Meet the newest members of the University’s Board of Governors

Published on 12, November, 2025

The University of Sunderland has welcomed eight new members to its Board of Governors who will help shape the University’s life-changing mission.

The University’s Board of Governors is made up of independent members, staff and student representatives, a council representative and the Vice-Chancellor, and oversees the running of the University.

In 2025, a whole host of new Governors have been appointed to the Board, which follows the appointment of Mark Burdon as Chair of the Board of Governors earlier this year.

Mark said: “We are delighted to welcome such a highly experienced and committed group of individuals to the Board. Their collective knowledge and leadership across higher education, industry, finance, healthcare, and local government will be invaluable as we continue to deliver on our mission to be a life-changing university.

“I look forward to working with them as we support the University’s growth and impact, both regionally and globally.”

Meet the University of Sunderland’s newly appointed Governors:

Catherine Winfield

Catherine is an experienced chartered accountant and business consultant, specialising in governance, financial oversight, and strategic advisory support for charities and SMEs. Since 2021, she has worked independently with boards and leadership teams, providing expert guidance on finance, risk management, governance frameworks, and organisational performance.

Her current portfolio includes acting as an external finance director for charities, an independent trust assessor, delivering trustee training, and supporting strategic planning and communications.

She currently serves on several audit and risk committees, including those for Northumbria Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner; she is also a trustee of several charities in the north-east, reflecting a strong commitment to civic engagement and the voluntary sector.

Earlier in her career, she founded and ran a successful hospitality business for over a decade. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC, where she worked across a wide range of clients, including FTSE-listed companies, government bodies, and privately owned businesses. 

Catherine was co-opted onto the University’s Audit and Risk Committee in 2023 and, in 2025, appointed to the Board of Governors.

Debra Leeves

Debra is a seasoned global C-level executive with over 30 years of experience across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, digital health, and Software as a Service (SaaS). She has led five high-growth start-ups, and has extensive expertise in Board Governance, Commercial Strategy, Fundraising and IPO, and Licensing.

She holds many roles, including as Non-Executive Director and Chair of Remuneration at Cambridge Cognition Ltd, Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit at SpectrumX, Chair of Lifted Ventures Project (North East Investment Board), and Grant Assessor for Innovate UK.

Debra also completed a BSc in Pharmacy at the University of Sunderland in 1985.

Alison Harkness

Alison joined the University in 1991, during the University’s transition from Polytechnic to University. She has over 30 years of experience in facilities management in her role as Facilities Support Manager.  Throughout her career, she has worked closely with people, departments, and events across the University, ensuring the smooth delivery of essential services that support the academic and student experience.

In addition to her university role, Alison serves on the Executive Committee of BACHEFM (British Association of Cleaning in Higher Education Facilities Management), contributing to national conversations on best practice, innovative, and professional standards in the sector.

Alison was appointed to the Board as Professional Services Staff Representative.

Ade Adeoye

Ade is the President of the University of Sunderland Students' Union. He's a 2025 graduate of the University of Sunderland with a passion for promoting the student experience.

Prior to his current elected office, Ade was active with the Students' Union and the University as a society president, faculty voice representative, and University student ambassador.

Advocating for inclusive, student-centred policies and enhancing the overall student experience with a focus on collaboration and community engagement is Ade’s main priority for his role as President. 

Ade was appointed to the Board of Governors as a Student Representative.

Suraj Acharya

Suraj is the Students’ Union President at the University of Sunderland in London (UoSiL) Students’ Union.

Suraj had initially studied for his bachelor’s degree from the partnership college of the University of Sunderland in Nepal, before attending UoSiL from 2025. In 2025, he was elected Students’ Union President and has paused his studies to take on this role.

Suraj was appointed to the Board of Governors as a Student Representative.

Professor Gavin Brooks

Gavin has over 40 years of experience in the higher education and health sectors, including almost 20 years of senior executive-level leadership within different higher education institutions. He has considerable experience in leading and delivering transformational change programmes, including strategy development, establishing and restructuring academic and professional support service departments, digital technology programmes, and governance reviews.

Gavin originally qualified as a Pharmacist and, following his PhD, established an international research profile in the areas of cardiovascular research and cell cycle control. He joined the University of Reading in 1999 where he founded and became the inaugural Head of the School of Pharmacy. He remained at the University of Reading for 21 years, and held a number of key strategic leadership positions, including Head of two academic schools, Dean of Faculty, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Until April 2022, Gavin was Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU), where he had overall responsibility for the day-to-day operation of all academic aspects of the University, across all of its campuses, and had direct line management responsibility for 11 senior leaders in different areas of the University.

Currently, he's a Senior Advisor for Huron Consulting Group, an Independent Consultant and Specialist in Higher Education and Skills, and College Principal External Examiner for Royal Holloway University of London. He is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Professor Trevor McMillan OBE

Following a first degree in Biological Sciences at Lancaster University, Trevor spent much of his early career at The Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital. His research examined the biological effects of ionising radiation, moving to the impact of long wavelength UV light when he moved back to Lancaster in 1995.

Trevor had several senior roles at Lancaster, including PVC Research before moving to Keele University as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, and then Vice-Chancellor, a role he retired from in 2025 after 10 years in post.

The importance of collaboration inside and outside the Higher Education sector, and the enhancement of the impact universities have on the communities they work with are two themes that have run through Trevor’s career. These are exemplified by his role as Knowledge Exchange Champion for HEFCE and Research England and the publication of the “McMillan Report” on good practice in technology transfer in 2016.

Trevor was awarded an OBE for services to higher education in the 2022 Birthday Honours list.

In 2025, Trevor was appointed to the University of Sunderland Board of Governors and Chairs the Academic Assurance Committee.

Cllr Michael Mordey

Cllr Mordey was appointed as Leader of Sunderland City Council in May 2024. He was first elected to the Council to represent Hendon ward in May 2008. Prior to becoming Leader, Cllr Mordey held a number of positions including Cabinet Member for City Services and Deputy Leader of the Council.

He represents the Council and city on a number of bodies and organisations including the North East Combined Authority where he is portfolio holder for Finance and Investment and Chair of the Finance and Investment Board. He is also Deputy Chair of the Key Cities group and portfolio holder for Housing.

Cllr Mordey was appointed to the Board of Governors as a Local Authority Representative.

The University of Sunderland also welcomes a new member to its Audit and Risk committee.

Alongside his role on the committee, Paul Shields is a Partner at Johnston Carmichael, one of the UK’s leading independent firms of chartered accountants and business advisers. With extensive experience in audit and assurance, Paul works with a diverse portfolio of clients across sectors, including engineering, manufacturing, and technology businesses.

 Over his career, Paul has developed a strong track record in delivering strategic insight, governance support, and financial oversight to growing organisations. He is particularly focused on helping clients navigate complex regulatory environments and maintain high standards of financial reporting and accountability.

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