Our Members

Members are similar to a company's shareholders, managing the appointment and removal of Trustees and challenging the Annual Accounts and Report.

They work voluntarily as they are committed to making a difference to the communities they serve.

Seeta Mepani

Seeta has a background in Governance for over 15 years. She is an end point assessor for the Level 4 School Business Manager Diploma. Seeta has experience in supporting trust boards and local governing bodies with advice and guidance on compliance. She has conducted external reviews of governance, health and safety practices, risk management and supported with academy conversion as well as on-boarding. Seeta has been a Chair of a Trust board for two years and prior to that a Chair of Governors for five years. She is currently a Trustee and a Member at a multi academy trust (MAT), where she also is the Chair of the audit and risk committee. Seeta has governance experience at a MAT, single academy trust, a single sex faith academy and a special primary school. Seeta is also a National Leader of Governance (NLG).

Sadiq Merali

Sadiq is originally from Nairobi, Kenya. Having been born and brought up in Kenya community service has always been dear to him and has had voluntary posts at charities, school, and sports clubs. Sadiq qualified as a Chartered accountant in 2011 having trained with PwC. Further on he went to work at Credit Suisse, moved back to Kenya where he was at Chase Bank and Deloitte. More recently he’s been involved with helping technology businesses grow their businesses and has worked with Gartner and Symbox.

Agata Wolejko  

I am a passionate operations leader with extensive experience in clinical laboratory operations gained through initiatives such as the delivery of whole genome sequencing for the 100k Genomes Project. As Laboratory Director I have worked in regulated environments, where I ensured quality culture, delivery of best-in-class results and compliance with international standards. With over 10 years of experience in leadership roles and a recently completed MBA, my strengths include enterprise thinking, financial management, building high-performing teams, scaling, and gaining efficiencies in operations. As a scientist I am passionate about inspiring young people to pursue careers in science. I have been active as STEM Ambassador and mentor supporting children, young adults, and women through various associations (e.g. Cambridge Association for Women in Science and Engineering). 

Mark Millar

After leaving Scotland to train as a teacher in 1982, I have spent almost all my career in schools in the NorthWest of England. I have worked in a variety of schools in a number of Local Authorities.

I believe in school-to-school collaboration and have been involved in a number of successful initiatives not least the NorthWest SCITT.

I have been a headteacher for nearly 25 years and am about to embark on my most daunting journey to date: namely, retirement!

 Ramandeep Jhattu

Ramandeep (Ray) Jhattu - has held a number of leadership roles in public and private sector healthcare organisations - operating at near and at board level. Bringing with him a wealth of experience in operational turn around, corporate governance, risk planning and strategy development. 

Members who have served in the past 12 months:

Susan Maguire  September 2023

Trustees

Trustees form the Board who hold the CEO and Central Team to account.  They scrutinise all aspects of audit and risk, financial compliance, estates, IT, GDPR, educational standards, safeguarding and compliance with ESFA and DFE legislation.

They work voluntarily as they are committed to making a difference to the communities they serve.

COMMITTEES

We have two formal committees:

OPERATIONS known as OPS

Finance, Audit, HR, Estates, IT, GDPR, Compliance

• Chair: Setul Mehta
• Chair of Audit: Jyoti Jiwani
  • Carole Tobin
  • Saif Siddiqui
  • Agata Wolejko

EDUCATION-STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDING known as EDS

Standards, Curriculum, ECF, Premiums, CPD, Safeguarding, Assessment

• Chair: Paula Morgan
• Vice Chair: Aliya Dhanji
  • Nina Will
  • Rachel Bates (Observer)
  • Amy Creamer (Observer)

Aliya Dhanji, Chair of the Board (SEND & Vulnerable Children lead)

I began my career in Special Educational Needs and Disability 20 years ago supporting children with autism. I spent 7 years working as a Behaviour Consultant for Ambitious About Autism implementing evidence-based approaches for children and young people with learning disabilities. I have also been involved in school governance for 5 years. I now work as an independent Behaviour Analyst with children and young people from the ages of 4-19 years old with complex autism and behaviours that challenge. I work closely with parents, carers and staff in schools providing training and development to embed a culture of effective behaviour management so that children can thrive and make a positive contribution to their communities. I hold an MSc in Behaviour Analysis and am pursuing research at the Doctoral level looking at the use of evidence-based approaches in mainstream settings and how these are used to improve pupil outcomes.

Carole Tobin, (HR & Staff Wellbeing Lead)

I have held the post of Headteacher in three schools; two in the London Borough of Brent, the most recent at Roxeth Primary School in Harrow where I was Headteacher for 10 years. Now retired from Headship I am a School Improvement Adviser to some local Harrow schools and a trustee at TPPT and governor at Hatch End High School. The schools I have worked in have all been in London and served the culturally diverse communities that enrich our city. I bring my substantial experience in primary education, my knowledge and understanding of children throughout the primary age range and my experience in strategic planning, training staff and team leadership to my role as a trustee. Very proud to have passed on the genes to our children four of whom are teachers working in a special school in Harrow and in international schools in Hong Kong and Germany.

