Board of Governors
The Board of Governors has oversight of the educational character and mission of the University with specific responsibilities for financial probity and the effective use of resources.
The Board comprises both lay and appointed members. The Vice-Chancellor is an ex-officio member of the Board. The Chair of the Board, and Pro-Chancellor, is elected from the lay governors.
The Board of Governors seeks to conduct its affairs in accordance with the requirements of the CUC Higher Education Code of Governance, the Seven Principles identified by the Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life, and the OfS Public Interest Governance Principles.
If you have any queries about the Board of Governors, please contact [email protected].
Statement of primary responsibilities (document) Governors’ resources Audit CommitteeBoard of Governors profiles

Clive Edwards
Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Board
View Clive Edwards’ profile
Clive is an Emeritus Professor of Microbiology at the University of Liverpool where he was involved in research, teaching and management at departmental and institutional level. As Director of Postgraduate Research for the University for four years he has acquired considerable expertise in supervision, management and recruitment of PhD students. Nationally, he was Deputy chair of the BBSRC Training and Awards Committee which allocates a large budget as PhD studentships and postdoctoral and professorial fellowships. He was a member of the NERC Strategy and Innovation Science Board for 4 years that was responsible for funding national capability in UK natural and environmental sciences.
Clive has an extensive research record that includes publication of over 140 peer reviewed research papers, three books and the award of £4M externally funded research grants. He has also been Editor of two leading international microbiology journals. He has significant expertise in teaching and learning in HEIs and has been external examiner at a number of UK universities. Appointed as an Independent Governor in 2013, he has been Chair of the Board since January 2017.
Clive is also Chair of all of Edge Hill’s subsidiary companies and of the Governance and Nominations Committee besides being a member of the Remuneration Committee.

Lisa Greenhalgh
Deputy Chair of the Board and Chair of Audit Committee
View Lisa Greenhalgh’s biography
Lisa has been an Edge Hill governor since September 2012, and was appointed Deputy Chair of the Board in January 2017. She chairs the Audit and Remuneration Committees.
In her professional life, Lisa is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Helen Smallbone
Clerk to Governors
View Helen Smallbone’s biography
Helen started working at Edge Hill in 2002 following her graduation from the University of Nottingham.
Initially specialising in student assessment and awards, Helen went on to become the University’s Academic Registrar before creating a new department as Director of Governance & Assurance in 2021. In this role, Helen is responsible for ensuring that the University operates within an environment conducive with the OfS regulatory framework. She has specific oversight of academic quality and standards, corporate governance and student casework.
As Clerk to Governors, Helen is responsible for providing independent, authoritative advice, guidance and administrative support to the Board of Governors. She also ensures their ongoing compliance with the various statutory, regulatory body and other legal obligations.
An advocate of professional development and sharing best practice, Helen regularly sits on national advisory boards, and is presently supporting the QAA to develop best practice in promoting academic integrity. She is well-connected within the sector having recently been Chair of the National Assessment Practitioners’ Group and is currently acting as External Reviewer for Staffordshire University’s Degree Outcomes Statement. Helen is also a member of the Association of University Administrators, the Association of Heads of University Administration, and a Student Member of the Chartered Governance Institute (formerly ICSA).

Julian Bucknall
Independent Governor
View Julian Bucknall’s biography
Having graduated from Edge Hill in 1995 with a BSc Hons degree in Communication and IT, Julian joined Barclays at their technology Radbroke campus in Knutsford, Cheshire. He has held a number of technology and people-focussed roles with the global financial services organisation. Julian is currently Head of People & Engagement and leads internal communications and colleague engagement at Radbroke, which is base to around 6,500 employees and the bank’s biggest campus location in the UK outside of London.
In recent years, Julian reconnected with Edge Hill University to provide students with opportunities to explore the breadth of roles available in technology in organisations like Barclays, and to help inform career options across the technology industry.
Julian has been resident in Ormskirk since starting his degree at Edge Hill in 1992, and has been living for the past 15 years in close proximity to the University’s campus.
Julian has been an Independent Governor since July 2017 and served on the Resources Committee until July 2021.

