Members
Ron Packard
Ron Packard is the CEO and Founder of Pansophic Learning, a global technology-based education company. Packard is a well known educator, entrepreneur and visionary as well as the author of the highly regarded and reviewed book, Education Transformation. Packard was previously the long-time CEO and Founder of K12 Inc. He oversaw the growth of K12 from just an idea to almost one billion dollars in revenue, making it one of the largest education companies in the world. During his tenure, revenue compounded at near 80%. Before K12, Packard was the Vice President of Knowledge Universe and CEO of Knowledge Schools, one of USA’s largest early childhood education companies. He was also instrumental in the successful investments in Learn Now, Children's School USA, Leapfrog, TEC, and Children's Discovery Center.
Packard also worked for McKinsey & Company and for Goldman Sachs in mergers and acquisitions. Packard has received the Education Industry Association's James P. Boyle Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, as well as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the IT Services & Solutions category in Greater Washington. The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business named him a Distinguished Alumni, and he also received an Outstanding Leadership Award from the United States Distance Learning Association. He sits on the Digital Learning Council. Packard previously served on the Department of Defense's Education Advisory Committee. Packard has been featured on nationwide radio and television shows and magazines, including Bloomberg TV, Forbes, and the Washington Post to name a few. He holds a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, both with honours.
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Geoff Palmer
Geoff held a number of senior management positions during the course of his 35 year business career, working with both the private and public sector. His involvement with Aurora began in 2013 when he was appointed as a Trustee and then chair of the Crawley Free School Trust (CFST) which established The Gatwick School and oversaw its opening in September 2014. Following the merger of CFST with Aurora Academies Trust (AAT) in 2016, Geoff was appointed as a Member of AAT where he is jointly responsible for assessing if the Board of Trustees is performing well and ensuring that the charitable object of the trust is being fulfilled. In addition to his role with Aurora, Geoff's voluntary work in the community includes being a trustee of a local Citizens Advice organization, being a school governor, and tutoring pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in GCSE Maths.
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Julie Kapsalis
Julie is Acting Principal and Chief Executive at North East Surrey College of Technology (Nescot). Prior to this she was Deputy CEO at Chichester College Group. Julie is also Chair of Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and Catalyst South (a grouping of the six South East LEPs). Julie has a background in marketing and economic development and is passionate about skills and employability. She is pleased to be a Member at Aurora Academies Trust and is particularly interested in ensuring progression opportunities for young people to develop their skills and future career pathways.
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Antony Blaker QPM
Tony has worked for over 33 years in policing, working in Sussex Police and then retiring from Kent police in 2021 as the Deputy Chief Constable and being awarded the Queen’s Policing Medal for distinguished service in 2020. He currently works for the National Police Chiefs Council as the Chief of Staff for the Digital, Data and Technology Coordinating Committee. He has been involved in school governance for the last 15 years, starting out at Sidley Community Primary School as a community governor, becoming the Chair and leading the transition into the Aurora Academy Trust and move to become Glenleigh Park Primary Academy. He served as an Aurora trustee for 11 years and as the Local Academy Board Chair for Glenleigh Park. He stood down as the Chair of the Aurora Trustee Board in 2023 and continues as a Member in support of the schools in the Trust.
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