Guiding Portland College

Portland College benefits from a governing body of volunteer trustees and senior management team with a wide range of skills and experience. Governing Body meetings are held at least four times a year and through a range of committees which include:

  • Audit Committee
  • Oversight of Standards Group
  • Oversight of Finance Group
  • Enterprise Board
  • Remuneration Committee

These committees, together with any other working parties that may at times be necessary, meet as required. The Principal & Chief Executive Officer is responsible to the Governors for the day-to-day running of the College and the execution of strategy and policies as decided by the Board of Governors.

Governors

Dr Dawn Green PhD CertEd PGDip FSET
Chair of Governors

Dawn joined the Board in 2015. She was previously Principal & CEO at Landmarks College and Vice Principal at Portland College. She is now the Karten Network Manager and also provides consultancy services in whole College/School improvement and behaviour support.

Governor - Mark Briggs

Mark Briggs PLY
Vice Chair

Mark joined the Board in 2019, becoming Vice Chair in 2023. He has worked in Local Government for 25 years and led and worked with companies supporting people with disabilities to reach their potential in sport, culture and in their personal lives.  Mark is now Director of Partnerships for Nimbus Disability which, through their Queen’s Award winning business, opens up an accessible future to disabled people all over the world. Mark is also a celebrated Paralympian and former Para Ice Hockey Team GB Captain.

Peter Emerson - Governor

Peter Emerson
Vice Chair, Chair of the Estates Planning Group

Peter joined the Board in 2017. Peter retired as Commercial Director of Severfield PLC and Chief Operating Officer of Watson Steel in 2013. He now works as a consultant in the Construction industry and for Laing O’Rourke Ltd. 

Amanda Farr - Governor

Amanda Farr MSc (Oxon) DL

Amanda joined the Board in 2018. She has worked in NHS rehabilitation and mental health services for most of her career, latterly leading county primary care mental health services. She has been a visiting lecturer at Nottingham and Oxford Universities. She is co-owner of Sweeney and Farr Associates offering mental health treatments and organisational well-being. Amanda has extensive experience in the voluntary sector in the city and county of Nottinghamshire and is a former High Sheriff and current Deputy Lieutenant of the county.

Dean Fathers - Governor

Professor Dean Fathers
Chair of Remuneration Committee

Dean joined the Board in 2017 when he was Chair of NHS ULHT and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. He currently holds Non-Executive Board appointments with the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (where he is Chair of the Quality Committee) and the Academy for Health Care Science (where he is Chair of the Life Sciences Steering Group). He is also a Trustee of the Charity Care After Combat, Chair of the Midlands Engine’s Health Care and Life Science Board and Independent Chair of Quality Safety and Risk at Voyage Care. In addition, Dean holds Honorary Visiting Professor roles with the Universities of Nottingham and Lincoln.

Sarah Egley - Governor

Sarah Egley RGN BA (Hons) MA
Governor Safeguarding Lead

Sarah joined the Board in 2018. She is Assistant Director Quality Governance and Assurance for Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.

Stephen Jackson - Governor

Stephen Jackson
Chair of the Oversight of Finance Group

Stephen joined the Board in 2019.  He is a commercially focused Executive with global experience.  He has 30 years board level experience in Finance, IT and Commercial Development and more recently Nottingham Trent University.  He is the Vice Chair of Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust and a member of other education and sport charities.

Joe Butler - Governor

Joe Butler PGDIP (Autism) NPQH

Joe joined the Board in 2021. She is an autism consultant working in education, workplaces, and other youth and adult organisations through her company SEND Support. Joe is the co-author of Is That Clear? Effective Communication in a neurodiverse world. She was previously the Headteacher of an autism specialist school, and now offers specialist teaching advice for Nottinghamshire County Council.

Councillor Samantha Deakin

Samantha joined the Board in 2021 as Nottinghamshire County Council’s representative.

June Murray MBE
Chair of the Oversight of Standards Group

June has extensive experience working in specialist further education at RNIB College Loughborough (now known as Sense College Loughborough) for the past twenty-nine years as both Assistant Principal and College Principal.

June is a qualified FE teacher with a specialism in sight loss and has a Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management. 

Dianne Jackson
Chair of Audit Committee

Dianne joined the Board in January 2023. Dianne is an experienced Finance Director with extensive knowledge and experience from working in the Education Sector for over 25 years. Dianne is a non-executive director of a housing association and also Chair of Notts County Foundation who are the independent charitable arm of Notts County Football Club.

David Dowbenko

David joined the Board in 2023. He has over 30 years’ experience of local government, across a number of functions. Much of this has been in management roles associated with change and modernisation; including the provision of school transport for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. David is involved with the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Nottingham, where he is Head of the Audit Committee. He is also Joint Chair of the North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.

Helen Cooper BA (Hons), BSc (Hons)

Helen joined the Board on 8th November 2023.  Helen has been on the Board of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists since 2019 and has been involved in several clinical reviews for the National Institute for Health Research.  Over the years she has developed a comprehensive understanding of care best practices, regulatory compliance and risk management.  She is a Director of Delphi Care Solutions.

Senior Management Team

Mark Dale - Principal and CEO

Dr Mark Dale
Group CEO

Mark joined Portland College in 2006. He was previously Associate Professor of Education and Deputy Head of the School of Education at the University of Nottingham. Mark has held a number of Board positions including Vice Chair of Natspec.

Edward Johnstone

Edward Johnstone
Deputy CEO

Edward joined Portland in 2016 but has been involved with the charity in other capacities since 2013. 

Prior to Portland, he ran a series of small businesses specialising in disability support through a variety of contracts across the country. Edward is a proud Board Member of Discover Ashfield and Chair of Cornwater Evergreens. 

Angela Newton-Soanes - Assistant Principal Quality and Curriculum

Angela Newton-Soanes
Principal

Angela joined Portland in 2015. She has led on strategic quality and curriculum improvements across the Further Education sector for 21 years.
As Principal at Portland College, Chair of Pollyteach Ltd and Governor at Vision West Notts College, Angela’s passion and expertise delivers positive outcomes for people with disabilities across the county and beyond.

Ike Onwukwe - Assistant Principal - Care

Ike Onwukwe
Director of Care, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Ike joined Portland in 2017. He is an experienced manager and social care professional with extensive operational knowledge of social work principles, CQC regulatory standards, partnership working, techniques and best practices and their application to different social care settings with a variety of individual needs. He oversees delivery of care support within Portland Freedom. 

Shaun Pollard

Shaun Pollard
Executive Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Shaun is a qualified Social Worker and Teacher. He grew Pollyteach from a passion to meet the educational needs of young people in care to the special educational needs independent school which is now part of the Portland Charity Group.

Daniel Stanway

Daniel Stanway
Director of Finance and Compliance

Daniel joined Portland in 2024 after working as a Director of Finance within the Special Educational Needs sector. He has clear dedication for fostering a culture of financial integrity and regulatory excellence. Working within the charity sector since 2012, he now leads the Finance and Compliance domains across the Portland Charity Group.