Dr John Cater
Vice-Chancellor and Ex-Officio Governor

Graeme Collinge
Independent Governor
View Graeme Collinge’s biography
Graeme grew up in Buckinghamshire, educated at the Royal Grammar School High Wycombe, then Keble College, Oxford (Geography), before gaining membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1993 as a planning and development surveyor. In 2000 Graeme completed an Executive MBA programme with Bristol University and the ENPC School of International Management in Paris.
Graeme’s early career was spent within a London based Quantity Surveying firm, whose principal clients included Bath University and the Priory Hospitals Group before moving to Lancashire in 1997 with his wife and young son to take a consultancy position with KPMG in Manchester. Graeme is now a director of GENECON Ltd, a niche but nationally respected economic development consultancy based in Leeds, having also spent time with AMION Consulting in Liverpool. He counts amongst his more interesting projects the review of the merger of UMIST and Victoria Manchester University to create the University of Manchester; analysis of the economic potential of a new university campus on the Olympic Park and the creation of various Enterprise Zones across the country.
Graeme lives in Chorley, Lancashire with his wife and two teenage sons. At community level, Graeme is Chairman of Brinscall Village Junior Football Club and has led a number of successful grant applications to the Football Foundation and Sport England.
Graeme joined the Board in September 2015, and served as Chair of Resources Committee until July 2021.

Christine Donnelly
Independent Governor
View Christine Donnelly’s biography
For over ten years, Christine worked in the IT department at RSA in Liverpool. In 2005, she set up an IT and Project Management Consultancy, which she continues to run today.
Christine has a long-standing awareness of the importance of education at all stages of life and has a particular interest in equality of opportunity. She was a governor at a local school for 16 years and has worked with an educational charity as an IT project manager.
Christine is from the local area. Her family have been regular visitors to Edge Hill, making good use of the facilities available to the community.
Christine joined the Board as an Independent Governor in 2016, and is a member of Audit committee and Governance and Nominations committee.

Clive Elliott
Independent Governor
View Clive Elliott’s biography
Clive is from Liverpool, and was a Senior Executive with Barclays for 30 years before becoming an independent management consultant specialising in transformational change management. He has a Masters in Business Administration from Kingston University.
Clive is passionate about higher education, especially the role it plays in enabling students to secure and enjoy fulfilling employment in a fast changing world.
Clive joined as an independent Board member in July 2017 and sits on Audit Committee.

Amanda Fulford
Teaching Staff Governor
View Amanda Fulford’s biography

Andy Jackson
Support Staff Governor
View Andy Jackson’s biography
Andy is a Warehouse Operative in the Facilities Management Site Services department. He has worked at Edge Hill University for over seven years, having previously amassed nearly 20 years’ experience both in the U.K and Ireland in specialised engineering stock-control and procurement. A born-and-bred Liverpudlian, he is married to Jayne, has two adult children, and lives in Liverpool.
Andy was elected as the Support Staff Governor in January 2021 and hopes to contribute different perspectives and experiences to the Board. He is also the parent of a full-time Edge Hill student which gives him a totally different insight into our community.
Away from work, Andy’s great loves – aside from his family – are Liverpool F.C and The Beatles.

Jane Moore
Academic Board Nominee
View Jane Moore’s biography
Jane Moore is the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Education. She joined the Board of Governors in May 2021 following her nomination by Academic Board. Jane also serves on Governance & Nominations Committee.
Jane has spent her professional career in a variety of roles in education, both as a secondary school teacher and in several universities. As a teacher, she taught in a school in London and in several schools on Merseyside and was particularly passionate about the ways in which excellent educational experiences can promote social mobility and life chances for all.
Later in her career, Jane took the opportunity to move into higher education and has led large education faculties in three universities. In each, she has had overall responsibility for teacher education programmes, as well as non-vocational education provision, Master’s and doctoral programmes. She regards the education of outstanding teachers as vital to the success of the education system overall, sustained by related research and mature collaborative partnerships with schools and other stakeholders.
Jane’s doctoral research was situated in the fields of anthropology and museum studies, and focused on the collection, interpretation and display of an internationally important collection of Tibetan objects at Liverpool World Museum. Her recent research interests include education in prisons, multi-stakeholder and partnership working and educational leadership in contexts of change.

