Fiona McQueen

Fiona was appointed as Chair of Ayrshire College effective 1 November 2022 following a search and nominations process by the Scottish Government Public Appointments Team.  Fiona has been a non-executive board member of the College since 2018 and has held the role of Vice-Chair of the Board of Management and Chair of the Learning, Teaching and Quality Committee and the Performance Review and Remuneration Committee.   

Fiona's career spans three decades of executive public sector leadership, primarily across the health system and latterly within the Civil Service. She was appointed as an Executive Nurse Director in 1993 and has held a variety of roles, including the Chief Nursing Officer for the Scottish Government. Fiona was awarded a CBE for services to the NHS in June 2021 and is a Fellow of Ayrshire College.  Fiona is currently the Vice Chair of the Scottish Police Authority.

Angela Cox is the Principal & Chief Executive of Ayrshire College with over 26 years of experience in the further and higher education sector in Scotland and England.

Angela started her career in the Leisure & Tourism Sector after studying an HND at the then College of Commerce of Glasgow. Angela went on to achieve a BA Hons Degree in Post Compulsory Education from Southampton University, Post Graduate Leadership Certificate from the University of Warwick and an MBA from the Open University. 

With a passion for providing life changing opportunities through education and equipping people with the skills and knowledge to be global citizens, Angela is committed to creating a fairer and more inclusive society.    

She has held a number of senior leadership roles which have included responsibility for curriculum delivery, quality improvement and organisational development.   

In her current and previous roles, Angela has led a number of large and small scale innovation projects which have enabled the transformation of the organisations she has led and worked with including employers and communities.           

In previous roles Angela has been instrumental in developing and leading economic and growth deal projects in skills and innovation.

Angela is currently a board member of Interface, an organisation that connects industry with academia, College Development Network, The Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and the Kilmarnock Town Centre Regeneration Board.    

An Ayrshire native, Matthew is an Incorporated Engineer with the Institute of Engineering and Technology and a Chartered Manager.

Following his graduation from the University of Strathclyde with a joint Honours Degree in Computer Science and Accountancy, Matthew joined Glasgow Prestwick Airport where he held several roles culminating in appointment as Head of Department for Engineering and Capital Projects. Matthew then took up a position at Edinburgh Airport in Terminal Operations where he led multi-million pound outsourcing contracts before joining Glasgow Airport and AGS Airports group in various positions including Group Head of IT.

Matthew is currently Head of Aerodrome Operations at Glasgow Airport leading Airside Operations, Airport Engineering and the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service.

The opportunity to bring his technical knowledge and experience to the Board to understand and shape the best ways in which technology can be used operationally in a learning environment and in improving the student experience is his current focus.

Graduating with a Degree in English Literature and Economic and Social History, and also achieving a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership, Alison began her early teaching career as an English Teacher in Glasgow and has been a member of the General Teaching Council since 1999. Since then, Alison has been a Head Teacher of two secondary schools and Head of Children, Families and Justice Services in North Ayrshire. Alison became familiar with the work of Ayrshire College as a result of the College’s partnership with North Ayrshire Council.

Alison believes this innovative partnership between the College and the three local authorities in Ayrshire has significantly benefited many young people who have gone on to have very successful careers.  Alison has been inspired by the College’s vision, continual drive for success and strategic objectives.  

Alison’s strong desire to make a difference and ensure the best outcomes for children and young people led her to her current national role as Head of Support for The Promise Scotland:  an organisation that exists to support Scotland to keep its promise to all of Scotland’s children, young people and families, but in particular those who are care experienced. The Promise that all care experienced children and young people will grow up safe, loved and respected must be kept by 2030, and as Head of Support, Alison and her team work with all corporate parents across Scotland to offer tailored support and opportunities for learning, sharing and collaborating to enable the promise to be kept.

Norman has been a Non-Executive Board member of Ayrshire College since 2021. Norman additionally holds a Non-Executive Board position with Sheffield Forgemasters Ltd., independently managed, but wholly owned by UK MoD.

In Norman's executive career he was the Chair and CEO of Leonardo UK Ltd, looking after all Leonardo business in the UK including Electronics, Helicopter and Security Divisions. Prior to that role, Norman was a Divisional Managing Director of all of Leonardo Electronics business, primarily located in UK, Italy and USA.

Norman has also held senior roles for BAE Systems in Electronics Divisions, Marconi in Shipyard and Submarine Divisions, and Diageo In Spirits Divisions including Johnnie Walker.

Norman is passionate about the development of young people particularly in the STEM arena.

Chris is delighted to be appointed to the board as the trade union representative for EIS-Fela. Chris has been EIS-Fela branch secretary at Ayrshire College for 3 years and a representative for 7 years. Within the EIS Chris sits on the Executive Committee as well as the Education and Equalities committee. Chris has also served on the Salaries committee, and is currently a national representative and part of the national negotiation team.

Chris has worked as a supported education lecturer at Ayrshire College for 10 years. Chris has a particular focus on Health and Well-being for his department and takes an active part in this across the college.

