RIC People

Alistair joined RIC in 1997 as a novice English Literature and Film teacher after studying at St Andrews and Glasgow and teaching English overseas. 

Click here for Alistair's welcome to RIC. 

Kelly is a Graphic Designer and has worked in most departments in the College since joining in 2001 including leading the Art department and the Lower School, working as a sixth form personal tutor and being closely involved in the College's admissions, promotional and marketing activities. 

Kelly says: “My main passion is typography in design and I love to explore ideas for my own work in a variety of media such as textile design and photography as well as traditional and contemporary methods of production. My work encompasses the concept of order and balance, with an emphasis on the aesthetic value of the colour, form and texture of simple everyday objects and structures - a most recent project being based on the shapes and patterns found in road drains and manhole covers in London! 

I love to cook and bake, have an obsession with Italy and interior design and am forever on the hunt for antique furniture bargains! Though two young and energetic children like to keep me on my toes I continue to be a keen netballer, having previously played at county and UK Premier League level.” 

Ian attended Chatham Grammar School for Boys and graduated from Lancaster University with a First Class degree. His Master's degree is in Contemporary British History and he also holds an MEd from Buckingham. He joined RIC in 2010, teaches Politics and History across the College and has led both the Lower School and the Sixth Form. Ian helps oversee over 100 UCAS applications each year, including many to Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and vet science as well as leading art and film schools.

Ian says: "Sixth form students meet with their designated Director of Studies every few weeks and this affords a great opportunity to discuss subject choices, progress, academic and career aspirations and any concerns that may have cropped up. As the academic year progresses, attention in these meetings turns to exam preparation and revision strategies."

Read Ian's article on navigating A level results when they don't go your way here.  

Leighton attended Gravesend Grammar and graduated from Reading University with a degree in English Literature and Language before working in the financial services sector for ten years. 

Leighton completed his Master's in Education and is also one of RIC’s Special Educational Needs Coordinators. Leighton says of the Lower School: “We take a holistic approach to the delivery of a diverse curriculum underpinned by a breadth of creative subjects. This promotes emotional intelligence and independent decision making and enables students to become disciplined and confident. Timetabled lessons are complemented by a range of extra curricular activities, specialist theme weeks, trips and events. While academic progress is essential and carefully monitored we work with our students on an individual level providing them with a comfortable, caring and fun environment in which they can thrive.”  

Leighton is often the first member of staff prospective Lower School students and their families meet when visiting RIC.

Read Leighton's article on diversity and inclusion in independent education here. 

Ellen leads on Academics and Sustainability. She graduated from Warwick University with a First Class degree in History. She led the History, Politics and Classics departments at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls before joining RIC in 2018. Ellen is a qualified Chess Coach and has studied at the College of Ayurveda, both of which have informed her metacognitive and holistic approach to education and her design of RIC’s innovative and award winning sustainability curriculum.

Ellen says: "Academic, creative and performing ‘ability’ is not a fixed concept - it grows and evolves. Every child deserves to experience the joy of academic rigor, creative excellence and collaborative problem solving. At RIC, I lead the academic team to meet students where they are, working to challenge them so that they leave as they want to be. Designing and implementing our interdisciplinary Sustainability Curriculum is a labour of love. Combining outdoor education and local knowledge of the Kent countryside with systems thinking to equip students to understand and creatively tackle our combined planetary emergencies has been the most exciting challenge of my career to date."

Click here for more about the sustainability curriculum Ellen has established at RIC. 

After finishing her A levels at Rainham Mark Grammar School Kayleigh completed a degree in Childhood and Youth Studies at Edge Hill University. With experience working with children from age five and up in both youth work and education, Kayleigh has had a strong interest in safeguarding for the past 17 years, working with families to prioritise the safety and well-being of students.

Since joining Rochester Independent College two years ago, Kayleigh has worked with the Lower school, Sixth Form and Boarding teams. Her focus is on looking at students holistically, understanding their unique talents and challenges, and tailoring support to meet their needs.

In her free time, Kayleigh loves cake decorating, practising yoga, and watching her son play ice hockey.

Click here for more about safeguarding at RIC. 

Nicki is a Film, Media and Digital Media teacher and Head of Sixth Form. She has taught at RIC since 2008. 

