David feels privileged to be considered as a Member of Learning Academies Trust overseeing schools responsible for providing statutory education to children. As a father, he can attest to the importance of schools in shaping the future of our children. In his mother tongue, they say that there is no word to say thank you to a teacher. This summarizes the role individuals and institutions play in society to educate our children.

He has had 15 years’ experience working in the voluntary sector and the last 10 years managing the local Red Cross refugees’ services where he has led on projects supporting hundreds of individuals and families. One of the projects he initiated, was the Welcome Project designed to welcome and orient newly arrived asylum seekers in the city. They submit school applications on their behalf, and support them through the educational system. This has given him a lot of insight from children and parents perspectives. He will bring on board his modest experience of managing multiple projects working with statutory bodies, the voluntary sector providers as well as people at the grassroot level. This includes project management, co-producing and implementing projects including the full management circle, immigration advice, integration support to refugees, solving problems faced by ethnic minorities and providing recommendations to leadership at various levels where change is required to better their lives.

David is also the founder and co-founder of Plymouth Hope and Diversity Business Incubator. Both organisations are now the largest BAME led organizations outside Bristol within their core fields. Plymouth Hope has run the largest multicultural event in Plymouth for the past 11 years and has become a well-known organisation building bridges between migrants’ populations and the host/white British community. In 2020, he wrote an educational programme looking at the Equality Act and different characteristics. The programme called Mid-Ground has now been delivered in 12 schools across Plymouth offering sessions in classroom settings and assemblies. Its purpose is to promote cultural awareness and racial inclusion in schools. He is looking forward to sharing this experience and contributing positively towards the trust.