Prior to being a lecturer Chris worked as a teacher, and a teacher of pupil support in both Primary and Secondary. Chris has a BEd in Primary Education as well as a MEd in Inclusive Education. Chris is a passionate advocate for the rights of all students as well as his colleagues.

Jason is an accomplished professional working in central government, with a wealth of experience in various digital and data roles. Currently serving as the Head of Digital Product, he brings an extensive skill set in successfully managing both product and project initiatives. Jason’s educational background includes a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Science in Development Management, a Postgraduate Diploma in Systems Thinking, and an Honors Degree in Business Administration.

In addition to his academic achievements, Jason is a Fellow and chartered member of the Chartered Management Institute. He is also actively working towards attaining chartership with the Association of Project Management, demonstrating his commitment to professional development and continuous improvement.

Jason aligns closely with the values of Ayrshire College, and recognises the crucial role that further education institutions play in enhancing the capacity and capabilities of the future workforce. He is particularly passionate about creating an environment where learners can thrive and reach their full potential, acknowledging the significant role that technology plays in this transformative journey.

With his extensive expertise and dedication to fostering growth, Jason is keen to help deliver Ayrshire College's Ambition Statement.

Tracey has spent more than 30 years supporting and developing public service workers across Scotland and the wider UK.  She is currently undertaking a strategic review role, having previously been the Scottish Secretary and leader of the Management Team for the largest Trade Union. Tracey is a huge advocate of cultivating a culture of diversity and inclusion to strengthen equality. Tracey is the Equality Officer for the Scottish Trade Union Congress.

Tracey is very experienced in collaborative team working; leading change management as well as supporting, motivating and advocating to ensure delivery of objectives and priorities.  She is very used to analysing complex information to monitor achievement and to inform policy development.

Tracey is looking forward to supporting Ayrshire College to equip the next generation of the workforce. Encouraging creativity and innovation will unleash their talents and capabilities that generate job fulfilment for employees and benefits for their employers.  Tracey believes that motivating, encouraging involvement and engagement are key to ensuring that people have opportunities to grow.

Jane has over 25 years’ experience in national and international accounting, taxation and specialist business advisory services.

Jane’s focus is to ensure clients/businesses are gaining access to funding, digitising their process via cloud system integration, minimising taxation, maximising profit, and achieving growth as well as providing good long term business advice. Jane has been running her own business since 2002 and has helped businesses grow and feel great by gaining clarity and funding.

Jane has been a director of Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry providing support to the Ayrshire business community. 

Jane strives for a good work life balance for herself and her clients. Jane enjoys walking along the beautiful Ayrshire coast with the dogs or settling down to watch a Netflix series with tea and chocolate.

Darcie Hamilton was elected to the position of Student President at Ayrshire College by the student body during the 2024 elections.

Darcie’s career background has been around helping people and providing work to a high standard having worked within retail where she engaged with people daily, Darcie then worked as a bus cleaner at Stagecoach where she worked to a high standard to ensure buses were safe and sanitary for customers.

Recently, Darcie completed her HND Coaching and Developing Sport 2023/24, Darcie has been a student at Ayrshire College for 6 years and has had many opportunities throughout such as being class ambassador during her HNC as well as being a volunteer coach with Active School’s whilst she studied.

Since Darcie has a drive for helping people and producing work to a high standard she wants to advocate and be the voice for the students throughout their studies at Ayrshire College, Darcie will assist the Board with understanding the student experience, ensuring that the student voice is heard and that the students needs are taken into consideration as part of college policy development and decision making.

In addition, Darcie is looking forward to working with the College to ensure that the student experience is supportive and enriched. She is keen to see the students have opportunities to engage with the College beyond their day-to-day course activities, which is in recognition of the positive impact that the College experience can have on students including for their social life, self-development, and mental wellbeing.

Faroque is senior police officer within Police Scotland and brings a wealth of experience. He served 8 years as a constable, including secondments to the British Transport Police in London after the 7/7 bombings, and as a Police Advisor to the Immigration Service at the Home Office. He was attached to the Specialist Crime Division rising to the rank of Detective Superintendent, Head of Border Policing Command. He was seconded to the National Crime Agency working within police forces across the country, academia and industry to address the digital skills gap within UK law enforcement. He later became Chief Superintendent, taking on the role of Divisional Commander leading Ayrshire Police Division from 2020.

In 2023 Faroque was promoted to Temporary Assistant Chief Constable for Partnerships, Prevention and Community Wellbeing.

He is a devoted advocate for community engagement and inclusivity. 

 Lisa has been a member of staff at Ayrshire College, within Estates and Sustainability, since 2004 and brings a strong knowledge of College service and support functions to the Board. Lisa has gained qualifications in Construction Management and Facilities Management and has recently been selected for the Aspire Leaders Programme.   Through this programme and through her role on the Board, Lisa is looking forward to extending her experience and knowledge. 

Lisa has a keen interest in the economic and social well-being requirements of Ayrshire and is committed to the values of the College, the future direction of the College and looks forward to her journey as a Member of the Board of Management.

Gillian is currently the Regional Lead for Developing the Young Workforce Ayrshire, based within Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Joining the Chamber in 2010 Gillian has a long history of working closely with local employers to connect them to local young people. Gillian has worked alongside Ayrshire College throughout this role.  Gillian has a true passion for encouraging employers to create new opportunities for people of all ages and stages to keep Ayrshire Industry growing.

