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.

Virginia Bovell, Sponsor Governor

Virginia's teenage son Danny has been a pupil at the school since he was 5.   She was one of the founding parents, was a trustee until 2005 and has been closely involved in the charity's policy and campaigning work.  She is working towards a PhD in medical ethics, and is a keen
Arsenal supporter.

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.

Susan Zur-Szpiro, Parent Governor

Susan is a psychologist, and child and family therapist by profession. She is the parent of three older daughters and Saul who is 15 years old. He was one of the first pupils in the school and is one of its oldest students. Susan has taken an active interest in the school's development from its earliest days.  Her focus has been parent and family matters and supporting the school. She is especially interested in the growth of the school, particularly the planned 16+ provision and the future of our pupils post 19.

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.

Tom DuCroz, Staff Governor

Tom is a staff Governor and has been working at TreeHouse for three years, one year as an ABA Tutor and two years in his current role as E-Learning Coordinator.  He has previously worked in a GLD school, run a drama club for children with special needs and worked as a respite worker for local families.

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.

Find out more about what the TreeHouse School Governoring Body does for TreeHouse School