Governors

Governors can be contacted via the Clerk to the Governors: businessteampa@stcatherines.info

Matthew P Lowe MBE MA RCDS
Chairman of the Governing Body and member of the Academic Committee
Matthew joined the Governing Body in 2018. After graduating from Newcastle University with a degree in English Language and Literature he was commissioned in 1985 and has served around the world, including operational commitments in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Pakistan. He commanded the Third Battalion The Parachute Regiment and organised the security training for the London Olympics. He is now the Chief Operating Officer of the Forces’ Pension Society and the chair of two other charities. He is married to Catherine and their daughters, Caroline and Suzie, both attended St Catherine’s Senior School between 2007-2015.  Recreation: his hobbies include the theatre, rugby, and making beer.

Albert Alonzo BSc PhD
Chairman of the Development Committee and member of the Finance & Risk Committee
Albert joined the Governing Body in 2016. He is married to Philippa and they have two daughters, Antonia and Camilla who were both pupils at St Catherine’s. After reading Biochemistry at Imperial College London, completing a PhD in Immunology, and being awarded a Cancer Research Campaign post-doctoral research fellowship at The London Hospital Medical College, Albert embarked on a career in Italian finance which included heading up subsidiary companies in London and Milan for global firms. In 2006 he founded a start-up company developing web applications for the financial sector then took a sabbatical in 2010 having stepped down as finance governor at Barrow Hills School to assume the role of Bursar there until 2014 following a successful ISI inspection the previous year.  Recreation: piano, opera, theatre, chess, bridge and walking.

John Blauth BA FRSA, MCMI, MRAeS 
Development Committee, Early Years Governor, Bursary & Hardship Awards’ Committee.
John joined the Governing Body in September 2018. He is a journalist and editor, with a career across various media including print, broadcast and digital. He left Fleet Street in 1998, and now owns Immediate Network Ltd, an Editorial Content & Publishing company, and Business Writing Academy Ltd. Following school, he joined the Army and completed an in-service degree at London University (King's and Heythrop Colleges) reading Philosophy with Theology. He is chair of a media charity, is a City of London Liveryman with the Coachmakers Company, and is a Freeman with the Stationers Company. He works and is involved with Livery Schools Link, City & Guilds, Imperial College Makerspace Outreach programme, Kingston University Saturday Engineering Club and several engineering bursaries and scholarships. He is a volunteer mentor with a focus on careers in communication. John is married to Kim and their daughter was at St Cat's from PP2 to U6.  Recreation: John supports Fulham FC, as well as Burnley FC, and is a member of the British Racing Drivers Club.

Prof Finbarr Cotter MB, BS, FRCP(UK), FRCPath, FRCP(I), PhD 
Chairman of Academic Committee
Finbarr Cotter joined the Governing Body in 2015. Finbarr is married to Rita and they have four children, two boys educated at Tonbridge School and two daughters , both of whom are past pupils of St Catherine’s. Finbarr graduated from the University of London and continued his medical training and practice at Royal London Hospital and St Bartholomew’s. In 1991 he obtained his PhD in molecular biology of lymphoid malignancies whilst working for CRUK and moved on to work at the Institute of Child Health at the University College London and also a consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital. He participates in a number of national committees in the field of cancer genetics and has received fellowships and chairs including Harvard, Trinity College Dublin, Germany and University of Nebraska , Omaha.   Recreation: Music- Playing trumpet in orchestral work and jazz. Sport, particularly supporting the Wales Junior lacrosse team and St Catherine’s golf whilst daughters were at school.

Mrs Penny Crouch LLB 
Chairman of the Bursary & Hardship Awards’ Committee, Estate & Buildings Committee and Finance & Risk Committee
Penny Crouch joined the governing body in 2013. Penny is married to Chris and they have two daughters, both of whom were at St Catherine’s. Penny read Law at Exeter University and is now retired. After qualifying with Freshfields, she worked in the City, from 1997 with UBS where she was a Managing Director. She is Honorary Ward Clerk of the City’s Coleman Street Ward.  Recreation: gardening, travel, tennis, skiing and reading.

Rt Revd Paul Davies 
Pastoral & Well-being Committee
Bishop Paul joined the governing body in September 2023, the same month in which  he was consecrated as Bishop of Dorking. Brought up in Pembrokeshire, he read theology (in Welsh) at the University of Wales, Lampeter, and (in English) at the University of Oxford. He has been ordained for 26 years, during which time he has served as an incumbent twice, an archdeacon twice, and as Acting Dean of a cathedral. He moved to Guildford in 2017 on his appointment as Archdeacon of Surrey. Amongst his professional interests are applied theology, community-led regeneration, and mental health and leadership development. As Bishop of Dorking, he takes a lead on diocesan work relating to children and young people, vocations and the environment. Paul is married to Louise (a Surrey girl) and they have two adult children (one a proud St Cat’s alumna). Recreation: running, woodwork and all things maritime (having served for many years on a lifeboat crew).

