Meet the team at New Directions College, Reading
Lisa Welch
Principal
Lisa has been Principal since June 2024, and she was previously Deputy Principal since September 2019. Lisa has been working in the Adult and Community Learning Sector for the past 13 years in Senior Business Support roles. Lisa has experience of working both within a local authority and for an independent College both within the Adult learning sector. Lisa is passionate about transforming the lives of adults through education and the role support services play in enabling learners to learn. Lisa was born and raised in Reading. Lisa is a keen gardener and when not supporting her family with caring duties spends her spare time studying on line for an RHS qualification in horticulture. Email: lisa.welch@reading.gov.uk or Phone: 07966189883
Yusuf Kacamak
Head of MIS and Business Support
Yusuf is the Head of Management Information Systems (MIS), business support, and the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at New Directions College. With 18 years of experience in program management and workforce development, he is dedicated to enhancing educational outcomes and promoting community engagement. Having immigrated from Canada to the UK, Yusuf brings a wealth of diverse insights and perspectives.
He is committed to helping others and strives for fairness in all his endeavours. Yusuf enjoys everything about football—playing, watching, and refereeing. In his free time, he also loves spending quality moments with his family and exploring new places on road trips. He holds an MBA from the University of Manitoba and is focused on building strong partnerships to further the mission of New Directions College. If you are interested in Apprenticeships and Vocational Curriculum, please email: yusuf.kacamak@reading.gov.uk
Ivana Tasker
Head of Skills for Life
Ivana has been heading the Skills for Life Curriculum at New Directions College since April 2020. A qualified teacher in Further Education and a Member of the Society of Education and Training, Ivana has a wealth of experience in teaching and managing English, Maths and ESOL courses at all levels, from Pre-entry to GCSE level. Ivana has worked in Further and Adult Education for the past 17 years. She has worked as a teacher and curriculum manager at three large Further Education Colleges in London and Surrey. Ivana is passionate about supporting learners of all ages to develop new skills and progress in their work and life. In her spare time Ivana enjoys spending time with her family, travelling and cycling along the quiet country lanes. Email: ivana.tasker@reading.gov.uk
Leanne Henderson
Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager
Having started my own learner journey with New Directions back in 2005, I can honestly say there is not much I do not know about the College in its current form! The shortened version of my story goes a little like this: I started with ICT classes and completed them all! I also completed my Level 2 English, Maths and Employability and went on to do a volunteering course. Once volunteering, this evolved into me studying my teaching qualification and before I knew it I was a sessional tutor and assessor. I then moved across to Apprenticeships and taught Business Administrator apprentices whilst building up the overall service area. Along the way, I also managed to attain and ICT Degree with the Open University and a Masters in Education with Reading University. More recently I completed a Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship which put me in a prime position to be promoted to my current role Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager. As you should be able to tell, I have a huge passion for learning and am enthusiastic about maintaining and raising quality standards across the whole College. Any new member of staff reading this should feel free to ask me anything related to their area or role as I have probably been there before. If I do not know the answer, I can always point you in the right direction. Email: leanne.henderson@reading.gov.uk
Aliea Rashid
MIS and Performance Manager
Aliea has worked at New Directions since September 2007 where she started as a math’s Tutor. Aliea spent the majority of her time as the Curriculum Manager for Skills for Life before moving on to Quality Assurance. In May 2022 Aliea became the MIS and Performance Manager. A qualified and practiced Teacher in Further Education and a member of the Society of Education and Training, Aliea has worked in further and adult education for the past 16 years. She has previously worked at Natwest Bank and O2. Aliea’s passion for education comes from her volunteering experiences and her love for math’s. Aliea thrives on helping local people back in to education and achieving their goals. Aliea is also a Governor at a local secondary school in her spare time, and enjoys her time bringing up her four children. Email: aliea.rashid@reading.gov.uk
Laura Jordan
Employment and Skills Curriculum Manager
Laura joined New Directions College in August 2021 after having worked for the local colleges for the past 8 years, focusing on Adult Education and Employability programmes. Laura enjoys helping people gain and develop new skills and grow in confidence. Outside work Laura enjoys travelling abroad, exploring new countries and loves walking and swimming.
