Our Board

• Bernadette Mackie (Chair)
• Andrew Maund
• Lesley Harvey
• Una Bennett
• Yvonne Brennan

• Noel Burke (Chair)
• Yvonne Brennan
• Lesley Harvey
• Mike Tilt
• Una Bennett

• Mike Tilt (Chair)
• Yvonne Brennan
• Noel Burke
• Una Bennett
• Chris Bird

Mrs Yvonne Brennan

Chair of the Board of Directors

Governance Experience 

Previously a Foundation Director of Holy Family Multi Academy Company and a member of the Shadow Board preparing for the merger of Holy Family Multi Academy Company and Our Lady of Lourdes Multi Academy Company. I have significant experience in Governance having served in different educational settings as a Staff Governor and then as a Head Teacher Governor.

I have been a member of the full range of Governing Body committees including those related to vision and ethos, staff and student performance, finance and accountability. In the last 8 years, I have initiated and delivered training for School Governors and have been involved in advising and supporting School Governors and Directors of Multi Academy Companies in the recruitment and appointment of School Leaders and CSELs [CEO equivalent} respectively.

Knowledge and Skills/Areas of Expertise 

I have been involved in the educational sector since 1975 as a teacher, Senior leader, High School Principal and more recently as Deputy Director of the Diocesan Education Service within the Archdiocese of Birmingham. I have an in-depth knowledge of the aims and purpose of Catholic Education and of the Diocesan strategy to protect, secure and improve the provision of Catholic Education for future generations.

I am a strategic thinker experienced in dealing with a range of stakeholders, in relationship management and in School Improvement. I am also experienced in monitoring and evaluating the overall effectiveness of Multi Academy Companies and their schools.

Qualifications. BA Dip.Ed. NPQH.

Mike Tilt

Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors

Governance Experience

I have served as a foundation director on the Board of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic MAC renamed Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi-Academy since its formation in May 2014 and have served as chair from May 2017 to September 2021.  I was previously a foundation governor and academy representative at St Peter’s First School in Bromsgrove for 14 years until September 2017 serving on the finance and premises and curriculum committees.

Knowledge and skills/areas of expertise

My professional experience as a Chartered Surveyor and property developer has equipped me with a detailed knowledge of commercial leases, joint venture and partnership agreements and corporate governance in both the public and private sectors.

BSc (Hons) in Land Management (Valuation specialisation) - University of Reading

Governance Experience

Foundation Director since November 2017

Academy Representative 2018 - 2021

Knowledge and skills/ areas of expertise 

I completed a degree in Accountancy and Finance in 2008 and quickly moved into Public Sector Finance, at the same time undertaking post-graduate studies, qualifying as a CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) member in 2012. I have worked in a variety of Finance roles since that time, and have extensive experience of budget planning and budget monitoring which is extremely pertinent to a Director role. My focus on public sector over my career also means that I understand the complexity and challenges of balancing budgetary control with the requirement to deliver statutory, regulated services.

I have worked as Director of Resources in a large Company where my role expanded from merely Finance to also cover  Information Governance and IT systems. This has given me an insight into the role of these functions in a large organisation such as a Multi-Academy Company.

More recently, I have taken a role as Chief Accountant in a Local Authority where I lead the team responsible for production of statutory financial statements. The demands of this in my organisation reflect those in the Multi-Academy, where similar statements are prepared. I also lead on the external audit response so understand the importance of this in good governance and retaining public trust.

Governance Experience 

I have been a Foundation Director of Our Lady of Lourdes Multi Academy Company renamed Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi-Academy since its formation in 2014 and was re-appointed in June, 2018.  I sit on the Risk and Audit Committee as Chair and am also involved with various sub-Committees. Before this and at the same time, I also served as a Governor/Academy Representative on the Board of St Bede’s Catholic Middle School from 2012 – 2018, spending five years as Chair. 

Prior to this, I sat on the Standards Committee of my local Borough Council from 2007, until the introduction of a new standards regime in local government in 2012.  Here, I held the post of Chair for 4 years. 

