GCC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Aaron has extensive experience leading and supporting good governance across a range of sectors including higher education, pensions, schools, insurance, culture/arts and healthcare.
He has been non-executive Board Chair of BPP University since September 2019 and is also Associate Director Governance at Advance HE (since 2014) and Director of his own consultancy firm (since 2011).
He is also currently a Governor of Goldsmiths University, London; Trustee of the King's Head Theatre; and Governor and Chair of the Education Committee of Whitgift School, Croydon.
He was President of the National University of Students between July 2010 and June 2011, and has previously been a non-executive Director at a range of bodies, including Endsleigh Insurance; HEFCE; UCAS; Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education; the National Union of Students and University of Leicester.
Aaron served as a lay Member of the GCC Education Committee from 2015 until his appointment to Council this year. He has been involved during significant developments such as the approval of new Education Standards, which were approved by Council following recommendation to it by the Education Committee in December 2022.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Remuneration & HR Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Remuneration & HR Committee
Annie Newsam graduated from the University of South Wales in 2007, and worked in private practice as owner of a busy chiropractic clinic in South Wales. She is now a full-time senior lecturer at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, where she is Module Leader in Behavioural Science, Clinical Preparation, Clinical Diagnosis and Clinical Research. She is also an Academic Misconduct Officer and Investigation Officer for the University, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Before becoming a chiropractor, Annie had graduated from Cardiff University with a degree in Chemistry and worked in forensic toxicology as a laboratory manager and as an expert witness.
Annie has previously served as a registrant member on the GCC Professional Conduct Committee, the GCC Health Committee, the GCC Investigation Committee, and as a Chair/Assessor for the GCC Test of Competence Committee.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Professor
Professor Catherine Kelly is currently Professor of Law and History at the University of Bristol, appointed as Professor in August 2021. Since joining the University in July 2016 as Reader in Law, Catherine has acted as Chair of Examinations; Director of Undergraduate Studies; Faculty of Health Sciences Fitness to Practise Panel Member and Law School Director of Education. Prior to joining the University of Bristol, she was a senior lecturer in law at the University of Western Australia and worked as Senior Policy Adviser at the Australian Medical Association and in practice as a qualified Solicitor.
Catherine obtained a DPhil at the University of Oxford in November 2008. She has served as a Member on an extensive range of Committees in Australia and the UK since 2015 and has authored or co-authored numerous academic papers focused mainly on medicine and healthcare.
Catherine is the Chair of the Education Committee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Overall Chair of the Professional Conduct Committee and the Health Committee )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Elisabeth Angier graduated from University of Surrey in 2000 and has been in full-time private practice since. She has worked around the UK, and now runs her own clinic in Herefordshire. Before joining the GCC Council as a registrant member, Elisabeth has worked with the GCC as a Chair/Assessor for the GCC Test of Competence Committee and was a GCC Visiting Education Assessor. She is a visiting Clinical Supervisor at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, University of South Wales. Elisabeth is Chair of the Chiropractic Research Council, a UK based charitable organisation that aims to promote research and support researchers for the benefit of UK chiropractic patients.
She is a Fellow of the British Chiropractic Association and served on the BCA Council and Executive Council 2011 - 2016. She is a member of the Royal College of Chiropractors, and was on the steering committee of the Public Health Society.
In her spare time, Elisabeth can be found on and off the water at the Ross Rowing Club where she chairs the Fundraising Committee and as Regatta Secretary, organises the annual regatta. She is a keen walker and runner and has completed several marathons/half-marathons.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Audit & Risk Committee
- Managing Director of Rockpool Insights Ltd
Fergus Devitt is Managing Director of Rockpool Insights Ltd, his own business consultancy which was established in autumn 2018 to create stronger organisations and communities. Prior to that he had held a number of Director level posts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, including Director of Active Communities in the Department for Communities. He is an Associate Consultant with the Leadership Centre for Health and Social Care in Belfast and also an Associate Consultant with Clarendon Executive.
