TreeHouse School Governors

Rowie Shaw (Chair of Governors), Trustee

Rowie Shaw has nearly 40 years experience of working in education as a teacher, headteacher and at a national level. She was the first Chief Executive of the National Association of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools and carries out extensive freelance work as a consultant to the National College for School Leadership and to individual schools.

Lorraine Petersen (Vice Chair of Governors), Trustee   

As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of nasen Lorraine has worked on numerous projects with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and the Training and Development Agency (TDA). Lorraine has contributed to many articles on special educational needs for a number of publications. Lorraine is also a member of a number of advisory groups including UK T & I Sector Advisory Group for Education and Skills (SAGES).  During her 25 year teaching career Lorraine has worked with pupils with an array of special and additional needs within mainstream settings and in June 2009 Lorraine was awarded the OBE for services to education.

John Coombe-Tennant, Parent Governor

John became a Parent Governor of TreeHouse in 2006.  He and Clare have four sons, and started a home ABA programme for Theo, their youngest in 2002. Theo started at  TreeHouse in September 2004 and has made very encouraging progress. John works for a property company and is on the boards of  two businesses, one an investment company and the other a generic pharmaceuticals company. He is Chairman of the Clothworkers’ Livery Charity Committee. 

Alyson Balloch, Parent Governor      

Alyson is a full-time carer of three children, two of whom are pupils at Treehouse. A committee member for her local branch of the NAS, she has also attended a whole range of meetings and conferences on autism, and is currently studying for a Ucert in ASD with the University of Birmingham.  Alyson is also a Healing Trust trained Healer and works on a voluntary basis at a Healing Centre with people with mental health problems, stress and other significant health issues.

Tony Balazs, Associate Governor

Tony is both the father of a boy with autism and a board certified behaviour analyst.  Tony has been a researcher in molecular biology, a psychotherapist and psychotherapy supervisor, an academic counsellor at the Open University, and a counselling lecturer at City University.   He currently consults to families about their children’s ABA programs, and trains both families and ABA teams in teaching children with autism.  Tony is also a consulting behaviour analyst for a large residential school, and works in the UK and overseas.  Tony has recently founded a charity at the school to support SEN and is chair of the school’s SEN committee.  

Jane Hurry, Community Governor

Jane has raised her family in East Finchley/Muswell Hill, her children attending local schools. She is also a psychologist who conducts research in literacy development across childhood and adolescence.

Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive

Jolanta was the first Chief Executive of Turn2us, a new charity that helps people in financial need access the money they are entitled to. Previously she was the Head of the Governance Hub, the national body charged with supporting the development of third sector governance. She also worked as a Director of I CAN, the charity that helps children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties through their special schools, mainstream support, training and information and research and campaigns. Jolanta is a Trustee of the charity Contact a Family, which supports families of disabled children. She has a passion for enabling children, young people and families affected by disability to live the life they choose.

Gill Bierschenk, Executive Headteacher

Gill joined TreeHouse as Headteacher in April 2004. Prior to joining TreeHouse, Gill spent eight years as the Headteacher of St Aidan’s Primary School in Haringey, preceded by time at Peper Harow, an independent therapeutic community for adolescents with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. Gill is an Accredited Special School Improvement Partner. She is also a Justice of the Peace and a local Muswell Hill resident.

Julie O’Sullivan, Head of School

Julie joined TreeHouse as Deputy Headteacher in April 2007.  Before this Julie was SENCO at a local comprehensive school for 7 years.  Julie originally trained to teach Music and started her career as a secondary music teacher.  She continues to enjoy playing the piano and violin.

Becky Jones, Teacher Governor

Becky is a qualified teacher with prior teaching experience in mainstream schools as a SENCO and teacher of nurture groups; prior to teaching she worked on an ABA home programme and in respite and residential care for young people with autism.  At TreeHouse Becky currently teaches our eldest secondary pupils, and is also the Phase Head with responsibility for the curriculum.

Maggie Byrne, Staff Governor       

Maggie has worked at TreeHouse for nearly three years.   She has a degree in English and Sociology. She has worked with children with special needs for four years and within ABA specifically for nearly four years. She has one son who is 19. She has been a volunteer journalist on a local newspaper ‘The Hornsey Hornet’ which deals with local issues affecting Crouch End and Muswell Hill. She has also been a volunteer learning mentor with young people excluded from school in Haringey, and a volunteer adviser with Alone In London, a service offering advice to young homeless people in London.

Katy Lambert , Staff Governor

Katy Lambert has been working in the field of autism education and applied behaviour analysis for the past 12 years. Katy is an ABA Consultant and Phase Head with responsibility for ABA at TreeHouse School. Katy has a degree in psychology and behavioural sciences, is a board certified associate behaviour analyst (BCABA) and is currently studying for an MSc in Behaviour Analysis with Bangor University.