Meet the team

Mark Bowman

Chief Executive

mark.Bowman@inspira.org.uk

Mark Bowman is the Chief Executive of Inspira. He was appointed in 2009.

He is passionate about the impact good Careers and Employability programmes can have on people’s lives.

Since being appointed as Chief Executive, Mark has led successful tenders for work in both the public and private sector. Mark is passionate about ensuring that all young people and adults in Cumbria and Lancashire, and particularly those in greatest need, are aware of the support offered through Inspira and encourages the use of this provision.

Alongside other Trustees, he has developed the long-term strategy of the Company and is responsible for its implementation and promoting services effectively in the wider community, including to clients, partners, commissioners, and staff. Mark is proud of the high levels of staff engagement and satisfaction within Inspira and believes this significantly contributes to the Charity’s strong performance.

Mark is also a non-executive director and the chair of the trade body Careers England, representing the sector in various government consultations. He has previously held a number of non-executive positions including chairing the Cumbria Youth Offending Board.

Mark sits on a number of regional and sub regional employment and skills groups.

Sarah Harrington

Director

sarah.harrington@inspira.org.uk

Passionate about working with and supporting people, particularly those most in need, Sarah has dedicated her career to working in organisations that aim to support and empower young people and adults to be the best that they can be and to achieve their full potential. Upon leaving University Sarah first worked in the charitable sector supporting drug and alcohol users before moving to the Education and Youth Service in the Local Authority. Sarah then worked for Connexions and has been with Inspira since its inception, becoming a Director in 2009.

As a member of the senior management team, as well as being involved in the strategic development and leadership of the Company , Sarah is responsible for operational delivery across the Company leading a team of dedicated managers to ensure all customers are receiving the best possible service and achieving the best outcomes for them as well as ensuring that the needs of the commissioner are met.

David Emerson

Chief Financial Officer

david.emerson@inspira.org.uk

David worked in local government and further and higher education institutions before joining the Company in 2003. Much of David’s career has seen him working in organisations that have at their core the support and guidance to young people and adults as well as local communities.

As Chief Financial Officer, David is responsible for the Finance, HR, IT and Premises functions within the Company. In his wider role as a member of the Senior Management team David is involved in the strategic development and leadership of the organisation and as Company Secretary ensures that Board Trustees receive all required information to allow them to perform their duties effectively.

David brings personal and business-related skills which allow effective relationships to be maintained with key external stakeholders in a continually challenging operational and financial environment.

Deborah Naylor

Area Operations Manager

deborah.naylor@inspira.org.uk

Deborah grew up in Workington and attended local schools. On completing a degree in English Literature, she went on to a take a post graduate Diploma course in Careers Guidance before returning to West Cumbria.

She joined Cumbria Careers Service as a Careers Adviser and gained experience working in virtually every school in Allerdale. She particularly enjoyed working with young people with learning difficulties and disabilities and was successful in her application to become a specialist Careers Adviser working across schools in West Cumbria and Carlisle.

Deborah went on to be a Team leader and Area Manager in Cumbria Careers Service. She has also worked in a variety of roles within Inspira Cumbria before starting her current role as Area Operations Manager based in West Cumbria.

She is passionate about Cumbria and is committed to improving the life chances of young Cumbrians through careers guidance and personal development activities such as National Citizen Service.

Outside of work she is a governor at a secondary school and a Trustee with a local Youth Project.

Julia Winder

Area Operations Manager

julia.winder@inspira.org.uk

Julia has over 20 years’ management experience working across the public, private and the third sector around careers & enterprise, business, regeneration and education programmes.

Before this, Julia successfully ran her own business for which she won a number of accolades such as Cumbrian Business Woman of the Year, National Semi-finalist in HSBC New Generation of Business Stars, Best Creative Business in the North West, Cumbrian Young Entrepreneur of the Year and numerous Prince's Trust Business Awards.

Whilst running her own business, Julia became an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, UCLAN, De Montford University and Lancaster and Morecambe College before becoming one of the first wave of Enterprise Advisors in 2005 to work with in Cumbrian schools following the Howard Davies Review.

Julia has worked in a variety of strategic roles with a wide range of local and national stakeholders to develop the employability skills of young people across primary, secondary, FE and HE and enhancing links with the wider business community.

Julia now manages the Barrow and South Lakes Inspira teams as Area Operations Manager and sits on a number of strategic groups relating to Skills and Employment, Economic Development, Community resilience as well as Children and Family Partnership groups across both areas. She strongly believes in the programmes she oversees locally and the impact they can have on young people, adults, local businesses and the wider community.