Fergus is an experienced programme and project manager, a trained Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) and an accredited High Risk GatewayTM Reviewer. He has delivered successful business and organisational transformation projects and was SRO for an award nominated digital transformation project. He has significant experience of senior level recruitment, governance and Board effectiveness. He is able to make connections within, across and between organisations to strengthen those organisations, communities and individuals.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Jennie graduated from Southampton University with a first class degree in Economics in 1984. Her early career was as an investment analyst and fund manager within the UK Equity market where she worked for a number of large institutional investors including Abbey Life and Aviva. After moving to Yorkshire with a young family in 1995 her work has centred on corporate governance roles within the private and public sector with a focus on addressing economic, health and social inequalities in the region. She has been a director of Finance Yorkshire since it was created in 2009 in order to provide funding for small and medium sized businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber. She was a non-executive director at York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for 8 years where she developed her knowledge of healthcare regulation and patient safety. She has recently been appointed as a member of the Governing Body of York St John University and chair of its Audit Committee. Register of Interests
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair and Overall Chair of the Investigating Committee )
Job Titles:
- Director of Corporate Services
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Joe's professional background is in finance, audit and business management. Joe started off his career in audit in the private sector for four years before he moved to the non-profit (NP) sector over 25 years ago. Since joining the NP sector, Joe has worked with various senior leadership teams in professional membership and social enterprise organisations with lead responsibility for corporate resources management. Joe's functional areas of oversight over the years include financial strategy development and delivery; business planning; financial management and reporting; corporate governance; people management; risk and information management; HR; and facilities.
Joe is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), member of the Chartered Governance Institute and Chartered Accountants Worldwide.
Joe cherishes the opportunity to contribute to policy development which strengthens operational and strategic business practices, and outcomes for the benefit of the GCC's stakeholders. Joe is results-driven and is energised by the varied demands of his role. Joe says he is truly in sympathy with the GCC's values; so, he likes to live the values so everyone can hopefully feel that the GCC is a ‘great place to work'.
Outside of work, Joe enjoys spending time with his family. Joe is also actively involved in local charitable endeavours.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Jonathan has had an extensive career in health and social care working in senior local and national roles. He has been Chair of the General Chiropractic Council since January 2024.
He works in East London and across England supporting health and care systems as they move towards more integrated ways of working.
An Associate with the Local Government Association, he previously represented the LGA as national representative for public health. He has chaired a number of national groups including the Pharmacy and Public Health Forum and the Public Health System Group for Public Health England for several years. He spent eight years as a Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care in Hackney.
He has been the Chair of Trustees for the Terrence Higgins Trust, the HIV and sexual health charity, since 2016.and is currently a member of the Chief Executive's Advisory group at the King's Fund.
Jonathan has a first degree in law and a Masters in public policy - both from UCL. He is an Honorary member of the Faculty of Public Health.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Audit & Risk Committee
- Member of Remuneration & HR Committee
Keith Richards OBE is a barrister, arbitrator and CEDR-accredited mediator. He has served as an independent member and non-exec director on many regulatory bodies in a variety of sectors and specialises in professional / industry regulation, consumer rights, accessibility and equality issues and redress. He has been involved in developing policy on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Europe and in helping to resolve disputes through ADR for 30 years.
Keith currently chairs the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) at the Department for Transport, and the Renewable Energy Consumer Code Non-Compliance Panel. He is a member of the Financial Services Consumer Panel at the Financial Conduct Authority, and a Panel Member at the Competition and Markets Authority. Keith is also on the Board of ECPAT, a global charity campaigning against child trafficking and prostitution.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
After training as a Registered General Nurse at the Middlesex Hospital in London, Keith graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in 1991. He was in private chiropractic practice nearly 30 years. He had teaching roles in the Peninsula Medical School for 15 years until 2019 and at the School of Health Professions, part of the Faculty of Health in the University of Plymouth. He is now a full-time lecturer in Health Sciences at the University of Plymouth where he is the Assistant Head of School for Teaching and Learning.
