Stephen Phipson CBE
Chairman
Stephen supports the UTC programme as an active participant in political and fundraising activities. With trustees, he also oversees and bolsters the work of Baker Dearing.
Kate Ambrosi
Chief Executive Officer
Kate leads Baker Dearing and is responsible for its work in education delivery, lobbying, communications, and employer engagement, as well as overseeing operational matters.
Aimee McDonald
Chief Financial Officer
Aimee is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of charity finance experience. She is responsible for the Finance within Baker Dearing Educational Trust.
Steve Leahey
Director of Curriculum Innovation
A former UTC principal, Steve advises UTCs on educational matters, specifically leading on T Level support, employer engagement and the Baker Award.
Nicolas Heslop
Public Affairs Adviser
Nicolas is well-known around the corridors of Westminster and supports Baker Dearing with policy and lobbying.
Marc Doyle
Senior Adviser
Marc is the CEO of a multi-academy trust in the north west, home to UCS Bolton (UTC), having previously been a Director of Education of a large MAT and Headteacher of ENLUTC in Scunthorpe. He supports UTCs to raise educational standards and prepare for Ofsted inspection.
Helen Dowds
UTC Education Consultant
An educator with over 35 years experience, a former UTC Head and previous Executive Lead, Helen is leading on the Literacy for Engineering project and providing varied support across the programme.
Claire Bannister
UTC Affiliates Lead and Engineering Consultant
Claire is an experienced school leader with a background in UTCs and engineering curricula, bringing expertise in curriculum support, educational innovation, and leading engineering projects to support student outcomes.
Jo Austin
Finance Manager
Jo has 16 years of experience as an accountant in the charity sector, working to support organisations that make a positive impact. Jo is responsible for the day-to-day finance functions within Baker Dearing .
Fraser Whieldon
Communications and Public Relations Manager
With a background in journalism and PR consultancy, Fraser is responsible for Baker Dearing’s marketing and communications functions, including relations with the media and the trust’s social media presence.
Olivia Saunders
Project Manager - MBacc
Olivia is an experienced school leader with a background in inclusion, post-16 pathways and employer engagement. She leads the rollout of Baker Dearing's work with the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate, working with schools and partners to strengthen technical education.
Ayeesha Bhamji
UTC Projects Manager
Having previously worked with LDE UTC as part of the employer engagement team, Ayeesha brings that experience to Baker Dearing to manage projects for UTCs across the network.
Abby Kendrick
Data and Impact Manager
Abby leads on data analysis, reporting and impact evaluation across the UTC network, bringing a research background spanning roles across the charity and health sectors, alongside academic posts in political economy at universities in the UK, US and Canada.
Aysen Giritli
Baker Award Coordinator
With a background in education, governance, and coaching, Aysen will be supporting UTCs in delivering the Baker Award for Technical Education.
Odette Merten
CEO's Executive Assistant
Odette facilitates data collections including student recruitment and destinations data, manages Kate’s diary, and provides administrative support to the team.
Jae Easter
Administration and Operations Assistant
With over 20 years’ experience in education administration spanning primary through to university level, Jae will be assisting with the events programme and providing general administrative support to the team.