Steve Bell
Steve joined the Diocesan Education Service (DES), on an initial two-year part time secondment, in November 2023. As Director of Education, Steve's role is to promote, communicate and implement the Archbishop’s vision for Catholic education in the Archdiocese. The role aims to build capacity, trust and strong relationships within the Archdiocesan family of schools; facilitating collaboration between MACs and schools to achieve continual school improvement and raise aspirations to be the school of choice for parents and children in the local area. He is also a trustee of Formatio, an organisation which aims to advance the Catholic religion for public benefit.
Kari Gordon
Kari is an education specialist and author with her own educational consultancy company. She has a Master’s Degree in Education. She was Head of Heritage Education for Warwickshire County Council and lectured in Education at Warwick University.
Her consultancy work has included projects for local and national arts and heritage institutions.
She has extensive governance experience in both primary and secondary sectors in Catholic schools. Until 2023 she was Catholic Mission Director of Our Lady of the Magnificat MAC. She is currently a member of the Archdiocesan Education sub-committee.
Kari is dyslexic herself and passionate about inclusion, raising the aspirations and achievements of children and young people and sharing the joy of her faith. She has four children, one of whom is severely disabled. She is an active member of the SVP and worships at St Francis Parish in Kenilworth.
Eric Kirwan
Eric Kirwan is the Chief Operating Officer for the Archdiocese. Currently the Chair of Directors at Holy Family Catholic Multi-Academy Company (MAC) in Warwickshire. Prior to taking up this role he was a successful Chief Executive Officer with experience in both the private and charity sectors.
He is a parishioner and church warden at St Francis Catholic Church in Kenilworth and has been active in the parish community for many years. Prior to his role at the Holy Family MAC, Eric was CEO at Modulex A/S in Denmark for several years. Eric also holds the role of Non Executive Director at Snap Vision, UK, a role held since 2012 at an award-winning visual search and AI company.
Christopher Loughran
Chris has recently completed a 30-year career with Deloitte, the international professional services firm. Joining the embryonic management consulting division of Deloitte (then Touche Ross and Co,) in Birmingham in 1987, he has worked both nationally and internationally with the firm. He was admitted to partnership in 1993, led the Technology Consulting practice from 2002-2010 and returned to Birmingham in 2010 to assume the role of Senior Partner for the Midlands Region from 2010-2015. He served as an elected member of the Board of Partners from 2010-2016.
He has served on the Board of Marketing Birmingham from 2011 to 2017 and its successor, the West Midlands Growth Company from 2017 to 2020. He was Deputy Chairman of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership from 2015 to 2020 and Chairman of Midlands Connect Steering Group from 2017 to 2020. Chris served as High Sheriff of the West Midlands in 2018/19 and was made a Deputy Lieutenant in 2019.
Having retired from Deloitte in 2018, Chris now serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the CBSO Development Trust and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham's Charity. He is President of Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club (where he was previously Chairman for ten years) and Honorary President of Birmingham's oldest musical theatre company, BMOS.
Canon Jonathan Veasey
Canon Jonathan Veasey is a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham and serves as Parish Priest of Sacred Heart and Holy Souls in Acocks Green, Birmingham.
Canon Jonathan has served as Director of the Diocesan Education Service leading the strategic development of Catholic education for the schools of the Archdiocese.
He currently serves as the Chair of the Diocesan Academy Strategy Board and as a lead trustee for Catholic education.
