Shared Services team

Leadership Team

Sulina Piesse - Chief Executive Officer

Portrait of Sulina Piesse, CEO, wearing a light pink shirt with a white collar.

Sulina is the CEO of the Oxford Diocesan Bucks Schools Trust, leading with her vision for educational excellence, innovation, and ensuring all of the staff and pupils under her care live life in all its fullness. Before joining the ODBST she was an Executive Headteacher, as well as holding several Senior Leadership Roles in London schools which have given her a deep understanding of the educational landscape and challenges faced by schools.

In addition to her leadership roles, Sulina was also an Ofsted Inspector. As a passionate French and Spanish teacher. Her enthusiasm for languages has given her the opportunity to work in various settings, both in the UK and abroad.

Through her varied experiences and unwavering commitment to education, Sulina continues to inspire and lead, making significant contributions to the development and success of schools under her guidance.

Contact spiesse@odbst.org

Jan Martin - Director of Education

Portrait of a Jan Martin, Director of Education, with shoulder-length hair, smiling at the camera, wearing a floral-patterned top against a plain white background. The image is framed in a circular shapeJan was the Headteacher of one of the first primary schools to join the ODBST. Her journey has been a rich and varied one in education, having worked continuously in the sector for 33 years and, for 27 of those years, in Buckinghamshire.

She has worked as a Buckinghamshire Headteacher in two schools as well as spending 7 years working for the Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service as SEND adviser and as a School Improvement Partner. Her work there took her into the secondary sector, upper and grammar schools, and also into specialist SEND settings, working in multi-agency partnerships and developing inclusion for all. She has a strong background in safeguarding and is clear that in our current world a priority in this area has never been more crucial.

Alongside this work she has run her own company, supporting schools within and beyond the ODBST around inclusion and school improvement, including holding interim leadership posts and working as guest lecturer within one of the London Universities.

Contact - jmartin@odbst.org

Rachael Hollinshead - Chief Operations Officer

Portrait of a Rachael Hollinshead, COO, with shoulder-length hair, wearing a patterned blouse, against a plain white background. The image is framed in a circular border.

Rachael joined the team in February 2019, bringing with her an impressive 26 years of experience in primary education. Nine of those years were spent in leadership roles, including as a primary school headteacher. Her extensive career spans a diverse range of primary schools, varying in size, catchment, and location, which has given her a deep understanding of the educational landscape.

Rachael's comprehensive background equips her with a well-rounded perspective on school needs and facilities. Her drive for excellence ensures that schools under her guidance grow and develop to meet the evolving needs of pupils in today's dynamic world.

Contact rhollinshead@odbst.org

Kiran Kaur - Chief People Officer 

Grayscale portrait of a Kiran Kaur, CPO, with long hair, slightly smiling and looking directly at the camera. The image is circularly cropped against a plain white backgroundKiran Kaur is an experienced HR and People leader with a strong track record across the education, public, charity, and corporate sectors. As Chief People Officer for the Trust, Kiran provides strategic leadership on all aspects of people, culture, and organisational development. She is passionate about creating inclusive, high-performing environments where staff can thrive and deliver the best outcomes for pupils. With deep expertise in HR compliance, employee relations, and change management, Kiran focuses on building a culture rooted in trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Contact - ksidhu@odbst.org

Rachel Brown - Chief Financial Officer

Portrait of a Rachel Brown, CFO,  with shoulder-length hair wearing a red floral-patterned shirt, set against a plain white background and framed in a circular shape.Rachel joined the central team in January 2024 after previously working for 8 years as a Finance Manager at school level. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant, starting her career as an auditor before specialising in strategy, forecasting and budgeting at Enron and Channel 5. She enjoys the challenge of working with school leaders to create balanced budgets and forecasts while still maintaining a robust curriculum.

Contact rbrown@odbst.org

Heledd Walker – Chief of Governance

Portrait of Heledd Walker, Chief of Governance, with short, light brown hair, wearing a dark top, against a white background within a circular frame.Awaiting Content

 

 

 

CEO and Governance Team 

Emily Gatis - Marketing & Communications Partner & Clerk to the Board

Close-up portrait of a Emily Gatis, Marketing and Communications Partner,  with light-coloured hair, looking directly at the camera, against a plain white background and framed in a circular crop.Emily brings a wealth of experience to the ODBST team, having transitioned from McGraw-Hill Education. She brings with her a decade of expertise in customer service and administration.

Emily excels in organising the Continued Professional Development session, conferences and events for the Trust. She also manages the Trust's news, marketing, and media accounts, while efficiently undertaking a variety of administrative responsibilities.

