Our Governors

David is a Geography graduate of Bristol University (1981), The University of Cambridge (2016) with a Masters Degree in Creative Writing, and Central Saint Martins with an MA in Dramatic Writing passed with Distinction. He joined Price Waterhouse in London and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1984. He was a partner at PwC for 19 years before retiring in 2013. He is Vice Chair of Kidney Research UK. He received a kidney from his sister in 1987. David's three daughters attended Princess Helena College throughout their secondary education.

Sub Committees: Nominations (Chairman), Finance and General Purpose (Member), Remuneration (Member)

Appointed June 2008, Resigned 2012 and Re-Appointed March 2015.

Appointed Vice Chairman June 2015, Chairman September 2016.

Louise studied Chemistry, Physics and Maths at A level and then gained a BSc (Hons) in Food Science from The University of Leeds. After an early career as a food packaging technologist with Reckitt Benckisershe moved into HRwith IBM and then on to a City based IT recruitment company - The JM Group where she was an owner and director for 29 years.

She now holds a number of volunteer roles including; Regional Ambassador for parkrun UK (having started many junior and 5k parkruns across Herts), Board Member of Herts Sports Partnership and is a Magistrate on the Bedford Bench.

She is passionate about the potential of sport for social change and is an enthusiastic runner, skier and walker. 

Her daughter was at PHC for 7 years and during this time Louise was a committee member and then Chairman of the PHC Parents' Association (PHCPA). 

Sub Committees: Marketing & Development (Chairman), Nominations (Member) 
Appointed September 2014. Appointed Vice-Chairman September 2016.

Ian Graduated in 1987 from Aston University with a BSc in Business Studies and Mathematics. He joined Price Waterhouse in Nottingham and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1990. He was admitted to the partnership of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 1999 providing audit and business advice services to top tier companies across the globe. Ian is based in London but has worked extensively in a number of overseas territories. As well as client work, Ian was also the Chief Operating Officer of the PwC Assurance business responsible for finance, operations and people until 2013 when he became the CEO of the London and South East Audit business. Ian’s daughter attended PHC and he was previously a Governor at Preston Primary School (2004 - 2009).

Sub Committees: Finance & General Purpose (Chairman), Remuneration (Chairman), Nominations (Member)

Special Responsibilities: Public Benefit

Appointed March 2009, Treasurer July 2012.

Educated at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham and at Salford University where he obtained a BSc in Civil Engineering. He is now a Consultant for CTP Consulting Engineers. A conservation registered engineer he has sat on a number of advisory boards for national bodies and universities advising on construction issues. He is a Donation Governor at Christ’s Hospital, and has interests in music, Real Tennis, kayaking, cricket and also plays the trombone.

Sub Committees: Finance & General Purpose (Member), Health & Safety (Member) 

Special Responsibilities: Buildings and Estate

Appointed March 2012.

Louise was educated at the Perse School for Girls, Cambridge and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. She trained as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Scotland, Hong Kong and London, developing a special interest in Paediatric & Adolescent Gynaecology. She was appointed as a Consultant at Watford General Hospital in 2009.

In 2015 she decided to step away from medicine and spend more time with her 4 daughters. She is a keen swimmer, training with the St Albans Masters.

Sub Committees: Boarding & Pastoral (Member), Health & Safety (Member)

Special Responsibilities: Child Protection

Appointed December 2015.

Nigel lives locally and is a past parent. His elder daughter left PHC in 2005 and his younger daughter left in 2013. He has significant commercial experience in both sales and management and has worked predominantly in the frozen food sector. He is the Chairman of Pinguin Foods UK Ltd and was on the Board of the Harpenden Building Society for 18 years until he retired in December 2014.

Sub Committees: Health & Safety (Chairman), Boarding & Pastoral (Member), Finance & General Purpose (Member), Nominations (Member)

Special Responsibilities: Boarding, Health & Safety, Child Protection

Appointed September 1998.

Mrs Jane Thomas MA, MEd, PGCE

Jane Thomas was educated at Tormead School in Guildford. She studied Geography at Queen’s College, Cambridge University and then completed a PGCE at Sheffield University. Jane has worked in the independent sector in a variety of academic, pastoral and co-curricular roles. These have included being a resident tutor in a boarding house, being a Head of Department and a Housemistress of a girls’ day house. On the sporting front, having rowed and coxed for her college Jane has in the past coached rowing. Jane has a keen interest in outdoor education and has at various times been a group leader on a number of British Schools Exploring Society expeditions to Northern India, the Himalayas and Krygyzstan.  She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Jane holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership and as Vice-Principal Academic at King’s Ely is responsible for overseeing the academic organisation and provision for the whole school. She has advised schools on their provision for the most able pupils. She also sits on the governing body of a 11-18 MAT school as well as occasionally tutoring for HMC on their Independent Schools Qualification in Academic Management. 

Sub Committees: Education (Chairman)

Faculty Link:

Appointed October 2018

Mark Seymour was educated at Blundell's in Devon. From there he went to Loughborough, where he qualified as a teacher while playing cricket for Kent CCC. His first teaching post was in Kent, before he joined Haileybury, where he taught History, coached Games and also immersed himself in the boarding community as Housemaster of Lawrence House. Mark left Haileybury in 2000 to lead Cargilfield Prep School and from there moved to Winchester House School in Northamptonshire as Head in 2003. After eleven successful years there he left Winchester House to join Cognita in 2014, as an Education Executive, responsible for eight UK prep schools. Mark joined Kingshott School in Hitchin in April 2016 as Headmaster.

Sub Committees: Education (Member)

Faculty Link:

Appointed October 2018

Ms Carol Gysin FCIS MA (Oxon)

Carol was educated at the Perse School for Girls, Cambridge, and the University of Oxford (modern languages). She worked in investment banking in London and Geneva in the 1980s and then qualified as a chartered secretary whilst taking a career break to raise a family (3 children). After working as a company secretary in Cambridge and London for 20 years, in 2017 Carol was appointed to her current role as managing director of R.E.A. Holdings plc, a UK listed company with agricultural operations in Indonesia. 

Carol is enthusiastic about fitness generally (inter alia, skiing, yoga, hiking and dance), musical theatre, opera, travel and feminist/equality issues.

Sub Committees: 

Special Responsibilities:

Appointed October 2018.

After studying at the Princess Helena College for 5 years, Amy studied The University of The Arts, London where she gained a degree in Fashion Design with Business Studies.  She took the business side of her degree forward working in many FTSE 100 companies leading and managing teams within the marketing department. 

Following in the footsteps of both her parents, after 10 years in corporate marketing, she decided to set up two of her own businesses - one focusing on helping busy women to live a healthier and more fruitful life and the second helping small business owners and start-ups with their marketing efforts.  

She is incredibly passionate about positive change for mental health and health and wellbeing in general and for seeing young people head into life with the best chances possible. 

Rachel attended Princess Helena College from 2005-2012 and became Head Girl in 2011. She studied Politics with International Relations at the University of York and University of Western Cape, South Africa. Since graduating in 2015, Rachel has worked as a risk and strategy consultant, specialising in crisis management, organisational resilience and transformational change projects. Having been a boarder at PHC, Rachel has a particularly keen interest in pastoral care and safeguarding. Rachel also loves to cook and enjoys scuba diving (though only in warm waters!).