Governor Profiles

Jo Johnson
Chair of Governors
Llantwit Major born and bred, I’m deeply committed to our school and the wider community. Having attended the school myself—and with all four of my children following in my footsteps—I feel a strong and personal connection to its success and future.

Professionally, I bring lots of experience from both the private and public sectors, most recently as Employee Experience Lead at HMRC. My background in HR includes mediation, performance management, nurturing talent and developing future leaders, and organisational design. I’ve also led large operational teams and worked in strategic finance; I am a project manager at heart. I consider myself a bit of an all-rounder, which allows me to support organisations in achieving success. Above all, I’m passionate about improving and sustaining organisational engagement and the impact that has on individuals.

Outside of work, I love running and walking in our beautiful Vale of Glamorgan countryside. When I’m not outdoors, you’ll find me enjoying a good book or a trip to the theatre with my husband—often accompanied by something nice to eat (hence the exercise!)

William Moulder
Vice Chair of Governors
I am a parent governor with two children in the school and a third who will be joining in 2024. I grew up in the West Midlands and studied Business Administration at the University of Bath before moving to London to train as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte. I subsequently held a series of roles with the insurer Prudential plc in London over 12 years, most recently as the Chief Financial Officer of their African business. The latter gave my family and I the opportunity to live in Zambia for a couple of years before we moved back to the UK, eventually to settle in Llantwit Major. Although I am not a local, I have a strong connection to the area through my wife Sian who grew up in Rhiwbina and is the daughter of a Freeman of Llantrisant. After we were married, I also became a Freeman “through the petticoat”. In my free time I can often be found running the Heritage Coast path with our two English pointers.

Paula Richards
I have lived in Llantwit Major since 2004 where both my sons have attended schools – Llanilltud Fawr Primary and Llantwit Major School. I was a school governor for many years at Llanilltud Fawr Primary School and Ysgol Dewi Sant. Presently I am a Community Governor at Llantwit Major School and I also take an active interest in the Parent Forum which meets half termly. I work as a teacher in a comprehensive school in Bridgend and I am passionate about the individual needs of pupils being met in an inclusive and nurturing environment.

Mike Bell
I was born in Northumberland where the surname Bell is abundant. Following a Mathematic degree at UCNW I adopted Wales as my home, where the surname Bell is not so common place and subsequently started teaching in Llantwit Major over 25 years ago. I have had numerous roles and responsibilities within the school having taught Maths, Computer Science and ICT of which I am currently leader of learning. I have been a long serving teacher governor, support Newcastle United and have recently become a grandparent!

Mark Jones
I was brought up in South Wales and now live in Cowbridge – and am a Local Authority Governor

I am a qualified teacher as well as a qualified accountant. While my career began in industry, I eventually moved into Higher Education. I have spent the past 30 years working in Further Education with my last 2 roles being Principal and Chief Executive of Bridgend College (2005-2013) and then Principal and Chief Executive of Gower College Swansea (2013 – 2025) from where I retired last summer

I have a Masters Degree in Education Leadership and Management and have held a large number of national and regional roles over the past 20 years. I am a past Chair of Colleges Wales (the body that represents FE Colleges and Institutions). In the summer of 2024, I was awarded an MBE in the Kings Birthday Honours for “services to education”.

I am looking forward to seeing whether my knowledge and experience can be of benefit to the school’s Governing Body

Deborah Mulvey
I was appointed as a Local Authority Governor at Llantwit Major High School shortly after moving to Cowbridge. Having recently retired, I am keen to become involved in the local community and to use my experience to support young people and their education.

I spent most of my professional career working in the education sector in England, where I worked as part of the senior leadership team and have supported governing bodies. I was responsible for areas such as finance, staffing, premises and health and safety. I worked closely with headteachers and governors to ensure schools were well-run, compliant and focused on delivering the best outcomes for learners.

I believe strong governance plays a vital role in supporting schools and communities and I am committed to working collaboratively with fellow governors, school leaders, the local authority and the wider community to help Llantwit Major High School continue to thrive.

