Teachers Pension board

Raised in the North East of Scotland Mark is a Biochemistry graduate of Aberdeen University with postgraduate MBA from Edinburgh Business School and has spent 30 years in roles within the life science sector including biologicals/pharmaceuticals, medical technology and consultancy. Currently he is Chair of Life Sciences Scotland and also Chair of The Association Of British Healthtech Industries Scotland both of which are dedicated to improving the health and wealth of Scotland through innovation in life sciences. In addition, Mark has published on healthcare resource utilisation in areas such as diabetes, hypertension and heart failure.

Mark is taking on the independent Chairmanship of the Teachers Pension Board after 4 years as Vice Chair of the NHS Pension Board at the SPPA. Historically Mark was also the Chair of a defined benefit pension scheme in the private sector. The role as Chair of Life Sciences Scotland Industrial Leadership Group has brought a sharp focus on the need for a highly skilled workforce and the critical value of the STEM in education across the school, college and University sectors in Scotland.

Married with 3 adult children in his spare time Mark enjoys mountain biking, archery & travel.

Virginia is a Mathematics graduate of Edinburgh University and a Fellow of the Pensions Management Institute. She has over 30 years’ pensions experience, including administration, consultancy, in-house pensions management, working for a trade union, and a secondment to HM Treasury. 

Virginia brings a great deal of experience of working with and advising the main public service pension schemes, and understands the administrative challenges of multi- employer schemes with complex benefit structures. She is passionate about delivering a high quality service and engaging with members to help them get the most from their pension scheme. 

Virginia is a leading authority on the “McCloud” remedy, and advises public sector schemes on its implementation, as well as on wider administrative and governance issues. 

In her spare time, Virginia enjoys walking her two dogs and exploring the countryside with friends and family.

Maureen Kennedy has taught in Scottish Secondary schools for 30 years and is currently working as a teacher of Mathematics in South Lanarkshire.

She joined the Scottish Teachers Pension Board in January 2023, representing member interests, and is the Local Association Secretary for the NASUWT in South Lanarkshire.

Drew was assistant secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland from October 2003 until February 2017. During that period he had responsibility for pension matters. He has been a member of the Teachers' Superannuation Working Party, SPPA Management Advisory Group Scotland (MAGS), The Scottish Teachers' Pension Scheme Negotiations and the STPA Advisory Board.

Leah has been employed by the Educational Institute of Scotland in her current role for nearly five years, advising and representing teachers and lecturers on employment matters including pension enquiries.

I have been a teacher for 37 years and currently Rector of Grove Academy in Dundee, a post I have held for the past eight years. Prior to this post, I was Head Teacher of Dumbarton Academy for three years.  I am currently President of School Leaders Scotland.  This is a prestigious post in an Association representing the interest of school leaders (from Business Managers, Principal Teachers to Deputes and Head Teachers). I am also involved in discussion and negotiations with Scottish Government Ministers and civil servants, and representatives of SQA, Education Scotland, Universities and Colleges across Scotland.

Stuart has been a teacher of Religious and Moral Education in West Lothian since 1997 and he has been a member of the SSTA since that date. Stuart has been involved in the SSTA in various roles, firstly as a School Representative, then a member of Council, the Finance Committee and was elected to SSTA Executive in 2015. Stuart has also been part of a National Religious and Moral Education Working Group.

In 2021 Stuart was elected Vice President of the SSTA and will take up the role of President at our Congress in May 2023, a position he will hold until May 2025.

Kirsty joined Borders College in September 2022 as Vice Principal responsible for a wide range of support services including Finance, estates and IT and is member of the College’s senior management team. She was nominated to the Board by Colleges Scotland to represent the college sector employers.

Prior to joining the Borders College, she worked at Scottish Borders Council for 18 years, initially leading a small team within the Council providing the financial advice, management and support to programmes, partnerships and to large scale capital projects, including schools, major roads, railway and Waste projects. She was latterly responsible for the treasury function of the Council and for the management of the external investments and the overall governance of Scottish Borders Council Pension Fund. This experience has given her strong understanding of the issues and challenges facing public sector pension funds and the implications of these to the wider College finances.

During her time at Scottish Borders Council she was member of CIPFA Scotland – Treasury Management Forum and Chair from 2017 to 2022. Prior to Scottish Borders Council Kirsty worked in various finance roles within NHS Borders. Kirsty qualified as a Chartered Public Finance Accountant in 1998.

Andy is Finance and Operations Director of Edinburgh Napier University and sits on the University Leadership team.

He has full responsibility for the finance of the University and sits on the Finance and Property Committee and Pensions subcommittee which is responsible for reviewing and monitoring pension matters within the University.

Andy also chairs the Scottish Universities Finance Director Group and has good oversight of sector matters.

Cllr Fiona Dugdale was first elected to East Lothian Council in 2017 and was appointed as Convener of Education Committee and Cabinet Spokesperson for Education in 2021. Fiona worked for many years in the National Health Service as a Psychological Therapist and prior to that worked in IT in Financial Services in Edinburgh. Prior to that in two financial institutions in England. Fiona appreciates the importance of pensions and their good management and would relish the prospect of using her skills and knowledge to contribute to the work of the Teachers’ Pension Board.

Suzanne has worked in local government in Scotland for over 20 years and at Team Leader level for over 12 years. Firstly, in corporate HR policy, which focused on pay and reward, terms, and conditions of employment for all employee groups, equalities, and employee benefits. This included leading on work on pensions auto-enrolment, voluntary severance, and corporate policy changes to phased, early retirement and added years. 

In 2017, Suzanne moved to Education and Children’s Services, as HR Team Leader for recruitment, supply, employee contractual changes, employee relations, and employment terms and conditions for both SJC and teachers. She led the Council’s Teachers Working Group on terms and condition changes.

She has been a member of the Association of Directors of Education Personnel Network since 2017 and the Society of Personnel and Development Scotland since 2012. She has been a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development since 2007. 

She recently joined the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in March 2024, as a Policy Manager in the COSLA’s Employer Team.