Fiona McQueen (Chair)

Position: Chair of the Board of Management

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. 

Position:  Non-Executive Board Member

Norman is the Chair and CEO of Leonardo UK and in this position he is responsible for the growth and development of the business across the Electronics, Helicopters and Cyber domains. Norman was previously Managing Director of Leonardo Electronics Division, a post he assumed on the formation of the division in February 2019 and during which he led an international team based in the UK, Italy and the USA.

Norman is co-chair of the Defence Suppliers Forum alongside DE&S and is a member of the Defence Growth Partnership Steering Committee and former Chairman of SBAC (now ADS) Scotland. He is also the Co-Chair of the Committee looking at encouraging Young People into Engineering, under the Sponsorship of The Prince's Trust.

Position: Non-Executive Board Member

Growing up in Ayr, Beth attended Belmont Academy and was involved with the Burns Club of Alloway and Ayr Roberts Burns Club. Beth then studied Business Management at the University of Glasgow before beginning her career on a graduate scheme with Jabil and then onto a position in category management with Maxiim.  Beth currently she works as an Account Manager with leading online travel agent Booking.com. 

As a relatively young Board member, Beth believes that she would be able to make a valuable contribution to the Board and that being a Board member would equally support her own personal development.

Position: Principal Ex-Officio

Angela 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. 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 through a progressive and green economy.  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, a member of the SDS Careers Review Board and college principal representative for Climate Emergency and Innovation. 

Position: Non-Executive Board Member

Steve is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Having spent 10 years in the RAF as an Engineer in support of the Nimrod aircraft, Steve left the Service in 1994. Following a 4-year period working for a large US avionics manufacturer, he joined the National Air Traffic Service (now known as NATS) in 1998.  Having served as leader in a number of engineering and computing support roles, including as Review Board Chair for major investment projects, Steve now holds the position of Head of Operational Requirements & Acceptance for NATS.

Position: Elected Student Member (Student President)

As a previous Student Ambassador, Ellie has valuable experience in dealing with students’ issues regarding their learning, especially during the pandemic, and has previously assisted students to have their concerns met and their voices heard. Ellie’s main focus as Student President is to bring more awareness to mental health.  Since her appointment in 2021, Ellie has collaborated with Colleges Scotland and The Mental Health Foundation on a nationwide Thriving for Learners Survey relating to student mental health issues, allowing students to have a say in what mental health support could benefit them.  Ellie recently accepted a position with Education Scotland and she will continue to ensure that the student voice is heard and considered in decisions made with them in mind.

Position: Elected Student Member (Student Vice President)

Robert has been studying full-time for the past six years, initially at Ayrshire College to achieve an NC Higher in Working with Communities, an HNC in Social Services and an SVQ3 in Social Care, and then Health and Social Care at UWS. Robert returned to Ayrshire College in AY2021-22 to study Mathematics, leading him to become Student Vice President. During his studies, Robert worked with the students in the College’s HIVE and in residential childcare in Renfrewshire, as well as supporting ASD students in Greenock and Paisley West Scotland College.  Robert achieved his Batchelors’s Degree and his decision to become Vice President was his opportunity to support fellow students to have their own amazing experience at Ayrshire College.

Position: Elected Staff Member (Curriculum/Teaching Staff)

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.

Position: Elected Staff Member (Service/Support Staff)

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.

Position: Non-Executive 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.

Position: Non-Executive Board Member

Mike is currently Director of Maintenance at Chevron Aircraft Maintenance Ltd based at Prestwick Airport and brings much sought after aviation and aerospace engineering knowledge and skills to the Board of Management. Aircraft engineering and airframe maintenance engineering has seen continued growth in South Ayrshire in recent years and has a significant presence at Prestwick Airport. Despite the temporary global challenges following the Covid-19 pandemic, the industry is again undergoing a major period of growth.  Recognising the current challenges caused by the global skills shortage, Mike is committed to the training and development of the young workforce and apprenticeship programmes in Ayrshire, whether it be for the aviation/aerospace industry or for other employers seeking a skilled workforce.

Position: Non-Executive Board Member

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 was Head Teacher at Dumfries High School and laterally of Irvine Royal Academy in North Ayrshire. Whilst in post at Irvine, Alison became familiar with the work of Ayrshire College as a result of the College’s partnership with North Ayrshire Council (NAC). Alison believes this innovative partnership between the College and NAC has significantly benefited many young people and she has been inspired by the College’s vision 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 present job as Head of Service for Children, Families and Justice Services at NAC.

Position: Non-Executive Board Member

Originally from Girvan, Steven qualified with an Honours Degree in Accounting and Finance at Glasgow University before embarking on a global career with the Weir Group PLC.  Steven is currently the Chief Financial Officer for the University of Strathclyde and was recently appointed as a non-executive director for NHS Golden Jubilee.

Steven is a strong believer in the provision of educational opportunities as a means of tackling regional economic depression and social deprivation.  He believes in the need to work in tandem with employers and other stakeholders in identifying employment opportunities and curriculum developments designed to match the needs of the employers.  Steven is strongly supportive of the provision of modern apprenticeships and the role they can play in developing the economy of Ayrshire.

Position:  Non-Executive Board Member

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 is currently Group Head of IT for AGS Airports based at Glasgow Airport leading the IT service provision across Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton Airports.  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.