Meet the team
Voluntary Team
Our voluntary team are all English teachers. They contribute to the work of the charity through:
- sharing Litdrive’s provision with local networks
- planning and delivering events or online CPD
- compiling our member bulletin and social media posts
- updating and sharing resources
- sourcing excellent guest blogs from members and other experts within the sector
- capturing our impact and sharing this with the wider sector.
If you are an English teacher and would like to become a volunteer with Litdrive, please get in touch.
Central Team
KAT HOWARD
Founding CEO
Kat founded Litdrive in 2018, and led the organisation to achieve charitable status in 2020. Kat is the also Executive Director of School Improvement at a Multi Academy Trust, and was previously Director of a Teaching School Hub serving over 200 schools.
Nikki Carlin
Strategic Director
Nikki Carlin is Strategic Director for LitdriveUK. Having previously held a range of leadership roles in schools, she has been an English teacher since 2008 and has extensive knowledge and expertise that offer a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges offered to English teachers and leaders.
ROSIE BOOKER
Mentoring Lead
Rosie is an English Teacher and Second in Department at a secondary school in Norfolk. She is an experienced mentor and coach who thrives with supporting others as they progress through all stages of this wonderful career path of teaching…
Hannah Turner
Director
Hannah Turner is Director of Litdrive. She is a former Trust Director of Sixth Form successfully leading curriculum across key stages in both further education colleges and schools. Hannah has extensive experience in raising attainment and improving the destinations of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. She is passionate about creating cultures in which everyone thrives and has presented on her research and experiences of culture led improvement at ResearchED. Hannah has contributed to education publications and has also written for a popular Film magazine.
Holly Wimbush
Networks Associate: Regional Networks Provision
Holly is Head of KS4 Literature and Subject Leader of A Level Language and Literature at a secondary school in leafy Cheshire. She has been an examiner for a number of boards throughout her practice. Holly has led CPD sessions ranging from effective RM+F to BfL across the school as well as leading content based sessions for the faculty. Holly has also been an ITT and NQT mentor for five years – thoroughly enjoying the role as she works to develop the next generation of teachers. She has a great passion for teaching, reading and can often be found at the rugby, theatre or a musical enjoying a Saturday matinee. She believes in the power of Litdrive to truly empower and inspire English teachers and cannot wait to work alongside a dynamic team from across Britain.
DAVINA CANHAM
Comms Officer
Over the course of 17 years of teaching, Davina has worked in schools both in the UK and abroad in the roles of Head of English and Literacy Director.
She has since become very focused on teaching and learning in her current role as Lead Practitioner for English Across the Academy. This year she presented a seminar at the first, hugely successful, Educating Northants on ‘Getting Grades 7-9 with the poetry anthology’ and she continues to nurture and coach colleagues in her own school. She juggles teaching and learning alongside spending time with her son and booking many holidays to appease her serious travel addiction. Davina oversees all social media channels, our blog platform and is the human being at the end of our member updates. Find her on twitter: @DeeCanEnglish
ZENA CHADWICK
Networks Officer
Zena is Faculty Leader for English and Performing Arts at a school in Staffordshire, overseeing whole school Literacy as a part of her role. In addition, Zena is experienced Team Leader for AQA, examining GCSE Literature. She is incredibly passionate about developing teaching and learning. As a busy mum of four, she is determined to bring a better balance back to the teaching profession, allowing teachers to do what they do best- teach and inspire.
ROSIE BOOKER
Mentoring Associate
Rosie is an English Teacher and Second in Department at a secondary school in Norfolk. She is an experienced mentor and coach who thrives with supporting others as they progress through all stages of this wonderful career path of teaching, and is passionate about CPD, both leading and for her own personal development. Her prior MA research focused on oracy and reading comprehension and she has presented for UKLA with regards to this. She has recently completed an ASEL qualification and is also an examiner for English Literature.
CLAIRE HILL
Regional Networks Officer
Claire Hill is Strategic Director of Steplab. She is a former Trust Director of Improvement and an Expert Advisor for Ambition Institute’s suite of NPQs. Claire is co-author of ‘Symbiosis: The Curriculum and the Classroom’ with Kat Howard and contributes to a number of education publications.
KAT HOWARD
Founder
Kat founded Litdrive in 2018, and led the organisation to achieve charitable status in 2020. Kat is the also Executive Director of School Improvement at a Multi Academy Trust, and was previously Director of a Teaching School Hub serving over 200 schools. Kat is also the author of two bestselling books that focus on the importance of teacher workload and curriculum development in schools, and stands as a member of a primary school advisory board. Kat holds a Master’s in Expert Teaching with Ambition Institute, is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and Kat is a Visiting Fellow at Aston University.
Rhys Denham
Communication Analyst
Nikki Carlin
Professional Development Coordinator (online)
Nikki has led significantly substantive English teachers through periods of change and challenge, developing staff to achieve positive outcomes for students. Alongside leading English, Nikki has supported teams across Media, Literacy and strategically led on the library provision in school settings.