Louise Neate
I have one son currently in Year 7 and a daughter who will be joining the school in September. My professional background is rooted in public service: I spent ten years working for South Wales Police, followed by four years at Cardiff University. I now lead a professional services department at the University of South Wales.

Before joining the governing body here, I served a four‑year term as a Parent Governor at St Illtyd’s Primary School, where I later became Chair of Governors. That experience gave me a strong understanding of school governance, strategic planning, and the importance of effective collaboration between staff, governors, and families.

I became a parent governor because I want to play an active role in shaping our children’s education and supporting the continued development of the school. I’m always looking for ways to improve how we work, and I’m passionate about helping create an environment where every child can thrive.

In my professional life, I manage high‑risk and complex cases, including safeguarding responsibilities, and I bring that experience into my role as governor. I’m a strong, confident leader who values collaboration, clear communication, and thoughtful decision‑making. My aim is to contribute positively to the governing body and help ensure the school continues to grow, adapt, and provide the best possible opportunities for all pupils.

Jean Strachan
I have two sons, one of which is at Llantwit Major School, in year 10. We moved to Wales from Berkshire in England in 2012, and I love being part of this wonderful community. When we moved, this area very quickly became “home”.
I am a certified accountant, and I have my own small accounting business. This allows me time to be at home for my children and also enjoy some time for my hobbies, gardening, reading and the gym.
I became a parent governor just over a year ago, as I feel passionately about our school and our children’s education and wanted to be part of it.

Kate Tinsley
This will be my second term as a local authority governor, having completed a four-year term at Llangan Primary School. I gained a solid understanding of school governance during my time there and also experienced inspection (the school entered and emerged from Estyn review) and headteacher appointment (under my responsibility as the chair of governors). I am a data analyst for RM Education and have worked with education data for 17 years. My children attend Cowbridge Comprehensive School.

Jodie Trotman
I am a newly appointed (Oct 2025) parent governor with one child currently enrolled and another at university after completing her A levels at Llantwit Major School. Although we’re not originally from the area, we have embraced the experiences the school has offered. I work within education, based in a Further Education College, with a background in Health and Social Care. I am an active researcher, with an interest in widening participation and making education available to all, including individuals with additional learning needs (ALN). I believe that education can be a passport to opportunities and that schools are pivotal in working in collaboration with pupils and families to achieve this for each individual. I like to keep active and enjoy the outdoors, and I’m a team helper at my son’s football team.

Chris Westoby
I am a teacher whose specialism is Chemistry which I taught to “A” level. I taught in Tower Hamlets in East London, where I was head of year and spent one year in Sierra Leone as part of a teacher exchange. I was also Head of Science for a number of years in Herefordshire. I always felt that teaching was about more than just passing exams, so I looked after school football teams, ran D of E (Duke of Edinburgh), served as the link teacher for school council and worked with the school Fairtrade group. I was also a teacher governor for a number of years in Herefordshire.

I am now retired and have lived in beautiful Llantwit for ten years. I am involved in a number of aspects of the community here including Chatty Caffi, Llantwit Major Climate Conversations, Llantwit Major Fairtrade group, a local ceilidh group and Vale of Glamorgan Ramblers. I enjoy having time to walk the lovely Heritage coast and Welsh mountains, working on our allotment and enjoy a good book. I am married with two children and four grandchildren.

As community governor I hope I can make a positive contribution to our school.

Sam Willis

I am not originally from the area but moved from Dorset 13 years ago with my family. My background is in teaching, and I now work for UWC Atlantic College as Head of Residential Life and as one of the Deputy Safeguarding Leads. I have two children; one of whom completed his GCSEs in Llantwit last year and is currently studying at Atlantic College and my daughter who is in Year 8 at Llantwit School.

In my spare time I can be found horse riding locally or walking my three dogs. My role as a Governor began as a parent governor and then I transferred to Safeguarding Governor when the role became available. I work closely with the Safeguarding lead at Llantwit School as part of this role alongside attending Governor meetings.