Our People

Dr. Kevin Conway CBE

Kevin Conway

Kevin Conway is the founder of Alps. Formally principal of Greenhead College, Huddersfield, Kevin developed his own systems and analysis to move Greenhead College from a below average performing college to one of the top colleges in the country with a string of awards. These systems and analysis are the basis of Alps today. Alps is a process not a product and the underlying philosophy that everyone is an individual, an exception and to be valued comes directly from Kevin. Despite ill health, Kevin is still actively involved in the educational strategy of Alps.

Mary Ahern - CEO

Mary Ahern

Mary Ahern is the Chief Executive Officer of Alps. Before joining Alps, Mary worked as a commercial solicitor in London.

Toby Ahern - Deputy CEO

Toby Ahern

Toby is the Alps commercial, marketing & brand director. Before joining Alps, he was the Director of Studio 102, an advertising, design & artwork studio and before that worked as a Marketing Manager at Sainsbury’s. Toby ensures the continued national spread of Alps through commercial strategies & marketing awareness.

Tracey Greenaway-Jones - Senior Director of Education

Tracey Greenaway-Jones

Tracey joined the Alps team as a Senior Director of Education in August 2010, but has been involved
with the development of Alps since the very beginning with Kevin Conway. Before joining Alps Tracey was head of a large and outstanding social sciences department at Greenhead College.

John Philip - Senior Eductional Consultant

John Philip John joined the Alps team in 2009. He was formerly Deputy Head teacher at Little Heath School in Reading. Little Heath School has been consistently ‘red hot’ in terms of value added analysis and is in the top 5% of schools and colleges assessed by the Alps system.

Nick Allen - Alps Consultant

Nick Allen

Quality Manager at Peter Symonds College in Winchester. Recently judged by Ofsted to be outstanding, the report noting ‘exceptionally good use of data to support learning’ and ‘excellent quality assurance procedures’. Peter Symonds is consistently a high performing provider in VA terms.

Tony Bodell - Alps Consultant

Tony Bodell Deputy Head at Gordon’s School, Woking. Tony was, from 2006 - 2010 Head of Sixth Form at The Emmbrook School in Wokingham. During this time the sixth form moved from ‘satisfactory’ to being consistently in the top 20% of schools and colleges assessed by Alps.

Alan Jenkins - Alps Consultant

Alan Jenkins Alan has been an educational consultant and trainer with Alps since 2006. Alan was the Principal of Varndean College, Brighton, which was consistently in the top 10% of providers as measured by Alps.

Simon Conway - Alps Deputy Chief Executive

Simon Conway

Simon is the director of Software and Support and leads the data, statistics and software development team within Alps. Simon has been working full time for Alps since 2003.

Ian Yems - Deputy CEO

Ian Yems

Ian has worked as a consultant with Alps since 2001 and joined full time in 2011 as Director of Education & Support Systems. Previously Ian was the VP of John Leggott College, Scunthorpe, a Beacon college. Ian was the Director of Teaching & Learning at Greenhead College, where he worked with Dr Kevin Conway setting up the Alps project.

Neil Heeley - National Director of Training

Neil Heeley

Neil joined Alps in 2007. He was formerly Vice Principal of Greenhead College, Huddersfield. Neil worked closely with Dr Kevin Conway setting up the Alps project.

John Rourke CBE - Alps Director of Training & Education (South)

John Rourke

Formerly Principal of St Charles SFC one of the very top national performers in value added terms and designated a beacon college in 2002, John has been working for Alps since 2006 as a Senior Educational Consultant

Julian Appleyard - Alps Consultant

Julian Appleyard Julian is the founding Principal of Rochdale SFC. Having worked at Greenhead College alongside Kevin Conway, Neil Heeley and Ian Yems as part of the pastoral team, Julian was VP at New College Pontefract and Deputy Headteacher at Bingley Grammar School.

Phil Forrest - Alps Senior Consultant

Phil Forrest

Formerly Principal of Huddersfield New College, Phil has been working full time for Alps since 2008.
HNC is a top 25% college for A level for over 10 years and is a top 5% BTEC provider.

Gisella Vignali - Alps Consultant

Gisella Vignali Assistant Head in charge of Key Stage 5 at Little Heath School, Reading. The sixth form at Little Heath has had two consecutive ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspections in 2005 and 2009 and has sustained an Alps three year T score of 2.