Executive Committee nominations - FSES AGM 2024

Stephen started attending classes in New York in 1974 before returning to the UK in 1977. He is now retired from a career in IT and Project Management. Among his activities in the School, he looks after the Berkshire Branch and runs the Gita study weekends, as well as tutoring online and in-person groups. Stephen was co-opted onto the Executive Committee in 2017 and again in 2018, and was elected as Principal in 2019.

Chris joined the School in New York in 1971. He returned to the UK and joined the London School in 1972. He has been a philosophy tutor for some 20 years. He retired in 2015 as a management consultant and expert witness. He has been a trustee of three other charities, including the Education Renaissance Trust. He was President of the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT in 2018-2019. He was elected Treasurer in July 2020.

Elina is a member of the M Stream, having joined the School more than a decade ago, and has been a member of the Fellowship for five years. She has served as a First Year tutor for five years and is now part of the online tutoring team. Elina has successfully hosted webinars such as the Annual Language Lecture, Teachers Day and Beginning of the Year Lecture. She is a key figure in the organisation of the ‘Wisdom of Women’ event, now in its third year and, at the beginning of lockdown, was the instigator of Awareness Live sessions on Facebook. She runs her own interior design and sustainability consultancy business and champions systemic change in commercial and residential markets.

Kumar Kumara is a retired Structural Engineer. He started studying philosophy in the School in London in 1973 and moved to the North East Branch in 1976. Kumar has been the Treasurer for the Branch for the last 40 years. He has also been tutoring both early and senior philosophy groups in the Branch for the last 40 years. Kumar was co-opted to the Executive Committee in 2020 and elected to the Executive Committee in 2022. Kumar has been the Chair of the Estates Sub-Committee since 2020.

Elizabeth joined the SPES over 20 years ago and has been a tutor for ten years.

She is now retired and her career has included being a Headteacher for 25 years, Advisory Headteacher for London Challenge Schools Improvement Service, Director of Learning Alliance Academy and Head of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Partnership.

She is a member of the Fellowship and was co-opted to the Executive Committee in 2021.

Matt joined the School in London in 1995. He is a Senior Business Director in the high-tech sector, focusing on Cloud Computing, Application Development, Data Analytics and AI. He is currently a tutor in the introductory and first year Philosophy department. He has over twenty years experience tutoring philosophy and assisting with study groups, and developing courses in the Horizons Programme and Advanced Economics. Matt has been a member of the Fellowship since (about) 2004.

In her 40 years with SPES, Sherry has tutored parts 1-12, wrote and directed the 10-minute History of the School video, and ran the Ceramics section of the Art In Action festival. On its closure, Sherry launched Celebrating Ceramics, a 3-day summer festival at Waterperry Gardens.

Sherry’s career has evolved from running the internal communications department of a global investment bank to founder/director of two communications and documentary video businesses, to her current role as founder/director of a pharma technology company. She has been a member of the Executive since 2020, is on the Waterperry Gardens Limited Board, and her most recent appointment is on the Board of Open Style Lab, a non-profit organisation committed to making style accessible to everyone regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.