Meet the Board

Bill is the Executive Principal of Leeds City College and Deputy CEO of Luminate Education Group.

Bill has worked for the group since April 2015 and leads on all aspects of provision and performance for Leeds City College. As a key member of the Executive Leadership team, he contributes to stakeholder engagement, curriculum development and cultural change across Luminate Education Group, which includes Harrogate College, Keighley College, Leeds Sixth Form College, University Centre Leeds and Leeds Conservatoire.

With more than 25 years’ experience in further education, Bill previously worked at Sheffield College for six years as a member of the Executive team, starting his career as an English teacher at East Birmingham College.

Danny Wild is the Principal of Harrogate College.

He currently sits on the York & North Yorkshire LEP Skills and Employability board, as well as the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition board.

With an interest in teaching, learning, employer engagement and the green agenda, Danny hopes to strengthen the college’s employer-led curriculum, working closely with employers and the wider community to meet the skills needs of the region. He hopes to deliver on the college’s mission of providing life-changing opportunities through high-quality education and working towards a more sustainable district.

Clare is the Head of Business Engagement and Growth at Keighley College, where she focuses primarily on employer engagement, new business development and account management.

She sits on the Bradford and Airedale Manufacturing (BAMA) board, as well as the Keighley BID board. She is also a member of the Chamber Growth Board and the Centre of Technical Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering board.

As a member of the YCTD board, Clare hopes to contribute to the creation and delivery of high-quality training and development for local employers, supporting their prosperity and sustainability.

Michelle is a registered nurse with over 20 years’ experience of working in the NHS. She is now the Head of Leeds One Workforce programme.

Mark is an economic and skills policy professional and the Head of Policy and Business Representation at the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

He is a trustee and deputy chair of governors for Leeds Advanced Manufacturing UTC, and a trustee and director for Appris Ltd and Thackray Museum of Medicine.

As a member of the YCTD board, he hopes to bring knowledge and business intelligence to support the current and future skills needs of regional firms, as well as market trends which will influence the use of new technologies.

Nick is a sales professional with over 35 years’ experience in the engineering and manufacturing industries, starting out as an apprentice engineer with David Brown Gear Industries in the early 1970s.

He joined chemical manufacturer Christeyns in August 2010 as Managing Director. During his tenure, the UK group acquired seven other companies in the UK.

Nick is the founder of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks, a Bradford Chamber of Commerce initiative to bring students aged 14 –18 into Bradford manufacturing companies to give them first-hand experience of the industry.

Now retired, Nick remains on several boards. He is the Vice Chair of West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, and Chair of Bradford and Airedale Manufacturing Alliance and Bradford Manufacturing Weeks. He is also a member of the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Board – AME (Industrial Centre of Excellence).

Matthew is a BID manager at Harrogate BID. With a wealth of experience in business improvement, he hopes to enhance and expand training and development to support businesses across the West and North Yorkshire regions, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors.

Tracey is an employment and skills senior manager at Leeds City Council with a wealth of experience supporting skills development across the Leeds City Region.

With a keen interest in youth development, Tracey is an advocate for apprenticeship programmes and ensuring that young people can make informed choices once they leave full-time education.

Tracey is on the Board of Trustees for St George’s Crypt, where she is the Vice Chair.

As a member of the YCTD board, she hopes to play a central role in ensuring that employees have a skilled workforce for current and future needs, and that there is adequate skills provision in the city.

Mark is a talent development manager at UK Infrastructure Contractor, Colas Ltd. With extensive experience in training and development, he has created and delivered training strategies and programmes both locally and internationally. Mark also has experience in the automotive and construction industries.

As an advocate for skills training and development, Mark sits on the Employer Industry board that focuses on T Level qualifications and how these match industries’ needs.

As a member of the YCTD board, he hopes to support the growth of training and delivery programmes while understanding what training should look like – and appreciating the challenges, including from new legislation, that high profile industries such as construction experience annually.