Karen Farrell
Development Committee 
Karen joined the Governing body in 2016. A graduate in English/Applied Linguistics from the University of Oslo and Sports Science from the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences (a scientific university with a national responsibility for research and education within the field of sports sciences).  After her MA qualification, Karen completed a postgraduate degree in Marketing at Kingston University UK, which led to her work in marketing and advertising for several years. After attending courses at the Inchbald School of Design in London, Karen became an interior consultant with a specialist interest in property development. She has also written two coffee table books on Interiors and Lifestyle.  Karen has two daughters and a son - Helena, Isabella and Thomas – and both daughters are former pupils. During their time at St. Catherine's, Karen was the Auction Director for the Fundraising Ball that launched Project 125, the campaign to build the Anniversary Halls which subsequently opened in 2010/2011, the School’s 125th Anniversary year. She was also involved with Lacrosse fundraising events and two class yearbooks.   Recreation: Water sports, skiing, cycling, hiking, travel and the arts.

Caroline Good
Finance & Risk Committee & ICT Development CommitteeCaroline joined the Governing Body in 2020.  Caroline graduated with an MA in History from St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and also has a Bsc Psychology from the Open University. Her early career was spent in the British Army and included tours in Northern Ireland and Germany as well as a spell in Whitehall.  After leaving the Army she became a management consultant working for both PricewaterhouseCoopers and British Telecom. She has spent the last 14 years as an Interim Programme and Change Manager working on large global transformation programmes for a range of organisations, mainly in manufacturing. She is also a Trustee of a small Education Trust in Hampshire and Chair of the Military Wives Choirs Foundation. She is widowed and has two daughters, both of whom attended St Catherine’s.  Recreation: Recreational walking, gardening and the theatre.

Stuart Hawkes BSc (Hons) FRICS
Estates & Building Committee 
Stuart joined the Governing Body in 2023.  Having graduated with a degree in Building Surveying from Reading University in 1983, he qualified as Chartered Surveyor two years later and worked for various Surveying Practices providing advice on a range of commercial property types around the UK. Now retired, he spent the last 13 years of his working career as a Partner of Synergy Construction and Property Consultants LLP, 5 years of which was as Joint Managing Partner, focusing on property and construction advice to Schools.  Throughout his career Stuart was involved in the training and development of Surveyors leading up to their assessment interview for entry to the RICS.  He sat as a Chair for these assessment interview panels for over 30 years. Stuart was made a Freeman of the City of London in 2003.He is married to Jane, a retired Physics teacher, and has one daughter,  Charlotte. Recreation:   Golf, Cooking, watching rugby, DIY and travelling, both at home as well as abroad.

Harriet Hounsell
Pastoral Committee 
Harriet joined the governing body in September 2021.  A graduate in Politics and Philosophy from Southampton, she has worked in several consumer businesses in buying, general management and business development roles.  More latterly she has worked in HR with a focus on organisation design, culture and change management, supporting business and employees as they prepare and develop for the future workplace.  She is an advocate of equal opportunities and believes in strengthening links between schools and the work place through career events, mentoring, speaker events and involvement with the CBI (Confederation of British Industry), where she has chaired the Employment and Skills Advisory Board.   Harriet is married to Mike and they have two daughters and a son - both daughters are former pupils.   Recreation: Cycling, travel and theatre when time allows.

Mrs Clare S Johnstone [Dr C S Higgens] MBBS (London), MRCS LRCP, MD ,FRCP (London)
Vice-Chair of Governing Body and member of the Pastoral & Well-being Committee & Academic Committee, Governor responsible for Child Protection
Clare was appointed to the Board of Governors in May 2008.  She is married to Laurence and has a daughter (an alumna) Lucy who is in entertainment marketing and a son who is in advertising.  She was most recently a consultant physician in Acute Medicine and Rheumatology at St George’s University hospital.  However before that she spent some time working for Imperial College, including a role as Honorary Senior Lecturer.  She has worked full time for the NHS for the whole of her professional career.  Recreation : Tennis and Skiing, the theatre and musicals

Dr Janet F. McGowan MB BS Lond
Chairman of the Pastoral & Well-being Committee
Janet Joined the Governing Body in 1995.  Janet is an Alumna of the School as was her Mother and Grandmother.  She left St Catherine’s to study Medicine in 1970 and qualified in 1975 from Westminster Medical School after which she continued training as an Anaesthetist.  She worked for most of her career in Eastbourne District General Hospital, retiring in 2016.  She has 2 sons, both of whom followed her into the Medical profession.  Her long association with St Catherine’s gives her great pride.  Recreation: Janet continues to enjoy singing and looking after her grandchildren.

