Meet our Trustees

Trustees are responsible for the overall leadership and direction of DMAT. They work together as a board to set the Trust’s vision and strategic priorities, ensuring that all schools provide a high‑quality education and a safe, supportive environment for pupils. Trustees hold senior leaders to account, oversee the Trust’s finances, and make sure public funding is used responsibly and in line with legal and regulatory requirements. While they are not involved in the day to day running of schools, Trustees play a vital role in making sure the Trust is well governed, sustainable, and focused on improving outcomes for children and young people.

Jessica Hardie - Chair of Trustees

Jess is a results-focused executive leader with over 15 years’ professional experience across both the public and private sectors. She has built her career on supporting organisations to do and be better, combining strategic people leadership with a passion for delivering meaningful, measurable outcomes.

A lifelong resident of the South West, Jess is values-driven and committed to creating opportunities that transform lives. She believes that investing in education for young people is an investment in our collective future and is deeply passionate about inclusion, equity, and leadership development.

As Head of People and Organisational Development at Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust, Jess leads the people strategy for over 1,100 staff across eight schools — both primary and secondary — supporting thousands of pupils across Somerset. She has delivered significant operational efficiencies, introduced professional development frameworks for school support staff, and established a Leadership Development Academy to grow future leaders.

Previously with Avon & Somerset Police, Jess led a major organisational change programme that delivered substantial cost savings and enhanced service delivery, alongside advancing workforce development and community engagement.

Alongside her professional role, Jess serves on the Women’s Advisory Group for Avon & Somerset Police, championing fair representation and diverse leadership. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, she studied at the University of Exeter and the University of the West of England. She brings strategic expertise, governance experience, and a strong community focus to help realise Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust’s vision for an inclusive, high-achieving learning environment.

Emma Neath - Vice Chair of Trustees

After studying law at university, Emma went on to become a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor. She has worked in a number of accountancy practices in the South West, both international and regional, including 16 years at Ernst & Young in Exeter where she specialised in company tax. She had a wide variety of clients from PLCs, owner-managed businesses, farmers and charities. For a couple of years, she was also an exam marker at Exeter University, marking the tax papers for the Accountancy Degree course.

Emma became a parent governor 8 years ago at South Tawton Primary school when her son was there, she then joined the Three Hares governing body when the DMAT was formed. She has, therefore, seen many changes in her time as a governor. She has been the Resources Lead and, for the last 3 years, Chair. Emma has enjoyed being involved with the three Primary schools that make up the Three Hares; South Tawton, North Tawton and Chagford and helping to develop the identity of the Three Hares.

Emma has also been the Treasurer for the South Zeal Scout group for the past ten years.

Philip Sanders - Safeguarding Trustee

Philip studied Agriculture at Nottingham University, and then started his early career in hotel management. Philip has worked in the NHS as a Trust Board Director. He now runs his own Health Care Consultancy business part time.

Philip ran a youth club for many years and is still actively involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme assessing at Bronze, Silver and Gold Award levels. He has also been a Voluntary Warden with the Dartmoor National Park for almost 40 years and regularly walks and help maintain a network of paths on Dartmoor.

Philip is currently a Town Councillor on Tavistock Town Council and is also the Mayor this year. Philip has been a Governor of Tavistock College since 2009 and has chaired the Resources Committee for a number of years.

Beth Carter - SEND and Inclusion Trustee

Beth has been working in education for over 20 years. After qualifying as a teacher, she has worked across a range of primary and secondary settings as well as at a specialist SEMH setting. Since taking on the SENCo role in 2014, she has specialised in this area and gained her National Award for SEN Co-ordination in 2016. She has worked as a Director of SEND for multi-academy trusts who serve a range of communities in Devon and Somerset and is currently Director of Inclusion for a primary multi-academy trust based in North Devon. She also facilitates for the NPQSENCo programme and provides SEND training for ITTs through SWIFT.

Beth has also held various governance positions as both a staff and parent governor and has extensive experience working within the Guide and Scout Associations. She lives in Devon and had 2 children, who are currently at secondary school and college, and regularly attends her local Baptist Church as well as being an active member of her local Arts Association.

Beth is passionate about improving outcomes for children with SEND and ensuring they are able to thrive in a truly inclusive environment.

 Dan Polak - Chair of EIS Committee

Dan is the Director of Education at TEAM Multi Academy Trust and prior to this role, has been a Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) as well as a governor in various settings for the last ten years.

Starting his career in secondary education as an English teacher, Dan moved to primary schooling and specialised in mathematics, becoming a Mastery Specialist and Headteacher Advocate, supporting clusters of schools to improve the quality of their mathematics instruction. Through SLE support work and Mastery Specialist support, Dan has worked with other 40 schools to improve their quality of education.

Dan’s current role is to support Headteachers and provide interim headship for schools without headteachers. He also works with the University of Exeter to lead the Initial Teacher Education School Direct course in North Devon.

From Devon himself, Dan is committed to ensuring all children in Devon get the opportunities they deserve.

Graham Hill - Whistleblowing Trustee

Graham Hill – Chartered FCIPD

Graham is an executive people leader with a wealth of experience in strategic HR leadership, cultural transformation, and organisational change across multiple industries and global markets. With a passion to create exceptional workplaces, Graham has a proven track record of designing and delivering people-centric strategies that drive business growth, enhance experiences, and build high-performing teams.

With a deep expertise in transformational and change management, Graham has successfully achieved complex change activities along with leveraging digital solutions to streamline operational activities. He has extensive experience in employment law, coaching, performance management, and building capability whilst also creating cultures where diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is at the heart of key business decisions.

As a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Graham is recognised as a thought leader, influencer, and expert change agent in today’s evolving workplace. This Fellowship is a testament to his strategic abilities, people expertise, and business impact. It reflects his commitment to advancing people strategies, shaping the future, and influencing change. As a trustee of DMAT, Graham brings his expertise to support the trust’s vision for an inclusive, high achieving learning environment.

Mark Harris

Having 30+ years in large multi-national corporations, reporting at CxO level, in Technology, Manufacturing, Banking industries, working in senior customer facing roles or Project & Programme management. A professional member of the British Computer Society.

I believe every child has a right to a high quality education and believe my non-educational background enables me to bring an external perspective to the trust board.

Martin Strube

Martin’s professional background has largely been in Local Government and in the broad Co-operative Movement.  As a committed co-operator, the bulk of his working life has been immersed in partnership building, group working, and collective decision making.

He is an experienced Board Member in a wide variety of settings, from Boards of Directors to Trades Councils; from Governing Bodies to Co-operative Councils; at local, regional, and national levels.  He has served companies and democratic bodies variously as chair, secretary, treasurer, minute-taker, executive, and external advisor.  He is totally committed to the idea that collective time and joint decision-making should be both pleasurable and efficient.

Outside of work he dabbles in music and video generation.