Bill Barton has specialised in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious construction for over 35 years and has formerly been a partner at Walker Morris, Watson Burton, DLA Piper and Barton Legal. He has particular expertise in drafting and negotiating specialist bespoke contracts whether in relation to wind farms, renewable energy such as solar, biomass, office and industrial developments, colleges or standard construction projects.

Bill is a Governor of the Luminate Education Group and Chair of Leeds City College Board and Leeds Employer Board.

Having retired in 2018, Andrew now has a small portfolio of board roles. He is a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee at the National Metrology Institute (NPL - National Physical Laboratory); Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust; Governor of York St John University; and Trustee of Wilf Ward Family Trust (a social care provider).

Andrew’s previous posts include Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at Bradford College, Chairman of Training for Bradford Ltd (that trades as City Training Services), Trustee of Bradford Grammar School, Treasurer of Yorkshire WaterAid (WaterAid in Yorkshire).

Andrew’s earlier career includes risk management consultant for Stantec UK, Chief Internal Auditor with the Kelda Group (including Yorkshire Water Services Ltd), covering UK and overseas operations and a senior auditor post with National Power. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a retired member of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (formerly QIAL, CIA, MIIA).

As well as being a current governor on the Luminate Education Group board and Chair of the Finance Committee, he was previously co-opted for three years onto the Audit Committee and the Leeds City College board.

Andrew is a governor of the Luminate Education Group (Group Board) and Chair of the Group Finance Committee.

June has over 25 years’ experience in UK Higher Education, with more than half of this in senior academic leadership roles in UK universities and colleges. She is based in Bradford and is a marketing strategy coach working with SMEs and marketing professionals. June also works with HE institutions worldwide on projects ranging from collaborative academic partnerships, degree awarding powers, and curriculum design and development. She is passionate about ensuring curriculum is current and applied and that students are encouraged to achieve their potential. She currently teaches on DBA courses in Dubai and the Government’s Help to Grow programme for SMEs at Brunel University.

June is a Chartered Marketer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). She has been a board member of CIM since 2016 and held the role Chair of the Chartered Institute of Marketing for over two years until January 2024. She has held marketing management positions in a range of industries ranging from clothing and textiles through to engineering plastics and retail.

June is a governor of Luminate Education Group (Group Board) and Chair of the University Centre Leeds Board.

In addition to her governance role within Luminate Education Group, Caroline is a district councillor in the Keighley East ward, in which Keighley College is based, and is the chair of the council’s district-wide Governance & Audit Committee. She is vice chair of governors at Strong Close Nursery School, a trustee of Riddlesden Community Association, a Keighley Neighbourhood Board member and holds advisory non-voting roles on several community-based boards across Keighley and the wider Bradford district.

Caroline has previously been a chair of governors at an all-age special school for children and young people with severe and complex needs, and was a founder of Keighley Imagination Library, which offered a free book every month for thousands of children in Keighley East, West and Central from birth until the age of five.

Caroline is a governor of Luminate Education Group (Group Board) and Chair of the Keighley College Board

Becky is a commercially focused HR professional with a successful track record in financial services and legal services sectors, operating across all business functions. She has extensive experience in developing and implementing HR strategies to deliver business objectives and strategic change programmes, latterly as Director of People at Leeds Building Society. Becky has several years’ experience as a non-executive director in the learning sector and is a Director at Ahead Partnership, a social enterprise. Becky is also owner/founder of Becky Hewitt Consulting, offering people and commercial support and mentoring.

Becky is a governor of the Luminate Education Group (Group Board) and Chair of the Group Remuneration Committee.

Julie Hyde is Director of External and Regulatory Affairs at NCFE, one of the UK's leading educational charities and awarding organisations. In her role, she leads NCFE's external engagement, regulatory affairs and strategic stakeholder relationships, helping to ensure the organisation's qualifications and services continue to support learners, employers and education providers across the UK and internationally.

Julie brings extensive leadership experience across the education, skills and childcare sectors, alongside a strong commercial background gained through senior sales and account management roles in industry. She joined CACHE in 2010 and, following its integration into NCFE in 2015, led services that ensured its nationally recognised qualifications continued to meet the needs of employers, providers and learners. She also led the successful Save Our Early Years campaign, helping secure government acceptance of Functional Skills as alternative maths and English qualifications for entry to the workforce as a Level 3 Early Years Educator.

Alongside her executive responsibilities, Julie is passionate about governance, collaboration and public service. She is Chair of Luminate Education Group’s Skills Stakeholder Board, bringing together leaders from across education, employment and skills to help shape future policy and practice. She also has significant governance experience across organisations supporting early years provision, special educational needs, adult care and further education.

Julie lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and enjoys spending time with her family, reading, swimming and singing with a women's choir and small ensemble.

Julie is Chair of Governors of Luminate Education Group, Chair of the Governance & Nominations Committee, Chair of the Skills Stakeholder Board and a member of both the Finance & Resources and People & Remuneration Committees.

Vwaire is the elected Luminate Education Group Students’ Union President for 2025/26.

Vwaire is the Student Governor on the Luminate Education Group Board of Governors (Group Board) and student member on the Leeds City College Board.