Nicki graduated from the University of Reading with a BA(Hons) in English Language and Literature, before gaining her PGCE. She has taught for 28 years, been an examiner for both Film and Media Studies A Level and is currently an Assessment Specialist for CIE.

Outside college, Nicki is a photographer and has been featured in numerous magazines and blogs. She has been involved in making promotional films for local schools and authoring resources and courses including educational material for ‘The Dementia Diaries’, KCC’s outdoor education provision and 'Streetwise' - an educational resource for the 'Clean Kent Campaign.' 

In previous schools, she has been a Head of Department and Head of Year 11 as well as a Lead Practitioner and an Induction Mentor for teachers new to the profession; she led and delivered a wide range of programmes in conjunction with CCCU to ensure high quality teaching and learning as well as teacher professional development. She was also invited to India by the Department of Education, Punjab to develop relationships between schools in the region and Kent, specifically linking teachers and students from Chandigarh to those in Gravesend.

In 2019, Nicki introduced A Level Digital Media and Design to the College. She is currently studying for an MSc in Digital Media Design at Edinburgh University and in 2023, led our wonderful Sixth Form trip to Tokyo and Kyoto. Nicki is responsible for putting together the welcome to RIC film on the homepage of this website.

Read more about the RIC sixth form here. 

Ian graduated from Durham in 2007 with a degree in Applied Psychology before training to become a teacher. 

Ian completed the NASENCO qualification and is one of RIC’s Special Educational Needs Coordinators. Ian says “Students come to us on many different educational and personal journeys. One of the highlights of my job is working with each student on this journey and supporting them to have the most positive educational experiences as possible. Having studied Psychology I understand the value, both pastorally and academically in developing student resilience and a growth mindset through the use of research-back strategies. Failures, big or small, are not portrayed in a negative light in the Lower School, but as an opportunity to learn and grow”. 

Students will often find Ian down on the MUGA at lunchtime playing football or dodgeball. 

Rhonda graduated from York University with a degree in English with Education and has had a career providing excellent care for students living in boarding schools in England, Ireland and Switzerland. 

Vici says: "I have worked in education for 24 years. Over that time my enthusiasm for learning has continued to grow. I believe that this enthusiasm and passion for lifelong learning enables me to inspire and motivate students to also be passionate about their education and futures. 

I graduated with a degree in accounting and finance. Following graduation, I gained valuable business experience in the leisure and hospitality industry. I then chose to continue my studies by combining my ambition of becoming a teacher with my industry experience  with a PGCE in Business Education. Since qualifying as a teacher, I have taught Business, Economics & Finance at GCSE, A level and undergraduate level. I have also taught IT, Computing and Careers education.   

I am currently also continuing my own education by studying for a Master's qualification in Education Leadership and Management. In my role as sixth form careers lead at RIC, I believe that students need to explore a range of experiences and opportunities to find the right path for their future. This is key to the approach we take at RIC with careers. Many students choose to progress to university but the careers provision is based upon opening their minds to many future opportunities and interests, so that they can make informed decisions. This includes:careers experiences, university taster lectures, university visits and fairs, subject specific events and Individual tutorial support." 

Click here for more about the RIC Futures programme. 

Darren Taggart attended the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (now the British and Irish Modern Music Institute) before touring the UK, Europe and the US as a musician and technician, sharing lineups with artists including Billy Idol, A Ha, Wonderstuff and Lightning Seeds as well as a number of studio and radio credits. He completed a degree at Point Blank and then graduated with a Master’s degree in Music Industry Innovation and Enterprise at WaterBear, before moving into practice-based postgraduate research as part of the PhD programme at Canterbury Christ Church University where his project ‘Music Education for the Real World?’ focuses on the links between industry and academia. Darren has a strong belief in the role that study and critical reflection both play in the development of a creative practitioner, and the importance of equipping students with a wide range of skills and experience that reflect the workings of modern arts industries.

Teaching Chemistry at RIC is Dr Sophie Hilton whose medical research was based around the design of enzyme inhibitors. 

Sophie says: "Working at RIC is like a breath of fresh air, the small classes and the fact that the students are very well behaved and want to succeed means I can convey my enthusiasm for Chemistry and turn my attention to every student. Chemistry is a hard subject but it is so interesting and it offers openings to great careers. I really hope that at the end of the course, the students studying Chemistry at RIC will feel the same way as I do about the subject."

