has wasted no time in delivering immediate improvements by sharing his vision for the academy and raising the expectations of students and staff about what young people in Clacton can achieve.’ Ofsted: October 2010 Stephen is currently leading a project to establish a studio school in Clacton for September 2012 and is overseeing one of two extended field trials nationally with the DfE and the Studio Schools Trust. In 2010, Stephen led a project to open a Skills, Enterprise and Apprenticeship Centre in Clacton with a range of business, education and skills sector partners. There are currently over 150 apprenticeships operating from within the centre. He is currently Chair of the Executive Board. Prior to joining AET, Stephen was a Headteacher of a large comprehensive school in West Essex and Chair of an Education Improvement Partnership of 45 primary and secondary schools. As Chair, he was responsible for leading the development of a Children’s Centre Network in West Essex, the establishment of sixth form provision in 11-16 schools and the opening of the Essex Jiangsu Centre to promote Chinese language and culture across Essex. During this time he was also a tutor on the NCSL Associate Headteacher Programme and currently delivers a number of sessions on PGCE and GTP programmes for the Coastal SCITT Programme. Stephen is an experienced Ofsted Inspector and trained Lead Inspector and has extensive experience of the inspection framework and the processes of school improvement. He has worked as an Accredited Consultant for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust for over ten years working in the areas of re-designation, schools in challenging circumstances and the arts nationally. Stephen is also an experienced Associate Adviser working for Essex Local Authority on leadership, information and communications technology and music technology, working with a wide range of schools in Essex. Outside of education, Stephen trained as a cellist as well as a choral and orchestral conductor at Brunel University and a major London conservatoire and has conducted a wide range of orchestras and musical productions in the UK and abroad.
Ian Comfort Group Secretary and General Counsel	Ian has worked with AET since 2009 and joined the company full-time in 2012 taking responsibility for governance, risk and compliance across the group. Ian started his career as a mathematics teacher and progressed to become a director of education with local authorities judged by Ofsted to be outstanding. As Chief Education Officer for the City of London, he was adviser to the Lord Mayor of London and City livery companies and led on setting up the City of London Academies in Southwark, Islington and Hackney. He has subsequently acted as an adviser to a number of academy trusts and has led on the conversion of over 100 schools to academy status. He has worked internationally as an adviser to the Saudi Arabian Government Investment Agency on the development of education infrastructure for new economic cities and Khazanah Nasional Berhad as adviser on the development of trust schools in Malaysia. Ian is a Barrister member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development.
Sue Cove Project Co-ordinator	Sue joined the AET Central Service Project team, as temporary Project Co-ordinator on 21/11/2012, having previously worked as PA to the Head of Finance.
Tony Cramshaw Finance and Business Manager (West)	We are pleased to welcome Tony to the AET Central Service Finance Team. Tony joins the AET from his own consultancy company where he provided Educational and IT consultancy. Tony has experience in Finance, IT and School Governance.
Amanda Dean Assistant Project Manager	Amanda joined the AET in March 2010 as Assistant Project Manager. As part of the Project Management Team, Amanda has helped to successfully open fifteen new Academies. Amanda has gained experience across many areas of the AET, including HR, Finance, PR, Facilities, ICT and legal. She hopes to build on her experience in these areas and expand her role within Project Management in the future.
Ian Deans Group Finance Director	Ian Deans joined AET in April 2012 with a wealth of commercial and financial experience in major multi-site FTSE 100 companies. With a track-record of success in Healthcare (provision of elective hospital care and GP walk in centres with the NHS and the Department of Health), Hospitality (Intercontinental Hotels Group, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza), Drinks industry (Britvic Soft Drinks and Scottish & Newcastle Breweries) and the fast moving consumer goods sector (TONKA toys). Ian brings experience of growing a commercial business (Partnership Health Group) from an SME start-up to a large organisation. This experience has included project management, business rationalisation and contract negotiation alongside corporate financial management and strategic business building. Ian is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants and holds a BSc (HONS) Chemistry degree from Nottingham University.
Giovanni Del Vecchio English and Literacy Specialist	Giovanni joins the AET as an English and Literacy Specialist. Giovanni has in total 11 years experience as an English teacher, middle manager and member of the senior leadership responsible for coaching, teaching and learning across the curriculum. Giovanni has worked in both the state and independent sectors delivering English across the ability range at KS3, 4 and 5. Since 2008, Giovanni has worked as a successful Head of English in North London where he has consistently delivered excellent results for children across the spectrum. Giovanni has already worked for the AET on secondments to George Dixon School in Birmingham and Marlowe Academy near Ramsgate.
Tom Dollimore Finance Assistant	Tom joined the AET Finance team in September 2011, his role involves processing of financial documents and general administration of the accounts for AET Solutions. Previously he attended Braintree College where he achieved a Btec National Diploma for IT Practitioners - he is currently extending his knowledge and skills by studying at Chelmsford College for an AAT Accounting Qualification.
Nicky Donaldson Facilities and Health and Safety Manager	Nicky originally joined the AET Central Services Team in June 2010, where she utilised over thirteen years PA experience in assisting members of the Executive Team. As the Facilities Team Co-ordinator, Nicky is responsible for maintaining the efficient and smooth operation of the FM support team, ensuring that they deliver a timely and efficient service to our academies. Her role also encompasses the co-ordination of Health and Safety for all AET support offices as well as acting as an adviser to Academies, the purpose of which is to promote a positive health and safety culture, which is key in helping control occupational risks and ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all staff, students and visitors. Nicky has obtained qualifications from IOSH and NEBOSH and is the Educational Trips and Visits Liaison Officer for the AET Board and is a qualified Educational Visits Co-ordinator.”
Michelle Dover Professional/Project Assistant	Michelle has worked in education for the past nine years mainly in an administrative capacity. Before joining Academies Enterprise Trust, Michelle worked at the Isle of Wight Council as the Personal Assistant to the Director of Children’s Services, Lead Directorate Officer for Freedom of Information Requests and non-statutory Complaints and was also the Line Manager of two administrative teams. Since Michelle joined AET in May 2010, she has qualified in PRINCE2 Project Management and is further developing her career in Human Resources. Michelle currently coordinates the HR work stream for all potential Academies and is the main contact for the Isle of Wight Academies – Ryde and Sandown Bay.