Chloe Moran
Student Governor

Rhiannon Muise
Student Governor
View Rhiannon Muise’s biography
Having recently graduated with a joint BA (Hons) Degree in Dance and Drama, Rhiannon is the current Student Engagement Officer for Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Edge Hill Students’ Union. During her final year, Rhiannon ran a successful campus-wide election campaign to secure her Officer position, running on a varied platform centred around encouraging student voice amongst the FAS faculty and ultimately creating tangible change for students.
Outside of working hours Rhiannon dedicates her time to all things related to performance. During her time at university she was an active member of the Mrs Pankhurst Players company, a tutor-led group that creates theatre exploring a variety of feminist themes. She was also part of Hillstart (Dance Society) and has an extensive background in Musical Theatre, as well as being part of Third Edge Dance Company. Rhiannon also works as a part time staff member at the Arts Centre and values being part of their team.
Rhiannon volunteered to be Student Governor in 2021/22.

Jo Nettleton
Independent Governor
View Jo Nettleton’s biography
Jo has had extensive experience in the public sector, working for the NHS, Health & Safety Executive and Nuclear Installations Inspectorate before joining the Environment Agency in 2016. In her current role as Deputy Director and Head of Radioactive Substances and Installations Regulation, she leads on high-profile projects, including Nuclear New Build, Nuclear Legacy and Waste, Radioactive Source Security, regulation of EPR (Environmental Permitting Regulations) and Control of Onshore Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH), support to Defra Clean Air Strategy and Environment Bill, Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, Energy White Paper and other related government plans and strategies.
As well as her regulatory work, Jo is also passionate about helping to increase diversity in the workplace, including at senior management and board level, and is an active mentor in the 30% Club. She is keen to support the University as it explores how to make a real contribution to meeting the local and global challenges posed by the climate emergency.

Louise Robinson
Independent Governor
View Louise Robinson’s biography
Having completed a second headship of 12 years at Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School, Louise is currently an educational consultant, registered inspector with the Independent Schools Inspectorate, Magistrate and executive coach. With a degree in Computer Science and Maths, Louise has also a Masters Level 7 in Coaching and Mentoring, a Masters in Education and the National Professional Qualification for Headship. In 2012 she was the President of the Girls’ Schools Association and was vice chair of the Independent Schools Council from 2012-2015. She is also a governor of Westholme School, Blackburn as well as a Trustee for the charity Liverpool World Centre.
Louise was appointed as an Independent Governor in September 2014 and is a member of the Remuneration Committee, having previously served on Audit and Resources Committees.

Mike Rush
Independent Governor
View Mike Rush’s biography
Mike has a long history with Edge Hill having qualified as a PE Teacher via the PGCE programme in 1998 following his BSc in Sport / Geography at the University.
In his professional career, Mike is the CEO at St Helens Rugby League Club having spent the past 18 years with the club in various Senior Management positions. Mike has experience at all levels of the club including within the Academy and Performance Departments.
Mike continues to live locally in St Helens and currently sits on the Board of Governors at Cowley High School in the town. He is also continuing to study and is currently working towards a Masters in Sporting Development.
Mike has been an Independent Governor since July 2017 and is a member of the Audit Committee.

Mike Tate
Independent Governor
View Mike Tate’s biography
Mike’s career of 38 years was spent within the NHS. He was a Director of Finance/Chief Finance Officer for three separate NHS organisations in the North-West. More recently, Mike has served as a Non-Executive Director at North-West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where he served on Board and both the Audit and Quality committees.
Mike is a qualified accountant and has been a member of CIPFA since 1987. He joined the Board of Governors in September 2021 and is a member of the Audit Committee.