Robin Macintosh has taught at RIC since 2007. He is an accomplished Fine Art and History of Art teacher who has inspired many students who have gone on to study the subjects at leading universities and arts colleges. 

Bob Simpson returned to Kent after a decade as Deputy Head in the North West of England, working in one of the region’s leading independent schools. He has been Head of English at a number of prestigious private boys’ schools and began his teaching career in the English Department at the University of Kent. 

Bob has written and presented for the International Boys’ School Coalition and has coached Debating for more than twenty years, citing the achievement of leading the Rochester Independent College team to the national final of the Schools’ Mace in 2024 as the most spectacular of his career. 

He has also coached a number of sports, notably cricket, leading teams to county cup victories and nurturing future county and even international players. As a senior examiner for two major exam boards, both domestic and overseas, he trains markers and especially enjoys playing a role in the career development of talented younger colleagues who have a passion for education and a desire to put the interests of students, both those they teach and the candidates they examine, first. 

Dr Kamila Pawlikowska teaches English Literature, Sociology and Psychology. 

She studied Sociology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (Poland) and Comparative Literature at the University of Kent at Canterbury, where she later taught literature, sociology and cultural studies. Her PhD in Comparative Literature was published as Anti-Portraits: Poetics of the Face in English, Polish and Russian Literature. 

She has recently completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tokyo where she was a British Academy / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Fellow and studied the perceptions of Japan in Europe. Her interests include images of the human body and face in literature and visual arts, cross-national literature, intercultural communication, Japanese culture and language, and global education. 

Kamila was a visiting lecturer at Penn State University in the USA.

Andy Smith joined RIC having previously taught in one of Kent’s outstanding grammar schools. As well as a first degree in Computer Science, he has a Masters Degree in Internet Technology with distinction. His master's thesis was on web app development. 

Andy is an enthusiastic advocate for leading and bleeding edge tech that improves the planet. He has friends who build commercial robots such as Earth Rover and has taken students on visits to their HQ. Andy enjoys the ‘archaeology of technology’ and learning about bleeding edge tech. He enthuses his students to understand the historical developments in computing from the Antikythera mechanism to D-Wave quantum computers. One of our fun annual trips is to The National Museum Of Computing where we get to explore milestones in retro tech and discuss the future of computing.

Outside of college, Andy uses technology as a musician and producer and is one half of a Kent based post punk electro dance duo Feral Five. As well as regular appearances on BBC6 Music, he has performed in venues as varied as The National Portrait Gallery in London, England and The Funkhaus in Berlin, Germany. He has been a judge for Music Tech Fest and was a nominee for an award from the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Creative Media for his sound tech idea for Rijeka Airport. He is also a trustee of an education charity in Greenwich, UK.

Click here for Andy's article about programming as an art form- Coding with wonder. 

Teaching Biology at RIC is Dr Jon Sullivan who says: "I have been teaching for 22 years after studying Biochemical Engineering at both the University of Birmingham and the University of Cambridge. I subsequently did Postdoctoral Research at Imperial College during which time I taught first and third year undergraduates.

My teaching career started in 2002. Since then, I have been lucky enough to work across a wide range of education settings including developing teacher training programmes, working as part of school improvement teams and developing teaching and learning programmes such as the national ‘How Green is Your School’ programme. I have particularly enjoyed working with a broad range of students in terms of age group and ability." 

Head of Photography Michael Daks joined RIC in 2017 from Paris College of Art (formerly Parsons Paris, the French Annex of Parsons New School.) He was formerly Senior Lecturer in Photography at Southampton Solent University and Visiting Professor at the Istituto Marangoni, Paris. 

Michael has worked as a fashion and portrait photographer in London, Paris, Milan and NYC, with clients including The New York Times Magazine, Untitled Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan. His short film 'The Butterfly Collector' has now been viewed online over 1 million times. Michael's portraits of Dennis Potter and Kenneth Branagh are in the permanent collection of The National Portrait Gallery in London. His fashion work for BLITZ magazine was recently exhibited at the ICA in London, and published in the book 'As Seen in Blitz- Fashioning 80s Style.'

Paul Dutton did his degree at Imperial College and taught at Latymer Upper and Box Hill before joining RIC in 2002. 

