Our Advisory Board

Sam Twiselton is an influential education leader and policy advisor, best known as the founding Director of the Sheffield Institute of Education and a key architect of England’s Initial Teacher Training reforms. She has chaired national advisory groups and shaped teacher development policy at the highest level.

• Professional Generosity: Sam invests deeply in mentoring educators and sharing expertise through keynote speaking, consultancy, and charitable trustee roles, ensuring others benefit from her knowledge.

• Professional Humility: Despite her OBE and national influence, she consistently credits collaborative efforts and remains focused on improving outcomes for teachers and learners rather than personal recognition.

• Professional Curiosity: Her career reflects a relentless drive to explore innovative approaches to teacher education, curriculum design, and system-level change, underpinned by research and evidence-informed practice.

Kathryn Morgan is an education and leadership specialist with a background in teaching, policy development, and workforce strategy. She has served as a school leader, Director of Professional Development, and now advises on national policy through ASCL and research dissemination projects.

• Professional Generosity: Kathryn actively supports schools and charities, designing impactful professional development and mentoring leaders to thrive in challenging contexts.

• Professional Humility: She approaches leadership with empathy and inclusivity, focusing on creating cultures where teachers and students flourish rather than seeking personal acclaim.

• Professional Curiosity: Kathryn’s passion for evidence-informed practice and her engagement with research projects on sustainable school leadership reflect her commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Dr Emily Perry is Professor of Education at Manchester Metropolitan University and an internationally recognised researcher in teacher professional development, leadership and school improvement. Her work focuses on how educators learn and develop throughout their careers, with particular expertise in professional learning, networks, and system-wide improvement. Emily brings significant research expertise and a deep understanding of evidence-informed practice to the Advisory Board, helping to ensure that the Forum's work is grounded in robust evidence while remaining responsive to the realities of schools and trusts. Her insight and critical friendship support our mission to cultivate, harvest and mobilise authentic knowledge of professional development for sustainable system-led improvement.