Our Further Education team

David Ardill

Head of Trustee and FE Recruitment

David has been in education governance recruitment roles for almost a decade, working across a multitude of areas, specialising in sourcing high-calibre individuals for roles as Directors, Trustees and Governors. Prior to this, he worked in the FE sector at a large, multi-campus College, followed by a leading role in recreational sports marketing with the governing body for cycling, working alongside significant partners such as Sport England and Transport for London. David was formerly the Deputy Head of Programme for the government-funded Academy Ambassadors Programme, and brings a wealth of experience in stakeholder engagement across the sector.

Charlie Western

Senior Recruitment Manager

Charlie has worked within the governor recruitment team at Governors for Schools since 2022. Having previously worked at an FE College, Charlie is combining his sector and governor recruitment experience as he works with the team to deliver the service. He manages our recruitment processes to ensure we deliver an excellent service, and also supports the service through stakeholder relationships.

Anthony Melia

Recruitment Manager

Anthony (he/him) joined Governors for Schools in August 2022 with a background in the education and charity sectors, after completing an MA in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. In his previous role, he was part of the education team at an LGBT+ charity, where he led on school recruitment and developed resources for staff and pupil-facing programmes across all key stages. Prior to this, he worked on widening participation projects and taught English abroad. He now works on our FE Governor Recruitment Service as a Partnership Manager, collaborating with both colleges and volunteers as part of our matching process.

Danielle Ballagher

Recruitment Manager

Danielle joined Governors for Schools in June 2023 after working as a Governance Professional for several years within the education sector. Having completed her Chartered Governance Institute qualification in Academy Governance, and having previously supported several colleges’ governance, she is well placed to be supporting the delivery of our FE Governor Recruitment Service. Danielle is passionate about supporting good governance in the education sector and works collaboratively with colleges and trusts to ensure they’re getting the support they need.