PRINCIPAL

Stephen started attending classes in New York in 1974 before returning to the UK in 1977. He is now retired from a career in IT and Project Management. Among his activities in the School, he looks after the Berkshire Branch and runs the Gita study weekends, as well as tutoring online and in-person groups.

Stephen was co-opted onto the Executive Committee in 2017 and again in 2018, and was elected as Principal in 2019.

TREASURER

David joined the School in Nottingham in 1990. He has looked after the Nottingham Centre since 1995 where he tutors in-person groups as well as tutoring online. 

He qualified as a Chartered Building Surveyor and retired in 2018 from a career running a construction company. 

David was co-opted onto the Executive Committee in 2022, and elected to the post of Treasurer at the 2025 AGM.

GENERAL SECRETARY

Richard Ibbett has been a member of the School in London for 40 years, and part of the Fellowship for 20 years, serving as Chair of the Membership Committee for 6 years. He has been a philosophy tutor for 30 years, tutoring in the early parts, the senior school and in the branches. As an architect he has been principal of Ibbett Associates for 25 years and has been on the RIBA register of conservation architects.

Currently a student in the North West branch, Hilary first joined the School in 1984 in London where she was working as a nurse. She has since held a wide range of director roles in the NHS in England and Wales, and recently retired from this work. She now works voluntarily as a youth leader. 

Hilary was co-opted to the Executive Committee in 2024.

Elina is a member of the M Stream, having joined the School more than a decade ago, and has been a member of the Fellowship for five years.

She has served as a First Year tutor for five years and is now part of the online tutoring team. Elina is a key figure in the organisation of the ‘Wisdom of Women’ event, now in its third year. She runs her own interior design and sustainability consultancy business and champions systemic change in commercial and residential markets.  

Originally from Australia, Yolande joined the School in London and shortly afterwards transferred to Guildford. She is a prominent member of the Guildford Branch, where she tutors Plato and Philosophy. 

Yolande has been a Fellowship member for over 20 years. She also was previously co-opted to the Executive Committee, and again in September 2022.

She has recently retired from her successful residential house design business.

Kumar Kumara is a retired Structural Engineer. He started studying philosophy in the School in London in 1973 and moved to the North East Branch in 1976. Kumar has been the Treasurer for the branch for the last 40 years, and has also been tutoring both early and senior philosophy groups in the Branch for the last 40 years. Kumar was co-opted to the Executive Committee in 2020 and elected to the Executive Committee in 2022. Kumar has been the Chair of the Estates Sub-committee since 2020.

Elizabeth joined SPES over 20 years ago and has been a tutor for ten years.

She is now retired and her career has included being a Headteacher for 25 years, advisory Headteacher for London Challenge Schools Improvement Service, Director of Learning Alliance Academy and Head of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Partnership.

Elizabeth is a member of the Fellowship, was co-opted in 2021, and elected to the Executive Committee in 2022.

Matt has worked in technology for over 25 years. Throughout a varied career, he has worked alongside some leading innovators and inspiring leaders at a range of companies in space technology, healthcare, government, and more recently at leading global internet players. Matt has been a student at the School, studying Philosophy and Economics for over 25 years and has been tutoring groups in the early years for over 15 years. He was co-opted to the Committee in 2019 and elected in 2020.

In her 40 years with SPES, Sherry has tutored, wrote and directed the 10-minute History of the School video, and ran the Ceramics section of the Art In Action festival. On its closure, Sherry launched Celebrating Ceramics, a 3-day summer festival at Waterperry Gardens.

Sherry’s career has evolved from running the internal communications department of a global investment bank to founder/director of two communications and documentary video businesses, to her current role as founder/director of a pharma technology company.

Sherry has been a member of the Executive since 2020 and is on the Waterperry Gardens Limited Board.