Contact egatis@odbst.org

Operations Team  

Ella Swinhoe - Operations Partner

Portrait of a Ella Swinhoe, Operations Partner,  with long, dark hair wearing a light-coloured blazer, set against a plain white background and framed in a circular shape.Ella has worked as an operations manager in the private sector for the past 7 years. She works to support ODBST schools with their day-to-day and long-term operations.

With a background in implementing sustainability measures and a strong interest in reducing carbon, Ella will also be working to help achieve net zero across the trust.  

Contact eswinhoe@odbst.org

Finance Team 

Victoria Davies - Deputy Chief Financial Officer

Portrait of a Victoria Davies, Deputy CFO, with shoulder-length hair, wearing a patterned scarf and a dark top, set against a plain light-coloured background.Victoria joins the ODBST central team after working as a School Business Manager for 5 years.  Prior to this she served as an officer in the Royal Air Force on a short service commission. She has a BSc (Hons) in Economics, Accountancy and Law, a MSc in Psychology and is studying towards her CIMA professional qualification.

Contact vdavies@odbst.org

Christine Smith - Finance Officer

Portrait of a Christine Smith, Finance Officer,  with short hair, smiling, wearing a black blazer over a polka-dotted top and an identification lanyard, set against a plain white background and framed in a circular shape.Christine joined the team in April 2023 after joining a Trust school as an SBM in 2010.  She has 18 years school finance experience and successfully completed her SBM and DSBM qualifications.  Prior to this she worked as a Territorial Operations Manager in the Post office for 24 years.  She has a passion for ensuring that school finances are used to help every child achieve their full potential.  In her spare time she loves gardening, making jams and playing in a local brass band.

Contact csmith@odbst.org

Sarah-Jane Madej - Finance Assistant

Sarah-Jane joined ODBST in Sept 2025 after previously working at the same company for over 21 years.  Whilst she is experienced in Finance, this is her first role in an education setting.

Sarah-Jane is passionate about empowering people to believe in themselves and to reach their full potential. She is keen to make a meaningful contribution to the ODBST schools and is hoping to discover her vocational calling here!

Contact - sjmadej@odbst.org

Human Resources Team 

Hannah Lehmann-Russell - HR Assistant

Portrait of a Hannah Lehmann-Russell, HR Assistant, with long hair, wearing a black top and a necklace with a small pendant, set against a plain grey background and framed in a circular shape.Hannah joined the ODBST shared services team in September 2024 after graduating with a degree in Psychology. She has previously worked in a private tuition company, and is excited to now be working with the wonderful schools that make up the ODBST. Alongside working to support both the schools and the HR team, she will be studying a CIPD qualification to further her professional development and enhance the skills she can bring to the team.  

Contact hlehmannrussell@odbst.org

Natalie Mitchell - HR Partner

Portrait of a Natalie Mitchell, HR Partner, with light-coloured hair, wearing glasses and a light-coloured top, set against a plain white background and framed in a circular shape.Natalie joined the ODBST in January 2023 with an extensive background in both Education and HR. With over 15 years corporate HR experience and having owned a multi-site wrap around care company, Natalie joins the trust offering full lifecycle HR and company operations experience.

Contact nmitchell@odbst.org

School Effectiveness Team 

Lorraine Quirk - School Effectiveness Partner

Portrait of a Lorraine Quirk, School Effectiveness Partner, with light-coloured hair, wearing glasses and a dark top, set against a white background and framed in a circular shape.Lorraine joined our central team in September 2023 as a school challenge partner.  She has worked in education for over 30 years in a variety of schools being a headteacher for 15years. Lorraine has a passion for school improvement and working collaboratively with schools to achieve the best outcomes for children. Having been with the ODBST since the begining, being an ODBST school challenge partner is her 'dream job'.

Contact lquirk@odbst.org

Rob Halls - School Effectiveness Partner

Portrait of a Rob Halls, School Effectiveness Partner, wearing glasses, a dark suit, white shirt, and pink tie, set against a plain white background.Rob joined ODBST as a Challenge Parter in September 2023. He has 20 years’ experience in senior leadership in schools across the primary stage, culminating in ten years as Headteacher and Executive Headteacher. Rob believes in the power of effective partnerships that enable school leaders to thrive, to create an environment in which great ideas can happen, and results in pupils and adults flourishing. Alongside his role with ODBST, Rob is a serving SIAMS inspector with the Church of England Education Office, and a consultant school improvement partner with HFL Education. He is a Member for a Church of England multi-academy trust in Hertfordshire, and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. 

Contact rhalls@odbst.org