MEET THE TEAM
We’re only able to do what we do thanks to the support of our amazing volunteers, partner organisations and dedicated team of Trustees.
CEO
Phil Hawkins
Phil is the founder of Aprender. He has 20 years teaching experience in the UK working in schools in London. He holds a Post-Graduate certificate in Education, the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and a Diploma in Whole School Evaluation. He was Deputy Head Teacher for 5 years before moving to Brazil for 6 years, returning to the UK in 2016, where he now works in international education development.
Chair
Joyce Wangu
Joyce brings over 14 years of leadership across higher education and consultancy, specialising in governance, strategic planning, quality assurance, and stakeholder engagement to Aprender. She has held senior roles at Aga Khan University and Zetech University, holds an MBA in Operations Management, and is currently pursuing an MSc in Educational Management. Joyce is also a co-author and accomplished East African mountain hiker.
Secretary
Neil Walker
Neil used to work in Information Technology across many different industry sectors and brings business and corporate governance experience from the retail, financial services, information services and health industries to the Board. Now retired, he is also a trustee of a community charity, and volunteers across a number of other community groups where he helps with IT, communications and governance.
Trustee
Gary Bonilla
Gary was born in Puerto Rico, but has lived in the USA and is now based in the UK. His focus has always been on cultivating organisations with high emotional intelligence, capable of leaving a lasting mark on society. With a background spanning over a decade in the non-profit sector, Gary has served as both trustee and founder, guiding numerous executives and spearheading fundraising efforts.
Trustee
David Plummer
David is an entrepreneur, experienced senior executive and turnaround specialist with a broad frame of reference and depth of experience gained within his own, private and public companies. He has held senior leadership positions in a number of public companies, worked in over sixty countries around the world and possesses a high level of functional expertise as well as thirty years experience of leading and managing change.
Safeguarding & EDI Trustee
Rhiannon Corlett
Rhiannon is an experienced and dedicated Humanities and Social Sciences teacher. She's an outstanding educator, knowledgeable, charismatic, and highly motivated to achieve the best for both students and staff. Rhiannon has a passion for unpicking concurrent societal discourse while striving to empower those around her. Rhiannon supports the Board as Safeguarding & Child Protection and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion trustee.
Trustee
Herbert Monadira
Herbert is a senior executive and board leader with over a decade of experience across telecommunications, retail, supply chain, logistics, and learning & development. He brings deep expertise in strategy, new business development, governance, and commercial growth. He is responsible for driving sustainable revenue growth, market expansion, and strategic partnerships. He is passionate about building ethical, impact-driven, and commercially sound organisations, with a strong focus on aligning strategy, people, and systems to deliver measurable outcomes.
Currently Recruiting
Treasuer
We are currently searching for a treasurer to join our dynamic board. While we do this, Neil Walker is our interim treasurer.