Welcome to the Parent Trustee Candidates page. Here, you can learn more about the candidates standing for election as Parent Trustee at The JCB Academy. Each candidate brings a unique set of skills, experiences and perspectives to the role, all with the shared goal of representing the interests of learners and their families.
Please take the time to read their profiles and understand their visions for supporting our academy community.
Mr Neil Brown
As a parent of two children at The JCB Academy—one in Year 9 and one in Year 12—I see firsthand the transformative journey this school offers. I’m standing for Parent Trustee because I believe in that journey, and I want to help shape it for every learner.
Professionally, I bring over 35 years of engineering leadership, including senior roles at Rolls Royce, Bombardier, and Tata Consultancy Services. I’ve led global teams, delivered multi-million-pound programmes, and collaborated with industry to develop future-ready capabilities. I’m a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and I’ve mentored countless young professionals—always championing curiosity, resilience, and a hunger to learn.
Beyond the boardroom, I chair Ashbourne Aztecs Junior Football Club, working with children from all walks of life. That role gives me insight into the diverse needs, pressures, and potential of young people today. I understand what motivates them, what challenges them, and what helps them thrive.
The JCB Academy’s vision—blending traditional values with cutting-edge education—is not just inspiring, it’s essential. I want to help ensure that every student, regardless of background, is equipped not just for their first job, but for a lifetime of leadership, innovation, and growth.
I offer strategic insight, real-world experience, and a parent’s voice. I’d be honoured to serve and help the Academy continue changing lives.
Mr Emilio Manuel Gutierrez Guzman
I want to bring my perspective as a parent of my son, Santiago, who has achieved outstanding results at The JCB Academy, including winning the Learner of the Year Award along with three other awards for excellence in Engineering, Business, and Science. His success reflects both his dedication and the Academy’s capacity to inspire high achievement, and I am committed to ensuring that more students benefit from the same opportunities to grow into future engineers and business leaders.
I am passionate about education, personal transformation, and human development, with a background as an ontological coach. I have worked internationally to help individuals and organisations unlock potential, build resilience, and achieve continuous improvement. I believe these skills are essential in preparing young people not only with technical knowledge but also with the mindset and confidence needed to thrive in a changing world.
In addition, I bring experience from my involvement in organisations dedicated to training and development, where I collaborated to create relationships, new possibilities, opportunities, and action plans that supported leaders to become pioneers in their fields. I have also contributed to the transformation of projects at multiple levels: individual, family, community, business, and government. Notably, I was part of a national project in my home country, Mexico, that led to more than ten major reforms after nearly four decades without significant progress.
As a Trustee, I would bring this blend of parental perspective, professional expertise, and transformational experience to support The JCB Academy’s vision, ethos, and long-term success.
Mr Matthew Richard Harrison
I have worked in mechanical design roles at Rolls-Royce for over 25 years, from graduate through to Technical Specialist. During that time, I have worked (and led teams) on diverse design and development projects. I have engaged with customers, suppliers and manufacturers, end users, legislators, and academic researchers. It has required me to develop people and business skills beyond the technical subjects I completed in formal education. Due to my own experience, I fully support the unique vision of The JCB Academy to provide a focused curriculum for young people with a passion for technical and business subjects.
I have been a church trustee on two occasions, so I understand the expectations for the Parent Trustee role. I have recently completed my last church trustee tenure, and so I am keen to use my experience to contribute to the oversight and development of The JCB Academy.
Mrs Jennifer Hudson
I have been a parent at the JCB Academy with my eldest son for 5 years from Year 9 to Year 13. My youngest has recently started in Year 9 and as a parent I am aware of how incredible an experience it can be to develop not only academic skills but also in areas such as confidence, ambition, team working and in deliverance of excellence. I am proud to be a parent of the school, I have seen the school cope with challenges such as the Covid pandemic and a change of leadership. The greatest assets of the academy are the staff and students. The staff as a whole strive to ensure all students feel valued, and importantly as a parent that we are supported to help our child thrive.
I run my own small business, have worked in healthcare for the past 23 years, am on a number of committee and leadership teams within private and NHS healthcare and have worked in postgraduate education at Staffordshire University. I am passionate and determined to give back as much as I can to support the academy in helping students be ready for the workplace and higher education. They face many future battles that the school is well placed to help them be ready to overcome.
I love that a parent trustee is able to support leadership at the academy. I am happy to provide care, time and energy to help in as many ways as I can.
Mr Jamie Mason
When visiting the JCB Academy with my son prior to him applying I was impressed with the approach to education and the core values the Academy demonstrated. In the relatively short time my son as been in year 9 that view has only strengthened which has led me to put myself forward as a potential Parent Trustee, as I would like to support the Academy, helping to ensure the best possible opportunities and outcome for its students.
With over 25 years of experience of working in the IT sector, I have developed skills in leadership, problem solving and strategic planning. In my current role as IT Director for PHD Communications I have been responsible for delivering complex projects, research and implementation of new technologies, data security, compliance, continuous improvement and the overall vision and growth of the business during this time.
I would be interested to see how technology can be used to enhance the learning experience and improve efficiency at the Academy and would hopefully bring this perspective to the role while ensuring that the best interests of students remain at the center of all decisions.
As a parent, I want to help the Academy continue to provide unique opportunities for its students while maintaining an engaging environment where all can thrive. I believe that my professional expertise and commitment to the Academy values makes me well suited to support the board in this Trustee role.
