Meet the team
Staff
Lizzie Harewood, Executive Officer
Lizzie joined ACT in September 2020 after twelve years working in Secondary Education as an English teacher. Her passion is to equip Christians to be ‘salt and light’ in the nation’s schools, and is guiding the organisation in its recruitment and resourcing of members.
Outside of work, Lizzie supports her husband as he pastors an evangelical church in Yorkshire. The rest of her time is taken up with being a busy mum of two kids, trialling experimental recipes and drinking good coffee!
Jo Boorne, Administration and Development Officer
Jo joined the team in March 2022 and brings a wealth of Business Management expertise to ACT. Aside from having run an Ofsted registered preschool and being married to a secondary teacher, her other connection with education is having four children! Jo lives in Cheshire and enjoys walks with her mischievous Labrador, Buddy.
Board of Directors
Our directors all work (or have worked) in schools across the UK and beyond, whether in a voluntary capacity or as an employee. They are made up of chaplains, governors, teachers and church workers and represent a range of church backgrounds, as well as having experience in both the state and independent education sector. What unites them all though, is their desire to support Christians in our nation’s schools.
David Bedford, Chair
David is currently the pastoral Deputy Headteacher at a large secondary school in Coventry. Previously he has led a Christian international school in China and served as an academic Vice Principal in Doncaster. He took over as ACT chairman in November, 2023.
Nigel McQuoid
Nigel was born in Northern Ireland and taught English, Maths and Drama in Secondary Schools as well as being CEO of Dublin YMCA. By the time he retired in 2020, he had been Principal in six schools, three in the UK and three in the Middle East. He now lives on Tyneside and is involved with a number of Christian charities which focus on education, youth work and international mission.
Sandra Sutherland
Sandra lives in the Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland. Sandra has worked in education in a number of different roles mainly as a teacher of children and young people with additional support needs (special educational needs). She has worked in special schools as well as mainstream schools,as a classroom teacher and in promoted posts which brings a wealth of different experience.
Apart from work, Sandra enjoys walking in the Scottish hills and is learning Scots Gaelic.
Peter Gregory, Vice Chair
Dr Peter Gregory is Principal Lecturer in Education at Canterbury Christ Church University having previously worked in primary, special and secondary schools across London and the South East.
Cristo Rodriguez
Cristo has been involved in education since 2004 having worked in Alternative Provision, French and German and Religious Education secondary teaching as well as chaplaincy. He is also Managing Director of a Christian Education Charity working in primary and secondary schools.
Matt Coe
Matt has worked within the education field for the last 28 years. He has experience in working in the UK and also overseas, teaching and leading in Christian schools in Thailand and Germany, and now lives in the north west of England where he currently serves as the National Director for TeachBeyond UK.
Titilayo Oluwatudimu
Jeff Fair, Treasurer
Having worked as a Maths teacher and then Bursar at a large secondary school in Essex for over 30 years, is now an Assessment Specialist and Trainer for Cambridge Assessment. Involved with setting up a Schools Christian Workers Trust 30 years ago and currently supporting as a trustee. Having moved to Norfolk some years ago, is a member of the village Baptist church. Also supports a church plant in the Isle of Wight and volunteers with Scripture Union holidays each summer.
Elizabeth Scott
After starting her working life as a secondary teacher in Northern Ireland, Dr Elizabeth Scott went on to spend the main part of her career working in both teaching and management roles in Further and Higher Education in Colleges in Hampshire, Essex and London. She is currently a Governor in a Sixth Form College in London and is an active member of the evangelical church where her husband is the Minister.
Jeremiah Emuchay