Gillian has a Joint Honours Degree in Hotel and Hospitality Management with Tourism from the University of Strathclyde Business School.

Gillian is delighted to be joining the Board of Management of Ayrshire College as she feels she has a sound knowledge of Ayrshire, its economic priorities and the employability landscape and hopes to bring this knowledge and experience to support the Board and wider College future ambitions for continued success. 

Janette has been a Lecturer of Social Science with Ayrshire College since 2004 and was promoted to Curriculum Manager in 2021.

She has active interests in digital technology and is currently working with her curriculum teams to utilise this for engaging learning and teaching and pedagogy.

Janette is involved in developing curriculum change to meet the needs of social and economic demand and change and is working with her team to offer an environmental sustainability course in future.

Janette continues to enjoy the knowledge, development and experience gained from being a Board member.

 With an honours degree in Health and Social Care and as a registered nurse, Sharon returned to formal education during her career and studied dental nursing.  Later in her career, she studied full time to complete a Masters in Business Administration in 2018.  Sharon was a trainer for the NHS Education for Scotland Practice Manager course and she supported the Modern Apprenticeship programme.

Following the sale as Co-owner, Managing and Operations Director with Three Towns and Kilwinning Dental Care, Sharon established 'Tomorrow Services Ltd’ providing training, mentoring, inspection and consultancy services. 

Sharon believes her experiences, skills and knowledge working with small to medium enterprises will prove valuable as a Board Member.  Sharon is fully committed to supporting the College and has always promoted continuing education, training and development to support career aspirations.

Gordon started his career in the construction industry aged 16, training as a joiner and gaining an HNC in Construction Management at the then Ayr Technical College.  Gordon worked for 15 years in the private sector, progressing to Projects and Contracts Manager. On returning to education, he completed a BSc in Construction Management before moving onto Estate Management with the NHS.

Gordon joined The Prince’s Foundation in 2015 and is currently Executive Director where he oversees all operational aspects of the organisation’s activities including.  Based at Dumfries House in Cumnock, Gordon is a strong advocate for providing and promoting education, support and employment opportunities for young people and local communities through the work of The Princes Foundation.

Michael was born, grew up in and lives in Ayrshire and is passionate about creating opportunities for individuals and organisations in the regional economy. Michael believes in the vision and values of Ayrshire College along with the power of education and is keen to support in all activities that make Ayrshire a positive destination for education, living, investment and employment.

Michael brings a wealth of experience to the board as a senior leader in the built environment with over two decades of industry experience and a proven track record of managing programmes of large-scale projects and is keen to encourage the future workforce into the built environment industry.

Michael is the Chief Executive of hub South West. A company formed in partnership by the Scottish Government, public sector organisations and private sector to deliver public sector projects across the South West of Scotland whilst creating skills and employment opportunities and developing local SME organisations. Michael oversees all functions of the business from development to construction and has delivered over £1 billion of projects, including a sizeable amount of projects in Ayrshire.

Prior to working for hub South West Michael worked for the investment arm of a large organisation specialising in Public Private Partnership projects. This saw him hold various roles delivering a wide range of projects across the UK including a few years in London.

Michael has an honours degree in Business Management and a masters degree in Project Management and is focused on using his industry experience to help the college achieve its objectives and deliver on its vision and strategy.

Iain is a dedicated advocate for accessible education and holistic wellbeing. Armed with a BA Hons degree in Sport and Community from Strathclyde University, Iain's journey into education began with a pivotal role in the management team of Active Schools Renfrewshire. Here, he found fulfilment in creating inclusive sports programmes that not only fostered a love for physical activity but also facilitated the recruitment, retention, and deployment of volunteers into the world of sports.

Motivated by his unwavering belief in equal opportunity, Iain pursued further education, returning to Strathclyde University to obtain a Postgraduate degree in Primary Teaching. Currently, Iain serves as a primary teacher in North Ayrshire Schools, where his passion for education and commitment to inclusive practices shine through.

With a focus on ensuring that every individual has access to quality education, Iain is deeply committed to levelling the playing field and providing opportunities for all. Recognising the transformative power of education, Iain places great importance on the role of health and wellbeing in academic success. As a firm believer in the value of sport and physical activity, he advocates for holistic approaches to education that prioritise the mental and physical wellness of students.

Additionally, Iain has a proven track record in sourcing external funds for schools, sports clubs, and local authorities. His ability to secure financial resources has significantly enhanced the opportunities available to students and communities under his care.

Through his dedication to accessible education and holistic wellbeing, Iain strives to create a society where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Connor Skipsey was elected to the position of Student Vice President at Ayrshire college by the student body after running his own campaign during the 2024 elections.

As a first year supported learning student Connor wants to improve the support for the students that suffer from allergens, and from his gardening experience would like to brighten the college grounds with different flowers and plants with the project Brighten Our Campuses.

Due to the Scouts making Connor a young scout leader, he has experience teaching many kids ranging from the ages of 6-14yrs since 2020.