We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Helen Rafferty as SHINE’s Interim Chief Executive. Helen will be covering Fiona Spellman’s maternity leave from Monday 24 April.

Helen will lead the SHINE team until Fiona’s return in May 2024.

Fiona expressed her confidence in the charity’s future under Helen’s leadership.

She said, “I am so proud of the journey SHINE has been on since I first joined the charity in 2011. It is an enormous privilege to truly love what you do, and I am incredibly lucky to work among the most passionate, talented people you could hope to meet.

“SHINE has ambitious plans to grow on the foundations we have laid over the coming years, and I look forward to being part of that next chapter when I return next year.

“Helen is an incredible leader with a fantastic team behind her, and I have no doubt she will continue to take the charity from strength to strength.”

Helen, SHINE’s Senior Programme Manager, who has previously served as SHINE’s Interim CEO, expressed her enthusiasm for returning to the role.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to lead SHINE again for a second interim period,” she said. “As we emerge into a post-pandemic world, the issues we work to tackle are more pressing than ever. I know that the team are energised to be developing our impact further, building on the incredible work of schools and teachers in the North.

“I’m very much looking forward to moving forward our strategy for the North of England and building our networks across the region.”

Helen brings extensive experience to the role, having been a key member of the SHINE team since 2017.

We wish Fiona Spellman all the best during her maternity leave and look forward to her return to SHINE in the near future.

In the meantime, Helen and her team will continue to pursue our mission of building better outcomes in school education for children and families across the North of England.