Susan Watkins

Area Operations Manager

susan.watkins@inspira.org.uk

Susan grew up and attended school in North Wales, and learnt Welsh as part of the curriculum. Susan completed her ILM qualifications specialising in business improvement and change management.

Her career in the nuclear and construction industries has since taken her all over the UK. She has worked on mergers and acquisitions to drive integration of organisation’s policies, procedures, culture and communications.

Susan also had specific responsibilities for developing sector specific apprenticeship routes, working with colleges, universities, employers and professional trade organisations to increase apprentice opportunities nationally and deliver frameworks that addressed the skills gaps faced by the industry employers.

A move to Cumbria in 2010 saw Susan take a role in further education and student recruitment for college courses and apprenticeships before she joined Inspira in 2018 as Area Operations Manager for Carlisle and Eden, leading the team to deliver a portfolio of career management and personal development programmes.

Chris Gibson

chris.gibson@inspira.org.uk

Chris has extensive experience working in various sectors which he brings to his role as Contract Manager with Inspira. Chris is a local lad, born in Maryport and educated in Netherhall School.

Interested in a career in business, he pursued a Business Management degree before staring a career as a Financial Adviser with the Newcastle Business Society. Seeking a new challenge, Chris moved on to work as a Customer Service Manager for Eastern Beers, a position that provided him with the chance to develop his interpersonal skills and an understanding of customer needs.

Inspired by his passion for travel, Chris has also worked and travelled extensively throughout America and Australia before settling for a period in Thailand where he taught English as a foreign language.

On his return to the UK, Chris moved into the Welfare to Work sector gaining experience with organisations such as A4E, JHP Training, Learn Direct and the Volunteer Employment Training Services. In 2016 he joined Inspira.

With a wealth of experience, Chris brings a unique perspective and range of skills to his role and is committed to the delivery of impactful adult contracts that improve the life chances of unemployed individuals through Cumbria and Lancashire.

Kay Vaughan

Careers Hub Lead for Lancashire

kay.vaughan@inspira.org.uk

Kay has lived and worked in Lancashire for over 20 years. Kay was welcomed to Inspira in January 2016, who are the Lancashire Skills Hub's delivery partner, launching the Lancashire LEP and Careers and Enterprise Company Enterprise Adviser Network across Lancashire. The Careers Hub pilot was launched in September 2018 in 30 schools and colleges across the Blackpool Opportunity Area, Burnley and Pendle.

Following the success of the Careers Hub in Lancashire, the Hub was expanded across Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire achieving full coverage in 2021 with all Secondary, Alternative provision, SEND Schools and Colleges working in partnership with Lancashire Careers Hub. The Lancashire Careers Hub's achievements were recognised at the national Careers Excellence Awards (Gatsby Foundation and CEC) in September 2019, when Lancashire was awarded Careers Hub of the Year!

Daniel Carter

Business Development Manager

daniel.carter@inspira.org.uk

Daniel's professional background lies in career development and employment support services. He has worked in Cumbria, Lancashire and the wider region in a variety of roles, including providing face-to-face advice and support for young people and adults, managing operational delivery teams, creating resources for practitioners and delivering training for colleagues in schools and colleges.

He has project managed the implementation of new, pilot programmes such as NCS and Ready for Work, which have subsequently scaled-up into successful, established elements of the of the Inspira portfolio.

Daniel currently leads on business development and growth for Inspira. This role includes developing proposals for new programmes and areas of work, submitting competitive bids in response to tender opportunities from a range of commissioners, seeking funding for new projects and working with prime contractors to secure Inspira’s involvement in regional and national supply chains.

Louisa Graham

HR Manager

louisa.graham@inspira.org.uk

Louisa grew up in Carlisle, attending local schools. She completed a degree in Business with Human Resource Management and then went on to achieve her Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. CIPD qualified with over 20 years of experience, Louisa brings a wealth of expertise and a broad spectrum of generalist HR knowledge to Inspira.

Having started her career in the manufacturing industry which saw her working across various locations in the UK, Louisa developed her skills in a fast-paced, results-driven environment. This solid foundation provided the perfect grounding for her transition to Inspira, where she has spent the last 11 years.

Louisa is committed to the aims of the Charity improving the lives of the people within our communities, as well as to ensuring the workplace culture is one where people want to work and feel valued, supported, and motivated to delivering the best possible service to our customers.

Outside of work Louisa undertakes a variety of voluntary work with and for the benefit of young people.