Paul says "Why study Physics at RIC? We specialise in guiding candidates to success either in the normal two years or in one year and these candidates could either be starting from scratch or joining us because things aren’t going well at their present school. At RIC you are taught by Physics specialists from day one. No-one is allowed to feel lost in our small classes and everybody receives individual attention extending to catch-up lessons, after hours seminars and holiday guidance as and when required."

After studying printed textiles at Middlesex Art College RIC's Francesca Baur worked as a freelance textile designer for some years in London, as well as training to teach textile design. This year she held an exhibition of her unique natural hand-printed textiles at Rochester Art Gallery as the culmination of a year-long project supported by Arts Council England. Whitstable-based Francesca’s trademark, eco-friendly local textiles, employ traditional skills, from growing the flax for linen to seasonal foraging and making natural plant dyes. 

Francesca is currently working on a project for the Channel 4 programme Building the Dream designing fabrics for a house being built in Barham, Kent. At RIC Francesca teaches GCSE and A level Textiles and has supported students in applications to top courses including Fashion Design Menswear at Central Saint Martins and Costume for Theatre and Screen at Wimbledon College of Arts. Fran has just completed an MA in sustainable design at CSM. 

Alex Emeh Arres joins RIC in 2024. He has extensive experience within the field of International Relations and International Law. Alex says: "I possess in-depth knowledge within the key areas of Global Development, International Criminal Law, Human Rights and Diplomatic Practice. As an educator I have taught Geography, History and Citizenship as well as Human Rights Law." Alex studied at UKC and Igbinedion University in Nigeria. 

Head of Business Studies and Economics David Hodges has had a varied career, initially working for a printer and bookbinder where he became a Business Manager and then working for some time in the city as a procurement officer, David completed his degree in Business part time in the evenings at University of Kent. 

David has held a variety of teaching posts but most recently has focused on the independent sector with a specialism in teaching international students. David says, “Especially in Economics, it is vital that you can use language that is accessible for all learners, including those for whom English is not their first language”. 

David organises the annual “Great British Economics Olympiad’ where students from over 100 different schools from across the country compete to represent the UK in the International Economics Olympiad, to be held in Hong Kong in 2024. 

Click here for more information about the International Economics Olympiad at RIC. 

Sally Harmer trained in acting and musical theatre at Mountview and spent twelve years in professional West End shows, learning and developing her skills. As a performer she has appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Sunset Boulevard, Into the Woods, The Railway Children and The Crucible.

Sally is an experienced teacher and has attended training with RSC and the National Theatre. Sally has directed a string of fantastic musicals at RIC, most recently Oliver!

Click here for more about Drama and Theatre Studies at RIC. 

Claire Carter is Head of Sport at RIC and also runs our DofE programme. Claire says: "Inspired by my PE teacher in Secondary school, I chose to study for a degree in Sports Coaching at Solent. I've always had a passion for sport and exercise having represented Kent County for Netball, Hockey and Cross Country and being part of the England Netball talent player pathway. Hockey ultimately took priority and I currently play in the South East Premier Division for Folkestone Optimists and represent South East at Masters level with the hope of representing England at Masters level next year. 

Having taught in both the public and private sector, from Kent to Oman, I've been fortunate to explore new environments and identify my teaching philosophy. Whilst in Oman, I gained both a PGCEi and MA in Education through Nottingham. Teaching for me is a privilege, it's the relationships that you form, the extra-curricular opportunities and journey each child makes. RIC enables these experiences to occur in abundance with its blue sky approach. Whether it's round a campfire on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition or during a Quidditch Sport lesson, students at RIC are exposed to experiences that take them beyond the classroom which forms their educational journey."

Click here for more about Sport at Rochester Independent College. 

Carmen Torres has taught at RIC  and says: "I am delighted to have worked here for ten years. I come from Valladolid, a city in Castilla, Spain. My early career was very different, working as an avionics engineer in Madrid after having studying Physics at the University of Valladolid. I am still enthusiastic about science and try to pass on this interest to my students.

As a child I always dreamt of speaking another language fluently and was excited when I had the opportunity to study English in secondary school. Coming to this country definitely made me achieve that goal. 

In my free time I go hiking and enjoy watching the wildlife. I love learning about life on Earth, about our solar system and space. I care about the environment and take individual action to protect our planet."

Nikki Cutmore has been teaching maths for 18 years and still enjoy it, especially when a student has that lightbulb moment when all the pieces of the maths puzzle suddenly fall into place. 

