Emma brings more than 18 years of experience in teaching, teacher development and school leadership. Her previous roles include Head of Music at Silverdale School, Associate Vice Principal at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, and most recently, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Tutor at the National Institute of Teaching. Emma succeeds Katherine Lewis-Ward who stepped down on 30 April 2025 after four years of leading the Hub.

Throughout her career, Emma has successfully supported the professional growth of countless teachers and contributed to significant improvement in the outcomes of young people. 

Her commitment to the teaching profession firmly aligns with the Hub’s mission to support schools and empower teaching professionals and leaders at every stage of their career helping to recruit, train and retain exceptional teachers within the region and ultimately improve the outcomes for young people. 

Speaking about her new role, Emma said: “I am delighted to join the South Yorkshire Teaching Hub at such an exciting time, and I look forward to leading the Hub into its next chapter. I am passionate about empowering teachers and schools to achieve their very best in a region that I have worked in since the first years of my teaching career. To be able to work alongside some of the very best schools in the country and to help inspire adults to join such an exciting and humbling career path, is what I live and breathe for. 

“Katherine has done an incredible job in leading a fantastic team to transform the Hub over the past four years. I look forward to working with our schools and partners to build on the strong foundations that have been laid and to drive forward new opportunities for growth, learning, and leadership to ensure that teachers within the region get the best opportunities to develop their practice.”

Katie Cochrane, Executive Director of Education at Chorus Education Trust, added: “We are delighted that Emma has joined the South Yorkshire Teaching Hub as the new executive director. Emma’s expertise, vision, and passion for teacher development make her the ideal leader for the next chapter of the Hub’s work. We are confident that under her leadership, the Hub will continue to go from strength to strength.”