Meet the team at New Directions College, Reading

Lisa Welch
Principal
Lisa has been Principal since June 2024, and she was previously Deputy Principal since September 2019. Lisa has been working in the Adult and Community Learning Sector for the past 13 years in Senior Business Support roles. Lisa has experience of working both within a local authority and for an independent College both within the Adult learning sector. Lisa is passionate about transforming the lives of adults through education and the role support services play in enabling learners to learn. Lisa was born and raised in Reading. Lisa is a keen gardener and when not supporting her family with caring duties spends her spare time studying on line for an RHS qualification in horticulture. Email: lisa.welch@reading.gov.uk or Phone: 07966189883
Karon Chewter
Strategic Lead - Skills for Work
karon.chewter@reading.gov.uk

Ivana Tasker
Strategic Lead - Skills for Life
Ivana has been heading the Skills for Life Curriculum at New Directions College since April 2020. A qualified teacher in Further Education and a Member of the Society of Education and Training, Ivana has a wealth of experience in teaching and managing English, Maths and ESOL courses at all levels, from Pre-entry to GCSE level. Ivana has worked in Further and Adult Education for the past 17 years. She has worked as a teacher and curriculum manager at three large Further Education Colleges in London and Surrey. Ivana is passionate about supporting learners of all ages to develop new skills and progress in their work and life. In her spare time Ivana enjoys spending time with her family, travelling and cycling along the quiet country lanes. Email: ivana.tasker@reading.gov.uk

Leanne Henderson
Strategic Lead - Quality, Compliance and the Learner Experience
Having started my own learner journey with New Directions back in 2005, I can honestly say there is not much I do not know about the College in its current form! The shortened version of my story goes a little like this: I started with ICT classes and completed them all! I also completed my Level 2 English, Maths and Employability and went on to do a volunteering course. Once volunteering, this evolved into me studying my teaching qualification and before I knew it I was a sessional tutor and assessor. I then moved across to Apprenticeships and taught Business Administrator apprentices whilst building up the overall service area. Along the way, I also managed to attain and ICT Degree with the Open University and a Masters in Education with Reading University. More recently I completed a Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship which put me in a prime position to be promoted to my current role Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager. As you should be able to tell, I have a huge passion for learning and am enthusiastic about maintaining and raising quality standards across the whole College. Any new member of staff reading this should feel free to ask me anything related to their area or role as I have probably been there before. If I do not know the answer, I can always point you in the right direction. Email: leanne.henderson@reading.gov.uk

John Holland
Project and Programme Officer
John joined New Directions College in 2017 following a 25-year career working in management and consultancy roles for utilities and energy sector organisations. After gaining a Level 6 teaching qualification, he has designed and delivered award-winning teaching and assessment for level 3 & level 5 diplomas & apprenticeships in Leadership and Management, enabling leaders and managers in Berkshire to realise their potential. In his spare time, John is a Scout leader and enjoys organising camps, and he also experiments with making cider.
Email: john.holland@reading.gov.uk or Phone: 07816 110555

Rossella Kench
Marketing and Publicity Officer
Rossella joined New Directions College in November 2021, and brings with her eighteen years experience in business development, customer retention, consultative selling, account management, events, new product development, website management, market research, product life cycle management, project management, CRM systems and international business. For all Marketing and publicity enquiries please email rossella.kench@reading.gov.uk

Cheryl Ives
Learning Support & Inclusion Officer
cheryl.ives@reading.gov.uk
Zillah Puri
Art, Leisure and Wellbeing Learning Manager
zillah.puri@reading.gov.uk
Sarah MacSwan
MIS & Performance Officer
sarah.macswan@reading.gov.uk

Colin Oatway
Business Support Officer
colin.oatway@reading.gov.uk
Helen Spence
Exams Officer
helen.spence@reading.gov.uk
Amanda Haggis
MIS & Performance Officer
Kadri Bratt
MIS & Performance Officer

Natalie Ercilla
Lead Tutor - ESOL
natalie.ercilla@reading.gov.uk

Holly Bowden
Lead Tutor for Early Years and IQA for Leadership & Management
holly.bowden@reading.gov.uk
Simon Cullimore
Lead Tutor for Hospitality
simon.cullimore@reading.gov.uk
Dawn Townsend
Lead Tutor Mathematics
dawn.townsend@reading.gov.uk

Julie Anderson
Lead Tutor English
julie.anderson@reading.gov.uk
Business Support Officer Vacancy
English Tutors
Julie Anderson, Angela Gonzalez, Caroline Bennett, Yasmeena Hanief
ESOL Tutors
Natalie Ercilla, Shelha Minhas, Preeti Singla, Judith Hansford, Anubha Shah, Nicki Ellis, Caroline Bennett, Caroline Stallwood, Marta Nugent, Fatima Djaafri
Maths Tutors
Dawn Townsend, Dhanita Tiwari, Sheila Thompsett, Shelha Minhas
Early Years Tutors
Holly Bowden, Nikki Hodgson, Mharulnisa Ejaz
Digital Skills Tutors
Bridget Parslow, Moniza Shafi, John Holland, Simon Cullimore
Employment Support Tutors
Ruby Mehjabeen, Simon Cullimore
Supporting Teaching and Learning Tutors
Bridget Parslow, Amanda King
Creative Arts & Crafts Tutors and Instructors
Zillah Puri, Jeanette Cole, Anthony Piercey, Debbie Page, Joanne Kennedy, Emma O'Donovan, John Murdoch, Shelley Montague, Caroline Streatfield, Areej Abdi, Lyndsey Clark
Learning Support Workers
Janette Bushnell, Genna Hale, Caroline Stallwood, Amanda Baker, Andrea McAvoy
Exam Invigilators
Andrea McAvoy, Saima Asif, Alice Hale, Kim Chan, Taeko Yoshino


