Trust Membership
Trustees and Members 2020/21
Sharon Carlyon, CFO and COO
James Roach, CEO
Elizabeth Leeman, Trustee and Chair, 15/12/20 - 14/12/24
Vijay Sharma, Trustee, 04/07/19 - 03/07/23

Andrew Chappell, Trustee and Vice Chair, 20/09/17 - 19/09/21
Daniel Finill, Trustee, 04/07/19 - 03/07/23
Dan is a local education professional who has spent the majority of his career working in the Watford area. He has spent the last 12 years working in mainstream and specialist education and has experience of managing the successful transition of primary school pupils into secondary school. Dan also has experience of managing a pastoral support team in a large secondary school and has been a Designated Senior Person for Safeguarding for 6 years. In his current role, Dan teaches at a local pupil referral unit (PRU) and is responsible for managing Alternative Provision for South West Herts. As well as an education background, Dan has served as a Special Constable within Hertfordshire Constabulary and is a lifelong Watford supporter.
Efuru Obua, Trustee, 04/07/19 - 03/07/23
Efuru is a dually qualified Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, with 31 years combined post qualification experience. She offers a broad skill set in the areas of Contracts, Residential Property, Litigation, Compliance and Risk Management, Legal Research and Analysis.
Efuru has been in private practice all through her career and worked in various law firms, before she started her own practice in the UK in 2003 to become the managing partner. As a partner and business owner, she made strategic decisions to drive growth and development, dealing with regulatory bodies, various government agencies and the Courts, adopting best practice and achieving the best possible outcomes for all her clients, who continue to return. In 2010, Efuru resigned from the partnership to pursue a second Masters degree in Petroleum Law and Policy from the University of Dundee in Scotland and is currently a Consultant Solicitor at a North London Firm. She also covers work as a locum solicitor at associate and partner level dealing with various aspects of residential property transactions.
Efuru is passionate about community work and was part of the team that organised the first ever South East and South South of Nigeria Investment Forum in the UK in June 2018, which created a platform for potential investors and businesses in Nigeria seeking partnerships. The project translated into a UK based company known as SSENIL UK, where Efuru is an Executive Director, helping to set the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the company and participating in the day to day running of the company.
Efuru is also the Company Secretary of another UK community company, where she ensures compliance with legal, regulatory and statutory compliance, dealing with Companies House and HMRC as well as providing guidance and advice.
Efuru is passionate about young people and seeks to give back, by helping the next generation on their way up to improve their life’s chances and attain their full potential. She would like to help raise the calibre of school leavers, especially young people from deprived backgrounds. Efuru is keen to see an enhanced partnership between parents and the school, where parents play a greater role in the social, academic and mental development of children and are supported on parenting skills, to enable them to give children the framework to believe in themselves, be high achievers and be the best they can be.
Efuru’s hobbies include reading, walking, dancing, cooking and gardening.
Elizabeth Redman, Trustee and Chair of Resources Committee , 04/07/19 - 03/07/23
Natalie Dalvarez, Associate Trustee, 07/09/20 - 07/09/21
Natalie has worked as a Business Leader in the Education sector for over 10 years and is currently the Deputy CEO of a Diocesan Multi Academy Trust based in Bedfordshire. She is a Fellow of the Institute of School Business Leaders and has previously worked for both the Council of British International Schools, as their Director of Operations, and Herts for Learning (the UK’s largest Schools’ Company), as the Deputy Director for Business Services. Natalie has significant experience of school governance and has acted as both the Chair of the Curriculum Committee and the Chair of Governors for schools within Hertfordshire.
Jonathan Hartley, Member, 05/10/16 - 04/10/24
Carley Holliman, Member, 05/10/16 - 04/10/24
Nick Martin, Member, 10/12/18 - 09/12/22
Jill Steward, Member, 05/10/16 - 4/10/24
Emma Lad, Trust Clerk