governance
Governance
ESTA is a UK Registered Charity governed by an elected committee. This page contains information about our governance structure, including trustee details, AGM records, and the Chair's Annual Report
ESTA TRUSTEES
Dave Turner
Chair
Dave retired from Highfields school, Matlock, in 2017, where he had been head of geology and assistant head of sixth form. Although originally hired as a physics teacher, Dave started the geology course which grew into, and continues to be, a successful department.
Coming from a background of petroleum geology, working in Africa and the Middle East, he was always keen to bring his years in industry to the classroom. As a keen mountaineer, he led an expedition to the wilds of central Iceland, camping unsupported for four weeks, where students gathered data on various geoscience projects.
He delivered CPD to schools and PGCE courses around the country with the Earth Science Education Unit (ESEU). His proudest moment is being credited with the creation of the “Party popper- Volcano in the lab experiment.”
Dave worked for the WJEC (EDUQAS) examination board, presenting CPD and as a monitor for the A’level geology practical endorsement.
He is now concentrating on his own adventures: climbing, cycling, skiing and sailing for as many weeks per year that he can possibly fit in.
Sydney Jones-Jackson
Secretary
Sydney is Secretary of ESTA, manages the meetings of the association and overseeing the way that ESTA works.
Based at:
Ashton Sixth Form College, Ashton-under-Lyne
Sydney studied Geology at Cardiff University, graduating in 2018 before progressing onto a PGCE. She taught Physics, Applied Science and Geography in a Sixth Form College in Manchester for four years before starting up the A-Level Geology course there in 2023. She is passionate about Earth Science education and widening participation in Geology. For Sydney, every holiday is a Geoliday!
Angela Bentley
Trustee
Angela retired from the role of Head of Earth Sciences at Aquinas College in Stockport in 2025, where she taught Geography and Geology A Level.
In 2016 she was selected as a Teacher at Sea (sponsored by NERC), spending six weeks on the RRS James Cook with researchers from Birmingham, Durham and Cardiff Universities. Her work on Ocean Core Complexes and Asymmetrical Sea Floor Spreading influenced the A Level core content for the new Geology specifications, and she was subsequently awarded the Patrick Moore Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Education 2019 by the Royal Astronomical and Geophysical Society.
Angela serves on the Education and Outreach Committee for the Royal Astronomical Society and regularly attends lectures to keep her subject knowledge current.
Jodie Nichol-Gray
Membership Secretary
Based at Trinity School, Carlisle teaching Geology A-Level and Geography GCSE / A-Level.
I studied Environmental Sciences at The Open University from 2012-2019 part time and fell in love with Geology and Geography. I relocated to the North West in 2023 after being asked to teach A-Level Geology and since then this has taken up most of my time.
I have been part of the GIFT programme through the EGU and from this was able to attend Texas to visit the K-Pg Boundary and complete research at Texas A&M University studying the cores taken from the Jodie's Resolution Research Ship.
My free time is spent in Dumfries and Galloway, herding sheep and telling anyone who will listen about the rocks around us!
Tom Argles
HE Coordinator
Tom is Professor of Earth Science Education at the Open University and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Since joining the OU in 2000, he has developed a wide range of teaching materials, from printed texts to fully online courses. Passionate about fieldwork, he has led field schools for the OU and other universities, helped create virtual field trips, contributed to Geological Field Techniques, and supported the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Earth science teaching.
Tom’s research focuses on mountain-building processes, crustal melting and critical minerals, with fieldwork spanning the Himalaya, America, Australia, Scotland and southern Spain. He has supervised 14 PhD students and published more than 40 academic papers.
He is also heavily involved in outreach, having led around 70 school visits since 2007 and served as a SEA ambassador since 2008. He has given numerous invited talks, supported the annual Geoweek initiative, and is currently academic lead for the OU Virtual Microscope, an open-access petrography resource.
Outside work, Tom enjoys gardening, fell-walking, parkrunning, wildlife and occasional cricket.
Ryan Lawson
Secondary Coordinator
Ryan Lawson is a dedicated educator and advocate for geoscience education, currently serving as the Secondary Coordinator for the Earth Science Teachers Association (ESTA). He has been teaching geology since 2014 and is currently the Geology Course Leader at HSDC Havant College, where he focuses on delivering high-quality sixth-form geoscience education.
He stepped into the role of ESTA Secondary Coordinator for the 2023 Portsmouth University Conference. In this position, he is committed to supporting secondary and college educators nationwide, sharing innovative teaching resources, and championing the vital role that earth sciences play in the modern curriculum.
He is also passionate about encouraging geology in local schools offering many outreach activities in his local community, including a local infant and primary school as well as a number of secondary schools.
In his spare time he enjoys cycling, running and, of course, rocks.
Michael Kelly
Treasurer
Michael is a trustee of ESTA and, as Treasurer, is leading the drive for the continued financial stability of ESTA.
Based at John Taylor Free School, Burton-on-Trent, Michael has worked in a variety of academic fields since graduating from Keele University with a First-Class degree in Physical Geography and Geology in 2008. He went on to complete a PhD in Earth Sciences at Keele University in 2014 before being awarded a prestigious two-year Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship through ITECC (Investigating Tectonism- Erosion- Climate- Couplings). This two-year postdoctoral position was based in Delhi, India, working within the oil industry (Cairn India) to develop knowledge of the Mangala oil field and the wider Himalayan foreland system. This involved working with a wide variety of academic partner universities within the ITECC network.