Email: laura.jordan@reading.gov.uk
Rossella Kench
Marketing and Publicity Officer
Rossella joined New Directions College in November 2021, and brings with her eighteen years experience in business development, customer retention, consultative selling, account management, events, new product development, website management, market research, product life cycle management, project management, CRM systems and international business. For all Marketing and publicity enquiries please email rossella.kench@reading.gov.uk or contact me on 07929 853 707
Zillah Puri
Art, Leisure and Wellbeing Learning Manager
zillah.puri@reading.gov.uk
Natalie Ercilla
Lead Tutor - ESOL
natalie.ercilla@reading.gov.uk
Holly Bowden
Lead Tutor for Early Years and IQA for Leadership & Management
holly.bowden@reading.gov.uk
Dawn Townsend
Lead Tutor Mathematics
dawn.townsend@reading.gov.uk
Julie Anderson
Lead Tutor English
julie.anderson@reading.gov.uk
Cathy Lamsdale
Lead Tutor
Education & Training and Supporting Teaching and Learning
Education & Training and Supporting Teaching and Learning
cathy.lamsdale@reading.gov.uk
John Holland
Leadership & Management Lead (LSIP)
John joined New Directions College in 2017 following a 25-year career working in management and consultancy roles for utilities and energy sector organisations. After gaining a Level 6 teaching qualification, he has designed and delivered award-winning teaching and assessment for level 3 & level 5 diplomas & apprenticeships in Leadership and Management, enabling leaders and managers in Berkshire to realise their potential. In his spare time, John is a Scout leader and enjoys organising camps, and he also experiments with making cider. Email: john.holland@reading.gov.uk or Phone: 07816 110555
Cheryl Ives
Learning Support & Inclusion Officer
cheryl.ives@reading.gov.uk
Helen Spence
Quality and Curriculum Support Officer
helen.spence@reading.gov.uk
Colin Oatway
Business Support Officer
colin.oatway@reading.gov.uk
Rainbow Chan
Business Support Officer
rainbow.chan@reading.gov.uk
Sarah MacSwan
MIS & Performance Officer
sarah.macswan@reading.gov.uk
Business Support Officer Vacancy
Amanda Haggis
MIS & Performance Officer
Kadri Bratt
MIS & Performance Officer
English Tutors
Julie Anderson, Angela Gonzalez, Caroline Bennett, Yasmeena Hanief
ESOL Tutors
Natalie Ercilla, Shelha Minhas, Preeti Singla, Judith Hansford, Anubha Shah, Nicki Ellis, Caroline Bennett, Caroline Stallwood, Marta Nugent, Fatima Djaafri
Maths Tutors
Dawn Townsend, Dhanita Tiwari, Sheila Thompsett, Shelha Minhas
Early Years Tutors
Holly Bowden, Nikki Hodgson, Mharulnisa Ejaz and Cathy Lamsdale
Digital Skills Tutors
Bridget Parslow, Moniza Shafi, John Holland, Simon Cullimore
Business Management Tutors
John Holland, Leanne Henderson
Employment Support Tutors
Moniza Shafi, Ruby Mehjabeen, Simon Cullimore
Supporting Teaching and Learning Tutors
Bridget Parslow, Cathy Lamsdale, Amanda King
Creative Arts & Crafts Tutors and Instructors
Zillah Puri, Jeanette Cole, Anthony Piercey, Debbie Page, Joanne Kennedy, Emma O'Donovan, John Murdoch, Shelley Montague, Caroline Streatfield, Areej Abdi, Lyndsey Clark
Learning Support Workers
Janette Bushnell, Genna Hale, Caroline Stallwood, Amanda Baker, Andrea McAvoy
Exam Invigilators
Andrea McAvoy, Saima Asif, Alice Hale, Kim Chan, Taeko Yoshino