Executive Board
The Executive Committee meets regularly throughout the year to ensure the smooth running of the Trust.
Areas of responsibility include finance, ICT, buildings, estates, administration, compliance and the management of risk.
Mrs Sharon Wilson
Senior Executive Leader / Primary Lead
Interim Senior Executive Leader and Primary Lead for the Trust
Sharon Wilson has been the Headteacher of Grove Road Primary School since 2012 and has been involved with the Ridgeway Learning Partnership since its inception in 2017. Sharon has nearly 30 years of experience working in education in Hertfordshire.
Sharon was appointed to her first headship in 2003 working in St Albans. She then joined the Hertfordshire school advisory team in 2009 gaining her School Improvement Partner (SIP) accreditation from the National College for School Leadership (NCSL). Since 2009 she has worked with over 30 Primary Schools, supporting them in an advisory capacity to ensure the best quality provision for the children in their care.
Sharon returned to full time headship in 2012 at Grove Road Primary School and continues to work on a consultancy basis for HfL (Herts for Learning) as a School Effectiveness Advisor (SEA).
Mr Julian Crane
Ex-officio Chair of Trustees
Appointed 8 November 2017 by the Members.
Chair of Trustees since November 2021. Previously Vice-Chair of Trustees, Chair of Audit Committee and Chair of Resources Committee.
Actively involved in school governance since 2009. Prior to becoming a trustee, Julian was Chair of Governors at Grove Road Primary School.
Currently, Director of Assurance & Risk Management at Alight Solutions, a $3bn turnover business transformation partner, providing health, wealth and payroll solutions to 4,300 clients globally.
Qualified Chartered Accountant and Pension Trustee.
Mr Rod Gibberd 
Chief Operations Officer & Company Secretary in attendance
Prior to moving into education in 2005, worked at Executive Board level in a pan-European £300m+ outsourcing company and gained strong expertise in finance, legal, HR, change management, ICT, organisational restructuring, communications and marketing, property management, business management and senior leadership.
Company founder who worked as a management consultant focussed exclusively on improving value for money and performance in local authorities.
Since 2005 has worked on the Senior Leadership Team in two schools. Achieved NPQH in 2011.
Joined Tring School in 2013 as Business Director. In 2015 successfully led the bid for a £30m school rebuilding project. Established a trading subsidiary of the school in 2019 to operate leisure facilities.
Strong relationship management skills have been invaluable with the DfE, Local Authority, Diocese, commercial sector and other secondary and primary schools.
Mrs Lorraine Slade
Chief Financial Officer in attendance
Qualified as a Chartered Accountant working for a top 5 audit firm in London. After spending nearly 6 years in audit, moved to a stockbroker working in their internal audit department. Subsequently worked for a TV production company as Group Financial Controller across Europe.
Joined Grove Road as Finance Manager in 2016, later becoming Finance Manager for RLP. Appointed CFO in November 2023.