NAWE Management Committee
The following have been elected to serve as the NAWE Management Committee, 2012-2015.
Liz Cashdan - Chair, and representing Primary Education
As a poet involved in education, I see NAWE as central to learning through the arts. Working in schools, the community and in HE has enormous spin-off on my own writing. I was a teacher and am now a writer going into both primary and secondary schools. I also teach adult classes in the WEA, where one of my courses is Writing for Children; and undergraduates at Sheffield Institute for Lifelong Learning and for the Open College of the Arts, where I am also an assessor. Formerly, I was a tutor in creative writing working with B.Ed students at Bretton Hall College.
Keith Jebb - Vice Chair, and representing Higher Education
I have been course leader in Creative Writing at the University of Bedfordshire for eight years, teaching at BA and Research MA/PhD level. I am a practising poet, reviewer, editor and readings organiser. I have been Higher Education Representative in NAWE for the past three years, and this has been invaluable experience, which I feel has equipped for helping us in a challenging future, after the loss of ACE funding, and with the new A-Level in creative writing on the horizon. I have also enjoyed working with a dedicated and committed team.
Jane Bluett - representing Secondary Education
I have served on the NAWE Management Committee for 5 years and am committed to the continued success of the organisation. As well as teaching A Level English and serving on the NATE post 16 Committee, I have been closely involved in the development of the new A Level in Creative Writing and have recently completed my PhD in Creative Writing at Nottingham Trent University. I have taught Creative Writing to A Level students in Nottingham for many years and am actively involved in the Nottingham writing community as a poet.
Amy Spencer - representing Further Education
I am a writer, creative writing tutor and have taught in a further education for the past five years. I am passionate about informal creative learning and the opportunities that lifelong learning can offer adult learners. I teach predominately in community settings and work with a wide range of writers. I hold a PGCE in post-compulsory education as well as a PhD, which focused on digital literature. I have been a board member of Poetry Can, promoting poetry across the south-west, for the past four years. I am enthusiastic and experienced and would love the opportunity to get more involved in NAWE’s valuable work. Other areas of expertise: Digital literature. Writing in the community. Working with socially excluded writers.
Kate North - representing Adult & Continuing Education
I am a writer of fiction and poetry. I have worked as a Creative Writing lecturer for over ten years in a variety of Russell Group and post 92 UK universities (University of Gloucestershire, The University of York, York St. John and Cardiff University). I am currently Programme Leader of English Literature and Creative Writing at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Experience has made me aware of the diverse challenges and opportunities facing our discipline in Higher Education. I teach Widening Access summer schools and have taught in several lifelong learning departments. I also have experience of working as a writer in community settings for organisations such as Age Concern, HMP Askham Grange and York & Selby NHS. I am a consultant for the WJEC on their A Level English and would look to work with them rolling out the CW A level.
Jackie Wills - representing Writing & Community
Since I started running writing workshops in 1991, every residency, day in a school and evening with a writer's group has taught me more about the job I love. I've learned from mistakes, challenges, from collaborating across arts and science. I’ve learned from people – teachers, young asylum seekers and substance misusers, children in a secure unit or with multiple disabilities, lawyers, call centre staff and farmers. I've listened to new poems in Buckingham Palace and an air-raid shelter, mentoring many individuals along the way. I'd love to share my experience to help NAWE develop the writer's role in our world. Other areas of expertise: Associate lecturer at Open University – Higher Education; Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Surrey and Sussex universities – Higher Education & mentoring; Business – arts leadership, mentoring; Cross arts collaboration – visual arts, music, environmental science; Gallery education (adults and children); Journalism.
Martin Goodman - representing General Interests
When I first spoke at NAWE it was as a secondary English teacher. Now I’m Professor of Creative Writing at Hull, having taught at Lancaster, Hertfordshire and Plymouth and written the first MA in Nonfiction at City. In all those experiences I see myself as a writing practitioner sharing my craft with others. I publish PG and UG students’ work in all formats; interview writers in public and promote children’s writing events; am linking healthcare and writing; twinned with the Iowa writers’ programs; work in broadcast media; and am happy to be a passionate proponent of all writing in education.
NB: The elected committee may co-opt further members to fill any role which is vacant, provided co-options shall come to an end at the next AGM, when elections will again apply to any vacant positions.
Those elected shall serve for three years. After this period, Committee members shall stand down, but are eligible for re-election. An elected member may be asked to stand down if s/he misses 3 meetings within a year without input to the proceedings or special leave of absence.
We should like to thank the outgoing Committee for all their work over the past three years. The immediate past Chair (subject to ratification by the new Committee) retains a place.