Board of Management

Phil Blackburn - Chair

I taught physics in Bedfordshire before being seconded to the Microelectronics Education Program
(MEP), based at Hatfield. I returned to Bedfordshire in an advisory teacher role before being
seconded to be Deputy Director of the National Education Resources Information Service, NERIS.
In 1991 I was appointed to be the Director of Durham’s Microtechnology Centre, where under
various different job titles I spent 18 years supporting schools.

In 1994 I joined NAACE and was fortunate to be a member of the original Quality Assurance Group
that developed the first version of the Self Review Framework with colleagues from
Cambridgeshire LA. In 1998 I was privileged to assess one of the first four schools to receive the
NAACEMark Award.

In 2018, having retired for the first time, I was co-opted to the Board of Management and elected to
the BoM in 2019. I was privileged to be elected Chair of the board in 2020 - the COVID chair! Now
that I am chair again in 2025, I am hoping there won’t be any pandemics during my year of office!!
I look forward to working with all members of the board and the wider association to enable
schools and those they support to get the most out of their EdTech.

Gavin Hawkins - Past Chair

I worked In Wolverhampton schools as a teacher, ICT subject specialist and senior leader for 18 years. Whilst I was Assistant Headteacher, our school won the BECTA ICT Excellence award for Teaching and Learning with ICT and we were one of the first in the country to be awarded the NAACE and ICT Mark and led pioneering work in 1:1 device programmes.

Following a secondment to support school improvement, I managed the Learning Technologies Team of consultants in Wolverhampton, supporting schools in their adoption and implementation of education technology and associated pedagogies. The Learning Technologies Team were awarded the BETT Award in 2010 and 2013 for Services to Schools and were shortlisted again in 2016.

Since leaving Wolverhampton City Council in 2018, I formed Squirrel Learning with colleagues. Our company focuses on school improvement, offering support in, Education Technology, Strategic Support and Online Safety. Recently we have developed the BoomReader and BoomWriter applications, designed to support young people with literacy. BoomReader was awarded the BETT Award for Best Education Application in 2021.

I joined Naace as I firmly believe in the role that NAACE can make to the Education Technology landscape, in terms of raising awareness, developing and embedding the EdTech Review Framework, encouraging schools to undertake NaaceMark and sharing their good practice. Naace is uniquely positioned as a charity representing the voice of the UK education technology community.

Christina Preston - Board Member

Dr Christina Preston, retired Professor of Education Innovation, has been at the forefront of education and technology since the 1980s when she led a group of teachers who wrote SCOOP and NEWSNET, funded by BT: the first adventure games to teach children about IT.

The MirandaNet Fellowship that she founded in 1992 became a global thought leader in edtech with over 1,400 members in 80 countries. At the core of the members’’ philosophy was the sharing of knowledge and change management based on grassroots evidence. The members worked with edtech companies, charities and governments to support teachers researching into the impact of technology and learning in classrooms. MirandaNet Fellows have transferred in 20213 to the Technology, Pedagogy and Education Association (TPEA). However, all the research reports on teachers' findings for the global community can be found on the archived website: www.mirandanet.ac.uk.

Christina has won 5 international awards for her contribution to education innovation and community of practice development. She is active on Naace BOM and the Technology, Pedagogy and Education Association committee and an editor of the new Advancing Education Journal that is now run jointly by Naace and TPEA.

Matt Rogers - Secretary

I am a dynamic and versatile Programme Leader and Product Manager with extensive experience across the education management sector. Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional initiatives in both nonprofit and commercial settings, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for learners, educators, and institutions.

At City & Guilds, I led the organisation’s evolution in digital credentialing—guiding the product management and implementation of platforms such as Credly, Acclaim, and Accredible. My work has contributed to over 1 million digital credentials issued, reflecting a deep commitment to recognising and amplifying learning through technology.

Skilled in stakeholder engagement, product lifecycle management, educational technology, coaching, and curriculum development. Passionate about harnessing innovation to build inclusive, meaningful, and scalable education solutions. Additionally I am a certified Programme Leader for Cambridge International, where I drive strategic delivery and innovation in global education.