Lynn Narraway
Pastoral Committee
Lynn Narraway joined the Governing Body of St Catherine’s in October 2022.  A graduate of Birmingham University in Social Sciences, Lynn has worked in the travel industry for 30 years, in many different sectors and roles ranging from airlines and retail travel to tour operating and more recently luxury cruising, where Lynn is Vice President UK & Europe for Seabourn, a member line of Carnival Plc & Corporation.  Lynn subscribes to the concept of “giving something back”.  She is an active Lord’s Taverner and wherever possible uses her high-profile business connections to good effect. Lynn’s work approach is one of collaborative team style and relationship management.  She is passionate about mentoring and encouraging work experience and business relationships with schools and universities. Lynn is married to Paul and has two daughters, both St Catherine’s alumnae.  Recreation:  Cycling, involvement in local theatre and travel, of course!

Andrew Pianca FCA
Chairman of Finance & Risk Committee and a member of Development Committee
Andrew joined the Governing Body in 2017. He is married to Anne, a fellow chartered accountant, and they have two daughters, one specialising in auditing and the other in tax. Andrew was Chief Executive of Crowe Clark Whitehill, chartered accountants, for 10 years and Chairman for 4 years. In that firm he established a team specialising in advising independent schools and also a team advising charities.  These grew to be the largest such teams in any firm of accountants. He has advised independent schools for over 30 years, was technical adviser to the Bursars’ Association for over 20 years, a frequent lecturer at school and charity conferences and has published two books on charity governance, management and reporting. He is also a trustee of three other charities.  Recreation: Golf, theatre and classical music.

Veronica Povey CBE, FCMA
Finance & Risk Committee, Estate & Buildings Committee
Veronica joined the Governing Body in October 2022.  After graduating with a Physics degree from Aston University in Birmingham she specialised in optical engineering, working in the aerospace and defence industry before making a complete career change and joining the fast stream civil service.  She trained as a tax professional in HMRC, joined the senior civil service and became a qualified accountant (FCMA).  She went on to hold many Finance Director roles across Whitehall, become Director of Public Spending at HM Treasury and more recently she was Finance Director at the Ministry of Defence.  She is passionate about supporting women and under-represented groups to succeed and become influential leaders in the workplace, leading allyship groups, supporting networks and mentoring.  She chairs the Advisory Board for the University of Brighton School of Business and Law.  Veronica is married to Simon and their daughter is a former pupil.  Recreation: Keen walker and skier, theatre, music.

Mrs Sue E. Shipway 
Academic Committee, Estate & Buildings Committee, Health & Safety Committee and Pastoral & Well-being Committee
Sue joined the Governing Body in December 2004. Sue is married to Ralph and is a former parent of the School. They have five children, two sons and three daughters. All the girls are former pupils of St Catherine’s and during their time in school Sue was Secretary of the PTA. Sue and her family lived in Petworth for 35 years and were involved with a number of local charities.  Sue now assists with the Home Library Service in her local area and meets some wonderful people who are housebound for various reasons.  Recreation: Sue enjoys gardening, walking, playing Bridge and spending time with her eight grandchildren.

Jonathan Tippett BSc FCA  
Academic Committee and Finance & Risk Committee 
Jonathan joined the Governing Body in 2002. He is married to Elizabeth and they have two children and two grand-daughters. After graduating from the University of Reading with a degree in Agricultural Economics he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.  Jonathan’s specialisms throughout his Chartered Accountancy career were farms and rural businesses, private clients and trusts.  He retired in 2021. Recreations: Rugby, Cricket, Jaguar Cars and Agricultural, Military and early English History.

Denis Ulyet MRICS BSC
Chairman of the Estate & Buildings Committee and member of the Development Committee
Denis is married to Helja and has two grown up children. One works for the Scottish Judiciary and the other in the music industry. He studied for a Degree in Quantity Surveying at Bristol Polytechnic and moved to the Guildford/Godalming area, joining Parker & Browne in 1976. He has been a quantity surveyor for 41 years and a Member of the Royal Institute of Quantity Surveyors for 36 years. He was appointed a partner of Parker & Browne which subsequently became Synergy in 1991. He has considerable experience in the construction industry having been involved in projects in the educational, retail, medical and ecclesiastical sectors. He has been personally involved in a number of construction projects at St Catherine's as the School’s Quantity Surveyor since 2002 including the Anniversary Halls. Denis retired in March 2017.  Recreation: Music, DIY, motorcycle riding and restoration.