Board of Trustees

Chair of Trustees

Karl joined the Board of Trustees in 2022, though his connection to the Trust dates back to the 1980’s when Karl was a student at Sir Harry Smith Community College, being part of the year group in 1986 that were the first to sit O Levels at the school, followed by A levels at Isle College Wisbech, and Accountancy at Polytechnic of North London which led Karl into the Accountancy profession where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1994. Karl brings a breadth of financial control and governance experience to the Trust. Karl was appointed as Chair of the Board in September 2024, with his first task being recruitment of a new CEO, Dr Matthew Laban.

Karl’s connection to the Trust extends to his family. Not only did his parents also study and Sir Harry Smiths, he has two sons who have now progressed from Park Lane to Sir Harry Smith’s and Karl has an unapologetic personal interest in ensuring the Trust is properly supported and performs to its best for the whole community of Whittlesey.

Bogdan Braneanu is an experienced project management professional with over 10 years of delivering complex projects across commercial and defence environments. Currently a Project Manager in the Health Digital Research sector, Bogdan specializes in stakeholder management, risk mitigation, and data governance. He has a proven track record of driving efficiency, turning around delayed projects, and implementing data strategies. His diverse background, including work with NATO and the British Army, brings a unique strategic perspective to his governance role, helping to create positive, informed changes for the school community.

Helen is an experienced secondary educationalist who has held a range of posts in middle, senior and executive leadership.  Helen has been a headteacher and has successfully led schools in challenging circumstances and who are high performing. One of her specialisms is school improvement and she has supported other headteachers in transforming their schools.  Helen has also worked in Initial Teacher Education / HEI delivering programmes on postgraduate and undergraduate courses.  She is also an experienced trainer, as she has led CPD for primary and secondary staff within Eastern England.  Helen has been a Governor and a Chair of Governors.

Joe joins the board of trustees after 16 years as an IT Technician at Whitmore High school in Harrow. Before that Joe was a Telecommunications Engineer for Kodak between 1979 and 2009 and holds a Master Degree in Computing and Telecommunications. Joe is a member of the British Computing Society, also a keen swimmer, Chair of Trustees of the Kingfisher Swimming Club, a registered charity run by volunteers, that provides a weekly session where people with disabilities can exercise and socialise.
In his spare time Joe enjoys reading, computing, astronomy and live performing arts. Having recently retired, Joe is new to the area and looking forward to continuing in a voluntary role working with the Aspire Learning Trust.

Michelle is an experienced secondary education professional with over 25 years in senior leadership roles, specialising in Quality of Education, Raising Standards, Pastoral Care, SEND, and Inclusion. Her career reflects a deep commitment to improving educational outcomes and fostering inclusive practices.

Michelle’s expertise includes curriculum design, where her leadership contributed to winning the TES English Department of the Year Award in 2021. She is also passionate about advancing social mobility through education, a commitment recognised by the Prince’s Trust Institute, Bernice McCabe Award.

As a practising senior leader and English teacher, Michelle holds a degree in English Literature with a focus on Inclusive Practices and SEND. She is committed to ongoing professional development and has completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). Michelle brings both strategic insight and practical experience to her role as Trustee.

She lives in Whittlesey and is a proud parent of a child attending an Aspire Learning Trust school, giving her a strong personal connection to the Trust’s vision and values.