Lesley has worked in the education and training sector for the majority of her career. She is Executive Director for the Chartered Institution for Further Education (CIFE) and Honorary Vice President of the Council of British International Schools. Lesley is also a National Leader of Governance for the Department for Education, a Non-Executive Director for Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust and Chair of Cheshire College South and West. Prior to her non-executive positions, Lesley was CEO and Principal of the Trafford College Group and Senior Vice President, with the responsibility for qualification development and awarding worldwide, for Pearson.
Lesley was Chair of the UK Skills Partnership, supported by the Department of International Trade and was a member of the Ministerial Education Advisory Group from 2017-2022.
Her career has also included the setting up of two government inspectorates and leading a ministerial review of the Duty of Care in the Armed Forces. As a Director for the Learning & Skills Council, she led on post-16 intervention and performance.
Her recent contributions have included supporting the turnaround of colleges in difficulties. She has also developed a groundbreaking Technical Leadership Programme for senior leaders in Further Education and led on the development of the Post Apprenticeship Recognition Programme (PARs) for the Chartered Institute for Further Education.
In 2015 Lesley was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to education and in 2022 she was also awarded Commander of the British Empire.
In August 2025 Lesley became a Joint Non-Executive Director for both Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) Board of Directors.
