Trustee Profiles (ID 1368)

• Ryan Clifford
  Chair of Trustees
  Ryan Clifford

  Ryan is a product director with experience building and taking to market B2B and B2B2C SaaS and fintech products within enterprise and scale up companies. He has a passion for complex technical products, in particular APIs and developer tools.

  Since 2018 he has also volunteered within Multi Academy Trusts as Trustee at Cygnus Academies Trust and as Governor at a specialised SEND school.

• Sandra Herbert
  Trustee
  Sandra Herbert

  I have a background in primary education, having started my career as a teacher in the late 1970s. From then on I worked in a primary school gradually moving into a senior management role in the 1980s, responsible for the quality of teaching in a six form entry school and always maintaining a particular interest in the teaching of maths. In 1997 I became an Ofsted Inspector and also worked freelance for HMI, inspecting Initial Teacher Training [PGCE] courses.

  In 1999 while continuing some work with Ofsted I moved on to take up employment with Kent Local Education Authority as a consultant supporting primary schools with the quality of teaching in Mathematics and English and was involved in a national project to raise standards in teaching and learning.

  Since official retirement; I have worked part time in schools on projects such as Numbers Count, supporting children who find maths difficult and also working with more able pupils to ensure that they are appropriately challenged. I have a long standing record as a governor in very small Kent school and until the restrictions of the pandemic did regular voluntary work supporting small groups of children with maths and literacy.

• Kevin Fox
  Trustee
  Kevin Fox

  I am a member of the Education Committee and Link Trustee for SEND and vulnerable groups. As my day job I am employed as Head of Democratic Services and Information Governance at the London Borough of Bexley, where I play a key role in overseeing the Council's governance, decision-making processes, together with school admissions and exclusion appeal processes.

  I have previously served as Chair of Governors at 2 different schools demonstrating commitment to supporting schools and local communities. I am delighted to serve as a Trustee and am passionate about ensuring our young people receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their ambitions.

• Sebrina Dawes
  Trustee
  Sebrina Dawes

  Sebrina Dawes is a highly experienced education leader with a strong track record in school improvement, leadership, and governance. As a Headteacher of a large, diverse four-form entry primary school, she is committed to fostering a culture of high expectations, inclusion, and continuous development.

  Her expertise spans curriculum design, staff development, quality assurance, and safeguarding, ensuring high standards of education and pupil achievement.

  Alongside her leadership role, Sebrina has worked as an EYFS and Primary Consultant, supporting schools in driving improvement, enhancing teaching and learning, and implementing effective strategic change. She has a proven ability to analyse school performance, develop targeted action plans, and coach staff to deliver high-quality education.

  Sebrina also brings valuable experience in financial management, staff well-being, and collaborative leadership, working closely with governors, senior leaders, and external partners to achieve sustainable school improvement.

  As a trustee, she is dedicated to supporting the Cygnus Multi-Academy Trust's vision, ensuring that all schools within the trust provide exceptional education and opportunities for every child to succeed.

• Alison Scott
  Trustee
  Alison Scott

  Alison Scott has worked in the education sector for over twenty years in teaching roles across a wide range of ages including the early years, primary and further education. She currently teaches and supports students with additional needs in a large college. Prior to this, she trained and worked as an Ofsted Inspector in the early years. She also worked in the School Improvement Team of the Local Authority, supporting new teachers in their role.

  Alison joined the Cygnus Board as a trustee in March 2025. Prior to this she was a governor of Upland Primary School for almost eight years, including the Chair of Governors for two years and the link governor for safeguarding and the early years. As a trustee, she focuses on sustainability and works collaboratively with the board to uphold the trust's values and objectives. She is committed to supporting the trust's mission to provide high-quality education and improve outcomes for all students, to enable them to realise their ambitions.

• Ashish Majithia
  Trustee
  Ashish Majithia

  Ash is a seasoned professional working in the City of London, with extensive experience in the professional services sector. Alongside a career focused on advisory and leadership roles, Ash is deeply committed to education and community service.