Nikki says: "I did not go to university straight from school, as I did not think about it as being an option for me at that time. However, I went to university many many years later as a mature student. This meant that going back into full time education after so many years was a huge challenge for me. However, despite how very difficult learning maths at degree level was, I was determined not to give up. I did not find the three year degree journey easy at all but it was definitely worth the hard work and perseverance. My time at university studying for my maths degree has enabled me to be able to empathise with students who find maths hard, as I know exactly how it feels. 

I know that not all students like maths but the maths department at RIC likes to show the students the relevance of maths in the real world, so that it helps them to understand a bit more as to why maths is so important. I think the best day of the academic year for the maths department at RIC is 14th March, as this is when we get to celebrate the International Day of Mathematics. This day is also pi day and my classes love this day as they know that I will bring pie in for them to eat whilst they are doing some maths. What more could any student want than to solve maths problems whilst eating apple pie?

When I am not working I enjoy watching rugby, listening to music, reading, meditating, swimming and running. I have taken part in the Cancer Research Race for Life for the past twenty five years and in 2017 I took part in the London Marathon. Running the London marathon was extremely tough but the experience was truly amazing."

Click here for more about Maths at RIC. 

Grant Corr is an award-winning writer from Belfast. He writes from radio, stage, and television. He has worked with Soho Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Omnibus Theatre Clapham, and the Old Red Lion Islington. His plays for young adults have been performed in London and Northern Ireland, as well as at Edinburgh Fringe. Grant’s award-winning play Dead Boy Café was performed at the Questors Theatre in 2022. 

Grant completed a PhD in critical and creative writing at UEA. He is currently writing a drama series set in 1980s Belfast.

Lisa Herron joined RIC in 2001 and is also a Director of Studies. She says: "Film Studies is a Good Schools Guide Award winning subject at both GCSE and A level. Combining academic and practical work including screen writing and film journalism these A levels and GCSEs are an exciting alternative to more traditional subjects. The teaching provided by College tutors is supplemented by visiting speakers and industry practitioners." 

Lisa has a BA (Hons) in Film and Art History from Middlesex and an MA in Film from UEA. She worked as a journalist and producer of educational multimedia software before becoming a teacher and has written educational resources and magazine articles for the English and Media Centre. Her key interests are gender and identity theory and film spectatorship.

Maeva Elliott has worked at RIC since 1998 and in that time has worked in most departments of the College including as an EAL teacher, Head of Boarding, DSL and Admissions Officer. 

Maeva has worked with many hundreds of international students at RIC, supporting them with their studies and advising them through university applications, often to the most competitive courses. 

Maeva has an BA in Italian from Reading University. 

Alistair Donaldson studied Classical and Archaeological Studies at the University of Kent where he lectured in Roman history. He says: "My particular academic interests focus on the exchange of ideas between ancient cultures, specifically about the nature of power and authority. My studies focused on ancient artefacts which were used to express and communicate power, such as coins, statues, public inscriptions and buildings. 

I try to bring the ancient to life for my students by arranging trips to see the physical remains of the societies we study, which has included visits to the British Museum in London, and overseas excursions to Rome itself. I also aim to enhance my students' understanding of ancient cultures by teaching them some Latin and ancient Greek phrases, many of which are heavy with meaning and significance. One of the most pertinent quotes, which comes from the temple of Apollo at Delphi, is γνῶθι σαυτόν ("know thyself"), which encourages us to reflect on our own thoughts, attributes, and actions.

In addition to teaching Classical Civilisation GCSE and A Level, I have also built up a college-wide community of Dungeons & Dragons players across several year groups, including both Day and Boarding students. Besides being a lot of fun, these sessions have helped many students to make friends and develop their self-confidence."

Dr Joseph Milburn teaches Philosophy and English. He studied Philosophy and English Literature at Newcastle University, Jungian Psychoanalysis at Essex University, and completed a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Sofia. Joseph is now a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer (remotely) at the University of Sofia and an editor of theSofia Philosophical Review as well as a researcher at the University of Coimbra. 

He actively publishes research on Philosophy and Literature, with a particular interest in the work of Haruki Murakami. 

Before joining Rochester Independent College in 2023, Joseph taught English abroad in Nepal, China, Laos, Japan, and Saudi Arabia and has been involved with English for Academic Purposes provision at universities in the UK. 