After completing his postdoctoral research, Michael returned to the UK and undertook his PGCE through the University of Bolton based at Aquinas College, Stockport before undertaking his NQT year at Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College. It was during this time that he completed and was awarded QTLS.
Michael moved on to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy where he has undertaken a variety of roles including Associate Assistant Headteacher, Head of Humanities and been awarded an NPQ for Leading Teaching. Michael is currently the Head of Geography at John Taylor Free School, Burton-on-Trent.
Past ESTA TRUSTEES
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Prof. Chris Wilson 1990 – 91
Dr. John Jennings 1991 – 93
Mr. Richard Hardman 1993 – 95
Sir John Knill 1995 – 97
Dr. Keith Duff 1997 – 99
Dr. Alan McKirdy 1999 – 01
Dr. Martin Whiteley 2001 – 03
Prof. Jon Gluyas 2010 – 12
Dr Chris Carlon 2012 – 14
Prof. Iain Stewart 2014 – 16
Mr David Shilston 2016 – 18
Professor Ian Barker 2019 - 20
Dr Jodie Fisher 2020 - 22
Prof Phil Manning 2022 - 24
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Mr. Chris King 1990 – 92
Mr. Peter Kennett 1992 – 94
Dr. Dee Edwards 1994 – 96
Mr. Duncan Hawley 1996 – 98
Dr. Neil Thomas 1998 – 00
Mr. Ian Thomas 2000 – 02
Dr. Geraint Owen 2002 – 04
Dr. Martin Whiteley 2004 – 06
Dr. Dawn Windley 2006 – 08
Ms. Niki Whitburn 2008 – 10
Dr. Cally Oldershaw 2010
Dr. Maggie Williams 2011 – 13
Mr. Pete Loader 2013 – 15
Ms Niki Edwards 2015 – 17
Ms Joanne Conway 2017 – 18
Dr Dan Boatright 2018 – 20
Mr James Speed 2020 – 22
Ms Angela Bentley 2022 – 2025
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Dr. John Harpum 1968 – 70
Mr. Anthony Dunk 1971 – 73
Mr. Alun Thomas 1973 – 76
Mr. David Scott 1976 – 79
Mr. Michael Collins 1979 – 89
Mr. Graham Sparks 1989 – 91
Dr. Geraint Owen 1991 – 98
Dr. Dawn Windley 1999 – 03
Mrs. Susan Beale 2003 – 07
Dr. Ros Todhunter 2007 – 10
Dr. David Bailey 2010 – 22
Mr Dan Newton 2022
Mr Stephen Davies 2023
Miss Sydney Jones-Jackson 2024
Assistant Secretaries
Dr. John Weaver 1976 – 78
Mr. Peter Jones 1978 – 79
Mr. Steve Alcock 1979 – 81
Mr. Peter Cotterell 1981 – 85
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Mr. John Myers 1967 – 77
Mr. Barrie Whitfield 1977 – 81
Mr. Steve Alcock 1981 – 85
Mr. John Reynolds 1985 – 97
Revd. Geoffrey Hunter 1997 – 03
Dr. Maggie Williams 2003 – 09
Ms. Jane Giffould 2009 – 12
Mrs. Carole Rushall 2012 – 2022
Dr Sian May 2022 – 23
Dr Michael Kelly 2023 -
Assistant Treasurers
Mr. Peter Williams 1976 – 84n
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Dr. Diana Thurston 1984 – 85
Mrs. Julie Pendry 1985 – 88
Mrs. Sheila Rogers 1988 – 94
Ms. Polly Rhodes 1995 – 00
Ms. Jane Butterfield 2000 – 01
Mr. Owain Thomas 2001 – 04
Mr. Hamish Ross 2004 – 07
Ms. Mandy Winstanley 2007 – 08
Dr. Mike Tuke 2008 – 15
Ms Elouise Gill 2015 – 23
Ms Joanie Marion 2023
Stephen Davies 2024 - 25
Jodie Nichol-Gray 2025 -
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Association of Teachers of Geology Circular
Mr. David Thompson 1967 – 75
Geology
Mr. Dennis Hart 1968 – 73
Dr. Douglas Bassett 1973 – 75
Geology Teaching
Dr. Chris Wilson 1975 – 79
Mr. David Thompson 1979 – 86
Dr. Joan Evelyn Brown 1986 – 88
Teaching Earth Sciences
Dr. Joan Evelyn Brown 1988 – 89
Dr. Dee Edwards 1990 – 92
Dr. Denis Bates 1992 – 00
Dr. Roger Trend 2000 – 03
Dr. Cally Oldershaw 2003 – 06
Mr. Adrian Pickles 2006 – 07
Mr. Mick de Pomerai & Ms. Elaine Tilson 2007 – 08
Ms. Hazel Clark 2008 – 23
Mr.Matthew Martin 2023
Newsletter
Dr. Maggie Williams 2009 – 22
Ms Joanie Marion 2022 – 24
Assistant, deputy and co-editors
Mr. David Thompson 1976 – 79
Dr. Geoff Brown 1977 – 83
Mr. Andrew Mathieson 1979 – 81
Dr. Robert Standley 1981 – 84
Dr. Ann Dawson 1986 – 88
Mrs. Christine Whittingham 1986 – 88
Dr. Dee Edwards 1988 – 89
Dr. Denis Bates 1991 – 92
Dr. Antony Wyatt 1992 – 97
Dr. Keith Moseley 1997 – 98
Mr. Mick de Pomerai & Ms Elaine TIlson 2008 – 09
Dr Maggie Williams 2013 – 23
Ms. Hazel Clark 2023 – 24
gOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS
agm reCORDS