  Ash also serves as a governor at a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school, driven by a strong belief that every child deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential, regardless of background or ability.

  At Cygnus, Ash is the Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee, bringing financial insight and strategic oversight to support the academy's mission and long-term sustainability. Passionate about equity in education, Ash is proud to contribute to shaping a nurturing and ambitious environment for all learners.

• Jane Platt
  Trustee
  Jane Platt

  Jane is an experienced entrepreneur, board advisor, and mentor with a strong background in scaling service businesses and driving strategic transformation. She brings a blend of commercial insight and governance expertise, supporting organisations to navigate change, manage risk, and embed operational excellence.

  Jane is dedicated to supporting organisations that prioritise opportunity, inclusion, and positive impact, helping them to thrive and adapt in a changing world. She has enjoyed volunteering with Cygnus Academies Trust since December 2023.

• Manish Gokani
  Trustee
  Manish Gokani

  Manish is an experienced Senior Leadership Director at Board Level, with a demonstrated history of working in the Retail and financial services industry.

  He is a key strategist in delivering performance adhering to lean practice and raising the potential of individuals to becoming business leaders.

  Manish is passionate about utilising his skills into education and ultimately trying to raise the potential of all children.

  Having served as a local governor for one of the Trust's school, Manish is keen to support the Cygnus trust in ensuring the ethos of the Trust is aligned and improved on.

  With two daughters successfully going through education in the Kent region, he is keen to try and have an input into helping future generations.

• Mark Jackson
  Trustee
  Mark Jackson

  Mark Jackson has over 18 years of experience in the higher education sector in London, with a strong track record in facilities management, health and safety, academic timetabling, room bookings, customer service, and campus operations. He brings specialist expertise in space management and office accommodation planning, including the coordination of complex moves and relocations. Mark is also highly experienced in contract and supplier management, as well as financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.

  Currently serving as the Buildings and Safety Manager for the Department of Computer Science at University College London (UCL), Mark has held this role for the past seven years. Prior to joining UCL, he held key operational roles at the University of Law and London Business School.

  Mark holds an MSc in Facilities Management and the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. He is a passionate advocate for accessibility and inclusion within the built environment, consistently championing initiatives that promote equal access for all.

  In addition to his professional work, Mark joined the Governing Body of Gravel Hill Primary School in 2021, where he served as the link Governor for Health and Safety and Joint Deputy Chair.

  Now, as a Trustee of the Cygnus Academies Trust, Mark is committed to creating safe, supportive, and inclusive environments where every child can thrive and reach their full potential.

• Daniel Pothecary-Smith
  Trustee
  Daniel Pothecary-Smith

  Dan is a Trustee at Cygnus Academies Trust, bringing extensive experience in governance, safeguarding, and risk management.

  He previously served as a Co-opted Governor at Gravel Hill Primary School, where he was Vice Chair of the Board and Safeguarding Link Governor.

  Alongside his role at Cygnus, Dan works in the charity sector with Police Now, specialising in data, governance, and risk. He is passionate about the transformative power of education and is committed to ensuring that all children across the Trust benefit from safe, inclusive, and inspiring learning environments.

• Elizabeth Alamu
  Trustee
  Elizabeth Alamu

  Elizabeth Alamu currently works as a Senior Estates Manager within healthcare with many years of experience managing health, safety and facilities across local authority, education and healthcare. She was the vice chair of the local governing body for Dartford Bridge Community Primary School where she was a governor for over 10 years.

  She has witnessed the school transition through various phases as the link governor for SEND as well as health and safety.

  She has recently been appointed a Trustee after the reorganisation of the local governing bodies across Trust schools.

• Paul Langridge
  Trustee
  Paul Langridge

  In my working life I spent 32 years as Head and Deputy of a very large, successful primary school as well as working in the SEND sector. In addition, I was a strategic and financial board member of Kent and Medway training, an accredited provider of school based teacher training.

  I have been a Governor of Dartford Bridge School, more recently as Chair of Governors.

  I believe all children should be entitled to experience all aspects of the curriculum whereby their skills and talents can be recognised, not just their academic success.