Holly May Treadwall joins RIC from the University of Kent where she was an English Literature and  Cultural Studies tutor and where she studied for a PhD in Indigenous Studies, focusing on the representation of indigenous peoples in American comics. 

Her research background includes postcolonial theory, feminist theory, comics studies, queer theory, and animal studies. She is particularly interested in the ways in which the comics medium can provide a platform to redraw and to challenge existing narratives of people, places, and events.

Mark Melling joins RIC from Kirkham Grammar School where he was Deputy Head. 

Mark teaches Politics and History at RIC and is a graduate of Durham University. 

After studying for a BA in Geography and Politics and teaching in mainstream schools Nadine joined RIC in 2013. She is Head of Geography as well as a Director of Studies in our Lower School. 

Nadine enjoys aerial arts, roller skating, hiking and camping and is a Duke of Edinburgh Leader. Nadine says: "I believe that both Geography and DofE can teach students that life isn't mapped out and can be complex, but with experience, sportsmanship, determination and intuition you can overcome these challenges."

Chris Barradell joined RIC in 2014, having previously spent 12 years teaching in mainstream state schools across Kent. He graduated from the Open University with a BSc Honours degree in Social Science, Environment and Geography. 

Chris says “I was immediately struck by the holistic, student-centred ethos of Rochester Independent College and the positive impacts this has on progress. Students enjoy their learning and strive to achieve to the very best of their ability, thanks in large part to the college’s refreshingly informal and supportive approach to education. While student achievement and progress is important, there is an equal emphasis placed upon their personal development as individuals, and staff strive to empower all students to achieve their full potential”.

Outside of RIC Chris enjoys putting his amateur detective skills to work in escape rooms, travel and all things outdoors. He can be found most weekends camping, paddleboarding or exploring the Kentish countryside with his pet dachshund, (and former star of RIC's 'Legally Blonde'), Todrick.

Mark Young joined RIC in 2018. He is our online safety guru being a CEOP Ambassador and also runs the Digital Leaders Programme.

Mark graduated with a BA Hons in Film Studies from Derby and went on to gain a PGCE from the UCL Institute of Education. Outside of teaching, Mark is an experienced independent filmmaker. His first feature film, East 3, a documentary exploring life in the arctic, was broadcast on UK television in 2010 and 2011 and debuted at a film festival in New York. East 3 was filmed in the remote Arctic town of Inuvik. He has also produced many short films and music videos, some of which were broadcast on UK television and screened at over 30 film festivals worldwide.

Mark also creates poetry and soundtracks under the name of 7th Adventure Recordings, releasing a poetry collection called Secret and Gold. Mark has also created video content for a wide range of companies and charities. 

When not teaching or creating Mark is a football fan supporting both Norwich City and non-league side Lordswood FC. He currently sits on the board as Community Officer at Lordswood FC. Find out more about Mark’s film projects here www.mryoungfilmmaker.com.

James was a boarder himself during his school days at Malvern College and graduated from the University of Bristol in 2017 with a Master’s degree in Chemistry. 

James worked at a residential sports and adventure camp in America for nine summers before completing his Psychology of. Education Master’s and joining RIC as a houseparent in September 2022.

Claire joined RIC in 2018 and is one of our most experienced members of boarding staff. 

Claire holds a BA in Environmental Design and Conservation,  Planning Studies and Urban Design from Oxford Brookes. 

Julie joins RIC from Prior's Field School where she was Head of Senior and Sixth Form boarding. 

Julie holds a degree in Graphic Design specialising in illustration from Bath Spa and has continued to work as a freelance artist and curator alongside her boarding career.  

Warren graduated from Glendon College, York University, Toronto with a BA in Political Science before working as a teacher for many years. 

Warren is fluent in French, has worked in both Japan and Poland and is an experienced houseparent. He says: "I have lived and worked abroad on several occasions so I know what it feels like to be thousands of miles away from home and loved ones, in a new environment and operating in another language that’s not your mother tongue. I have the ability to recognise the challenges that this produces and also know what solutions to propose. Getting involved in the activities on offer, making friends, going outside of your ‘comfort zone’, are all ways boarders can meet these challenges and grow as individuals."

Warren is often seen around campus with Oscar the RIC boarding dog!