Knowledge and Skills/Areas of Expertise 

My key areas of expertise are:

Commercial, Sales Management, Business Management, Team Management, Construction, Premises and Recruitment. 

Lesley is an internationally experienced HR Director and HR Consultant with a strong background in both strategic and operational people leadership. She has worked extensively at Board level and brings a clear understanding of performance management, organisational development and effective governance.

With experience across both start-up and established organisations, Lesley offers a thoughtful and practical approach to leadership and change. She is particularly committed to ethical leadership and to creating positive, inclusive cultures in which people feel supported, respected and able to thrive.

Lesley is motivated by a strong belief in fairness, integrity and service to others. Voluntary work plays an important part in her life; she volunteers with the National Trust and serves her local church as Wedding and Funeral Co-ordinator, roles which reflect her commitment to community, care and responsibility. Alongside her consultancy work, she delivers health education workshops for Macmillan Cancer Support and serves as Director of Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi-Academy Trust, bringing sound judgement, compassion and a clear focus on doing what is right for pupils, staff and the wider community.

Governance Experience  

I was a foundation director of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic MAC from academisation in 2014 until the merger with Holy Family Catholic MAC in 2021, continuing on the Board of the newly merged Our Lady of the Magnificat Catholic MAC in 2021. I sit on the Board’s Catholic Mission, Performance and Standards and Risk and Audit Sub-Committees, having previously been a member of the Finance and Resources Sub-Committee. I am link director for both Legal and Safeguarding and was previously link director for GDPR. I was previously a foundation governor of both St Augustine’s Catholic High School, Redditch, (2013 to 2021) and St Peter’s Catholic First School, Bromsgrove (2009 to 2022).

Knowledge and Skills/Area of Expertise 

I am a (currently non-practising) solicitor with over 30 years experience of legal practice predominantly in the field of personal injury litigation.

As a governor, I have leadership experience, having chaired St. Peter's Board of Academy Representatives (Governors) between 2014 and 2018 and have also chaired sub-committees, including Personnel at both St. Augustine’s and St. Peter's. I have been a link governor for SEND and KS5. 

Outside of work and school governance, I am Safeguarding Officer at St. Peter's RC Parish, Bromsgrove.

Governance Experience

I joined the Board of Directors in February 2024 and sit on the Catholic Mission, Performance and Standards Committee, acting as Link Director for Catholic Life and Mission. I was previously a Foundation Governor and Academy Representative at St Peter’s First School in Bromsgrove for 17 years, serving on the Personnel and Curriculum Committees.

Knowledge and Skills/Area of Expertise 

My background is in Secondary Education, having worked in Maintained and Independent Schools for 39 years. As a former Head of Department, I have experience of managing the performance of staff, through the observation of teaching, delivering staff training, and the monitoring of standards. My most recent role has been as Director of Communications for a foundation of Independent Schools in Worcester.

I am an inspector with the Catholic Schools Inspectorate and have led or supported many inspections of primary and secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Qualifications:

MA Hons: Queens’ College, University of Cambridge

PGCE (Distinction): Homerton College, University of Cambridge

MPhil: University of Birmingham

Governance experience

I have been a local governor at three schools since 2000.  I served as chair of governors at two of those schools including St. Augustine’s Catholic Primary, Kenilworth, before it joined Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi-Academy Company (MAC).  Since 2017, I have been a foundation governor at Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School in Coventry, part of the Romero MAC, and am chair of the health and safety committee.

My governance experience includes being part of executive boards of government agencies as well as chairing programme and performance boards.

Knowledge and Skills / Areas of Expertise

I started my career in financial services, then joined the Civil Service in 2007 taking early retirement in January 2024. Throughout my career I specialised in project management / leadership and operational delivery.  Most of my Civil Service career was at the Department for Education including a period as the chief executive of the Standards and Testing Agency, responsible for primary school assessments.  My last role was as National Services Director at HM Courts and Tribunals Service responsible for service centres supporting the justice system.  As well as project management and operations, I have experience in IT and digital development, procurement and performance improvement.