Bill was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Luminate Education Group in January 2026. Bill joined Luminate Education Group in 2015 working most recently as Deputy CEO & Executive Principal of Leeds City College. Prior to moving to Leeds, Bill was Executive Director of Planning & Performance of Sheffield College. He has worked in further education for over 30 years; he is passionate about the power of TLA and pedagogy to transform lives. and having started as an English teacher means Bill is a keen advocate of ESOL. Luminate Education Group is a member of the Leeds Anchors Network, through the network Bill and the other members leverage their organisations' collective influence to address poverty and improve life for all Leeds residents.

As Group CEO Bill is a governor of the Luminate Education Group (Group Board) and sits on each board within the group’s governance structure; he is also a member of the Finance Committee, Governance & Nominations Committee and Property Strategy Committee.

Richard is the elected staff governor for Luminate Education Group. Having left university for a career in theatre in the late 90s Richard never planned to be a teacher. In 2024 he celebrated his 25th year at the college. Richard joined what was then Park Lane College as the Theatre Technician and then completed his PGCE in service. Whilst Richard’s passion is for creating family orientated work, he has directed everything from Shakespeare to musicals and from political satire to devised plays involving rubber chickens. In his current post as Assistant Principal for Creative Arts, Richard supports the work of 1700 Creative students and staff across the Quarry Hill campus.

Richard is also a board member of Red Ladder Theatre Company, sits on the committee of two scout groups, was a school governor for 11 years and is part of the core volunteer team of Wakefield Thornes parkrun.

Richard is the elected staff governor sitting on the Luminate Education Group Board of Governors (Group Board).

Cath has worked in education for almost 40 years, 30 years of which were senior leader experience in schools, mostly in Leeds. In particular, 27 years at Brigshaw High School, firstly as Deputy Headteacher, then Headteacher, then CEO of the newly formed multi-academy trust, Brigshaw Learning Partnership. She has undertaken complementary roles during those years, such as Ofsted Inspector, School Improvement Partner and Local Leader of Education. She has always been committed to wider partnerships, particularly within Leeds and has been Chair of East Area Inclusion Partnership and East Fair Access Panel. She has undertaken a secondment for Leeds Children’s Services as a Learning Leader.

In August 2021 Cath retired from Brigshaw and since June 2022 has undertaken a part-time contract with Leeds Children’s Services as a Headteacher Support Consultant.

Cath is a governor of Luminate Education Group (Group Board), a Vice Chair of Luminate Education Group and Vice Chair of the Group Audit Committee.

Carolyn is a partner at Clarion Solicitors and has spent all of her life in Leeds and Yorkshire. In a career spanning over 30 years, she has advised on some of the most significant development schemes in Leeds, as well as projects across the UK, and has been appointed to external roles to deal with areas of governance of local authorities in West Yorkshire. She is also a trustee of Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

With nine years as a governor at Leeds Trinity University and further two years as a member of the Board at Leeds Conservatoire before taking the Chair role in January 2022, Carolyn is passionate about opening up opportunities of Higher Education (HE) to the widest diversity of students and helping to ensure the long-term success of the specialist HE institutions that add to the region’s cultural richness.

In addition, Carolyn has a life-long love of music which she has passed on to her three sons. She has sung in many choirs and was a founder member of St Peter’s Singers in Leeds in her teenage years. She has also sung in or been associated with Leeds Cathedral Choir since the 1980s.

Carolyn is a governor of the Luminate Education Group (Group Board), Chair of the Leeds Conservatoire Board of Directors, a member of the Group Remuneration Committee and a member of the Group Property Strategy Committee.

Ken worked for over 30 years with Leeds City Council in Education and Children Services – latterly as Head of Service for Young People and Skills with responsibilities for Youth Services, Information, Advice and Guidance service, and the school arts and music services. Since retiring Ken has also built up a portfolio of volunteer ‘governance’ roles – in addition to his roles within the Luminate Education Group, he is Director of the Brigshaw Learning Partnership (a 6 school multi-academy trust), Governor of Springwell Leeds (an SEMH Special School), Primary School governor at Kippax Ash Tree and Hunslet St Mary’s, Trustee and Chair of YAMSEN (a small musical charity for providing inclusive opportunities for people with additional needs), and a trustee of GIPSIL which provides housing and well-being support services for young people and families in Leeds.

Ken is a governor of the Luminate Education Group (Group Board), a Vice Chair of Luminate Education Group and Chair of the Leeds City College Board.

As a chartered accountant, Jane’s experience has included senior management in three further education colleges as well as finance and operations roles in several private and public sector organisations. She has a wide knowledge of schools, FE and HE governance. Jane has recently undertaken a PhD in the field of comparative vocational education and training policy at the University of Huddersfield and developed a portfolio career as a researcher and part time tutor. Jane lived in Leeds for over 20 years but now lives in North Yorkshire and is passionate about improving educational opportunities for young people and adults across West and North Yorkshire. Her special interest is sustainability and raising awareness of the impact of the climate emergency wherever possible.

Jane is a governor of Luminate Education Group (Group Board), Chair of the Harrogate College Board, Chair of the Group Audit Committee and a co-opted member of the Leeds Conservatoire Audit Committee.

John retired recently as a Partner with an international legal services business. By profession, he is a solicitor and Chartered Tax Adviser. He has lived and worked in and around Leeds for over thirty-five years and first became involved with FE and HE governance in 2006 with Doncaster College. A passionate believer in the transformative power of education, John has also been a lay trustee of Leeds Beckett Students' Union, amongst other charitable trusteeships.

John is Chair of Governors of Luminate Education Group, Chair of the Governance & Nominations Committee, a governor member of the Finance Committee and a governor member of the Remuneration Committee.