Mary is the former director of access and lifelong learning at the University of Wolverhampton and is now a freelance education consultant, specialising in community, adult and lifelong learning. She is the Secretary and a Trustee of the UK’s Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL).

Mary is passionate about ensuring that adults have the chance to continue or re-enter learning at any time during their lives. Her expertise lies in widening access and participation, programme development, innovation and inclusive practices to ensure that everyone can learn, train, retrain or upskill across their adult life to further their employment or personal development. She has led and now consults on a range of strategic initiatives focused on putting learning at the heart of communities and its impact on economic and social development.

She has been involved with WHO Healthy City and UNESCO Learning City initiatives and has a track record in developing innovative community learning centres based on partnerships at every level of education. She publishes widely and presents at conferences on all aspects of lifelong learning and adult education. In 2022, Mary’s contribution to the field was formally recognised by the Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge. She is a Member of Kellogg College at Oxford University.

Mary has an extensive track record in leadership in teaching, research and knowledge exchange and has worked in higher education in Australia, England and Wales.

She was appointed to the Corporation as an external governor in May 2020 and currently serves as a member of the Learning & Quality and People & Remuneration Committees.