In the past, Keith has held council and executive roles in the British Chiropractic Association, and he currently serves on the research committee of the Royal College of Chiropractors. Keith has been registered with the General Chiropractic Council since its inception and is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic . He currently serves on the GCC's Education Committee as a registrant and council member. He has a Doctorate from the University of Bath where he investigated how chiropractors' interface with evidence-based practice.
He recently stepped down as Chair of the Board trustees for DDRC, a local diving charity providing divers from Wales to the Southwest with lifesaving assistance using hyperbaric treatment for the 'bends'.
In his spare time, he enjoys exercising on his beloved Dartmoor and therefore is regularly in need of his own rehabilitation advice for the numerous physical ailments he acquires.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Remuneration & HR Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Registrar
Nick Jones was appointed Chief Executive and Registrar of the General Chiropractic Council in February 2019 and is thrilled to lead the team working across the chiropractic system.
Nick started his working career in social housing and was drawn to a career in regulation; working first for the housing regulator and then within system healthcare regulation ending up at the Care Quality Commission in 2010. From then until joining the GCC he was a Director at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the government regulator responsible for making sure fertility clinics and research centres comply with the law.
He believes that regulation undertaken well incentivises improvement and high-quality care for patients, its fundamental purpose. He lives in north London with his partner and three sons.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Director of Fitness to Practise
Niru Uddin is the Director of Fitness to Practise. Medical Law has always been of great interest to Niru, having first stumbled on the area as a module in her undergraduate degree at the University of Liverpool.
Niru started her early career at a Magic Circle International law firm working on Structured Finance deals. Still, her interests in medical law soon led her back to healthcare regulation at the General Optical Council, where she qualified as a Solicitor.
Niru joined the GCC in October 2015 and has over 13 years of experience in professional regulation from several healthcare regulators and membership organisations.
Niru is passionate about professional regulation, which she often refers to as "posh crime" to those unfamiliar with the area. Since joining the GCC, Niru has brought her experience from other regulators and sought to make changes to ensure best practices and adherence to PSA's standards of good regulation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Director of Development
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Director of Education, Registration and Standards
Penny Bance joined the GCC in February 2013 as Director of Education, Registration and Standards.
Penny has over 25 years of experience in the field of standards, qualifications and apprenticeships, working for several trade associations and membership organisations in fields such as printing, film and television, lifelong learning and financial services.
She is passionate about engaging with current and future registrants, ensuring they continue to learn and develop as professionals. She has been a college governor for several years and lives in southeast London with her husband and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Ralph Pottie owns and runs a chiropractic clinic in Ayr, south-west Scotland, along with his wife, a fellow chiropractor. He is a member of the Royal College of Chiropractors, the British Medical Acupuncture Society and a Masters graduate of McTimoney College of Chiropractic.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Sam is a registered chiropractor, first registering with the GCC in January 2007. He has established several clinics in Sussex under the banner of Spinal Chap Chiropractic. These are the Park Practice Primary Care centre, Seaford Chiropractic Clinic, Bexhill Chiropractic Clinic and Burgess Hill Chiropractic Clinic.
In April 2022, Sam was appointed to the role of Test of Competence assessor at the GCC.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Audit & Risk Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Remuneration & HR Committee
- Specialist
Steven Gould is a specialist in regulation, consumer protection and strategic policy development. Having led the regulatory function of RICS - the world's leading built environment professional body - for 14 years, Steven retired from full time employment in 2014. Before joining RICS, he had previously worked for Which? and also in government. He is currently a Trustee of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme - a charity responsible for standards, public protection and education in domestic renewable energy. His previous non-executive roles include membership of the government's Better Regulation Commission, Director of Ombudsman Services Ltd, and membership of a number of professional conduct panels and advisory committees on governance and conduct.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee
- Professional Conduct Committee & Health Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Education Committee
- Lay Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Education Committee