PRINCIPAL

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.

 TREASURER

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 British Computer Society in 2018-2019. He was co-opted onto the Executive in February 2020 and elected Treasurer in July 2020.

GENERAL SECRETARY

Richard Ibbett has been a member of the School in London for 40 years, and part of the Fellowship for 20 years, serving as Chair of the Membership Committee for 6 years. He has been a philosophy tutor for 30 years, tutoring in the early parts, the senior school and in the branches. As an architect he has been principal of Ibbett Associates for 25 years and has been on the RIBA register of conservation architects.

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 is a key figure in the organisation of the ‘Wisdom of Women’ event, now in its third year. She runs her own interior design and sustainability consultancy business and champions systemic change in commercial and residential markets.  

Originally from Australia, Yolande joined the School in London and shortly afterwards transferred to Guildford. She is a prominent member of the Guildford Branch, where she tutors Plato and Philosophy. 

Yolande has been a Fellowship member for over 20 years. She also was previously co-opted to the Executive Committee, and again in September 2022.

She has recently retired from her successful residential house design business.

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 35 years. He has also been tutoring both early and senior philosophy groups in the Branch for the last 35 years. Kumar was co-opted to the Executive Committee in 2020.

Elizabeth joined 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.

Elizabeth is a member of the Fellowship, was co-opted in 2021, and elected to the Executive Committee in 2022.

Matt has worked in technology for over 25 years. Throughout a varied career, he has worked alongside some leading innovators and inspiring leaders at a range of companies in space technology, healthcare, government, and more recently at leading global internet players. Matt has been a student at the School, studying Philosophy and Economics for over 25 years and has been tutoring groups in the early years for over 15 years. He was co-opted to the Committee in 2019 and elected in 2020.

Sherry’s career has evolved from big corporate to serial entrepreneur. Her current business is a pharma tech company. She completed the Goldman Sachs business bootcamp which is equal to an MBA Business Degree. Sherry mentors many young people starting out in business and is an active member of a women’s business organisation.

In the 40 years with SPES she 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 put together a team to launch Celebrating Ceramics, a 3-day summer festival at Waterperry Gardens. Sherry has been a member of the Executive since 2020.

David Nock was co-opted to the Executive Committee again in 2021 with responsibility for Branch Liaison. He has for many years led the Midlands branch of the School.

Edward Saunders is a solicitor with a varied practice covering general commercial law, litigation and insolvency. He first attended philosophy classes in the School in 1988 and started studying economics in 1997. He now teaches economics within the School. He became a member of the School’s Fellowship in 2008 and was co-opted onto the Executive. Edward was elected to the Executive Committee in 2017.

David joined the School in Nottingham in 1990. He has looked after the Nottingham Centre since 1995 where he tutors in-person groups as well as tutoring online. 

He qualified as a Chartered Building Surveyor and retired in 2018 from a career running a construction company. 

David was co-opted onto the Executive Committee in 2022