Setul Mehta, Chair of the Operations Committee, Board Trustee

With over 20 years of financial services experience, my expertise focuses on Strategy, Distribution, Operations, Governance and Development. I am well-versed in recruiting, inducting, coaching, managing and delivering results through direct reports and deep spans. Areas of knowledge span across Protection, Mortgages, Wealth Management, GI, FinTech, Asset Management and the value chain within. I have contributed to various Financial Services industry forums and publications.

Alongside financial services, I support the education sector as a Board Trustee within The Pegasus Partnership Trust and Associate Trustee at GLF Schools. This has led to my participating as a speaker at various NGA & Governors for Schools events. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my young family, a keen sports fan and supporting The Openwork Foundation.

Paula Morgan, Vice-Chair, Chair of Education & Safeguarding Committee and Trust Safeguarding Lead (Priestmead Primary School linked Trustee)

I have worked for the Department for Education (DfE) for over 20 years, but I am new to the role of Trustee having joined the Pegasus Partnership Trust Board in the summer term 2020. In the DfE, I have worked almost exclusively in policy development roles across a range of policy areas, including school improvement, school behaviour policy, the Pupil Premium and further education funding. My experience is in designing policy that meets the diverse needs of multiple stakeholders (including Ministers), drafting robust and concise advice and presenting recommendations with confidence and clarity. I have worked on the successful delivery of primary legislation related to school discipline and on the development of related advice for schools and colleges. I have also managed the secretariat function for several key stakeholder groups, developing and maintaining positive and purposeful relationships across the department and with external stakeholders, including sector representative bodies.

Nina Will, Vice-Chair of the Education & Safeguarding Committee (EYFS & Standards Lead)

As a very experienced Headteacher and National Leader of Education, I have vast experience in both supporting and challenging schools to achieve excellent outcomes. I have a specialism in EYFS, leadership and professional development, leading both an outstanding school and also forming and leading a Teaching School. Within this role, I have created partnerships and networks to develop and nurture the next generation of teachers. I am passionate about education as a powerful agent for change in the world and have a wealth of experience in sitting on governing bodies, chairing sub-committees and providing strategic leadership support and challenge to schools.

Jyoti Jiwani, Chair for Audit & Risk, Finance Lead

Jyoti is a highly experienced finance professional with both accounting and treasury qualifications. Having started her career in accounting and finance, Jyoti’s specialist skills are focused on treasury management with extensive experience across a variety of sectors including financial institutions, mining & metals, publishing, retail & FMCG industries. She is skilled in driving shareholder value through treasury transformation and restructuring, liquidity management, bank and debt capital markets financing, and investor and credit rating agency relationship management.  Jyoti is passionate about supporting people who experience difficulties in their lives through her volunteer work with the Samaritans. 

Saif Siddiqui

After an initial desire to work in aerospace, I rapidly pivoted to technology and business consulting. I have over 20 years of international experience in strategic advisory, mergers and acquisitions and target operating model implementations. I have delivered numerous programmes of work across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in various industries including aviation and transport, retail, financial services and telecoms. I have also enjoyed mentoring numerous established businesses and startups, as well as coaching internal client staff to achieve their full potential. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and crafting. I recently also started a small handmade leather goods brand.

VACANCY  (The Welldon Park Academy linked Trustee)

Update coming

The Role of a Trustee 

The individuals on the Board of Trustees are called Trustees (while the individuals on a Local Stakeholder Group are called LSG Associates).

The Board of Trustees is accountable for the performance of the Trust. It is responsible for the leadership of the Trust, and for establishing delegations to LSGs and to Associate Headteachers for the day-to-day operational management of the academies within the Trust.  

To discharge its accountability the Board will retain responsibility for: 

• setting the vision and strategy for the Trust; 

• ensuring the quality of educational provision within the Trust; 

• challenging and monitoring the performance of each Academy within the Trust; 

• managing the Trust’s resources effectively; 

• appointing the CEO, Executive Headteacher, Associate Headteachers, Chief Finance Officer and Central Team leaders; 

• ensuring that the Trust complies with charity and company law; 

• ensuring that the Trust and each Academy comply with the Funding Agreements; and 

• exercising reasonable skill and care in carrying out its duties. 

The role of a Trustee is not to manage operations – that is the role of academy leaders; the role of Trustees is to set strategy and hold the CEO to account for delivery of that strategy and performance (including compliance).  

The Board of Trustees is a corporate body, which means: 

• No Trustee can act on their own without proper authority from the Board of Trustees; 

• All Trustees carry equal and collective responsibility for decisions made; and 

• The overriding concern of all Trustees is to the success of the Trust overall.  

Trustees who have served in the past 12 months:

Agata Wolejko (now a Member)