
Council Members
Rt Hon Alistair J H Burt (Pro-Chancellor)
Rt Hon Alistair Burt was appointed Pro-Chancellor of the University in October 2020. A law graduate, he qualified as a solicitor, before entering Parliament as MP for Bury North (1983-97). He served as MP for NE Bedfordshire (2001-19) and retired from the Commons in December 2019.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 30 September 2030)
He served in six ministerial posts from 1992-2019, including Minister for People with Disabilities, Minister of State for Health and Social Care, and Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa. He is now the UK Commissioner on the International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP), a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a Council member of the European Council for Foreign Relations (ECFR), and on the Advisory Council of Chatham House. He remains associated with a number of charities and local organisations in Bedfordshire and NGOs focused on the Middle East.

Alun P Branigan (Deputy Pro-Chancellor)
Alun became a lay member of Council and the Finance and General Purposes Committee in 2022.
He was appointed Deputy Pro Chancellor in 2025. Alun is a Lancaster graduate and a former President of the Students’ Union. Alun has had a 30-year career in international finance in particular in Asia.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 15 May 2028)
His previous roles include Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking Asia (ex Japan) for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, a Partner of Actis, the emerging markets private equity firm, and Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance APAC for UBS Wealth Management.
Alun has also been involved with Lancaster as a Philanthropy Ambassador, Philanthropy Chapter President and as part of the Entrepreneur in Residence programme. He is currently a Trustee and Investment Committee member of St John’s Foundation, founded in 1174, and one of the UK’s oldest charities.

Professor Rebecca J Lingwood (Interim Vice-Chancellor)
Professor Rebecca Lingwood is Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, and is currently acting as Interim Vice-Chancellor (until 31 December 2025). She is a fluid dynamicist specialising in laminar-turbulent transition of complex flows.
Rebecca studied at the University of Cambridge for her undergraduate degree and PhD and subsequently worked at the École Polytechnique (France), the Royal Institute of Technology KTH (Sweden), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Queen Mary University of London and Brunel University London.
She joined Lancaster in her present position in July 2024.
(Ex Officio Internal Member)
She is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Aeronautical Society, and is an Advance HE Principal Fellow.

Rory F O'Ceallaigh
Rory O’Ceallaigh is the elected President of Lancaster University Students’ Union for 2025-26.
He studied BEng Mechatronic Engineering at Lancaster, during which time he also volunteered in various roles including President of Furness College JCR, and Student Trustee of the Students’ Union.
(Ex Officio: current appointment to 30 June 2026)
Before his time at the university, he completed a Higher Apprenticeship in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, and volunteered as a Cub Scout Leader, Trustee, and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Assessor for the Scouts Association.
Rory is passionate about the financial sustainability of students and the Union while maintaining the excellent potential of student experience at Lancaster. He believes that core to student success and fulfilment is a sense of community and belonging, and is committed to strengthening the various ways in which these can be achieved in the university setting.

Tania Baumann
Tania Baumann is a senior executive with experience leading international, purpose-driven organisations.
Tania is the Chief Operating Officer at the World Energy Council, where she is responsible for its global operations covering people, finance, and governance, the Council’s relations with worldwide and sectoral member communities, and leadership convening practice.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 31 October 2026)
She previously held senior roles at Nominet, the UK’s domain name registry, and the International Chamber of Commerce where she led the UK’s operations, its relations with governments, members and institutions. The formative stages of Tania’s career were in international trade and development in Australia where she grew up and gained her Bachelor's in International Business and a Master's in International Commercial Law.

Hanah Burgess
Hanah Burgess became a lay member of the Council in 2020.
After reading Geography at Oxford University Hanah joined PwC in 1997 where she qualified as a chartered accountant. She then went on to work in the financial services sector before taking on a senior finance and business development role at ITV.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 31 July 2027)
Hanah has spent the last ten years working for large UK charities leading on finance, governance and strategy and has held a number of trustee roles. She is currently a trustee and Chair of the Finance Committee for Affinity Trust, a national charity that supports people with learning disabilities and a trustee and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee for Comic Relief.

Anthony Carey
Anthony Carey is Senior Adviser, Board Practice and Public Policy at Forvis Mazars and was previously a Partner at Mazars, the accountancy firm, for many years.
Anthony is a chartered accountant and chartered director and has been actively involved in the higher education sector for a number of years.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 31 July 2026)
Prior to joining the Council of Lancaster University, Anthony was chair of the audit committee at Cranfield University and was also previously chair of the Finance Committee at the Higher Education Academy. Anthony’s other appointments include the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the Royal College of Radiologists.

Jill Gallard CMG CVO
Jill Gallard is a career diplomat, most recently serving as British Ambassador to Germany from November 2020-August 2024. Prior to that, she was Deputy Political Director and Director of Human Resources/FCDO Board Member. From 2011 to 2014 Jill served as British Ambassador to Portugal.
(Lay member: current appointment to 31 January 2028)
She is a modern languages graduate and speaks fluent French, Spanish, Portuguese and German, and rusty Czech.

Adrian Jonas
Adrian Jonas joined Lancaster University Council as a lay member in 2022.
Adrian holds a Master's in Operational Research from Lancaster University and a Master's in Digital Health Leadership from Imperial College London. He is an expert on utilising data, analysis and artificial intelligence to address both organisational and societal problems.
Adrian is currently the Chief Analyst for the NW Region in the NHS and Senior Responsible Officer for the North West Regional Secure Data Environment.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 31 July 2028)
Adrian is also a Salzburg Global (Sciana) Health Leadership Fellow and a Non-Executive Director at a Multi Academy Trust in Greater Manchester.
Prior to joining NHS England, Adrian lead data and analytics transformation at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE]. Before this he held a variety of roles across central government, including being Principal Analyst for Home and Foreign Affairs (Prime Minister’s Implementation Unit) and Head of Profession for Operational Research within the Cabinet Office; and before that the Head of Analysis within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Dame June Raine CBE
Dame June Raine CBE is a lay member of Council and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. June is the former CEO of the UK’s independent regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. She trained in medicine after completing a master’s degree by research in pharmacology, before joining the Department of Health.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 30 September 2028)
She was closely involved in transforming European drug safety systems and enabling greater involvement of patients and the public in regulatory decision-making. June helped lead the UK’s regulatory response to the Covid pandemic. An ongoing interest of June’s is in addressing health inequalities.

Marcia Reid Fotheringham, JP DL
Marcia was born in London and moved to New York, USA as a child; she was raised and educated there. Marcia attended Hofstra University, Long Island, NY, and graduated: BS Sociology 1976; MS Psychology 1978; and PD Family Therapy 1979.
Following university, Marcia moved to Massachusetts and worked at Emerson College, AtlantiCare Medical Center, Efficacy Research Institute and The State of Massachusetts. She held a variety of clinical and managerial leadership positions. Marcia also had a successful clinical private practice in Salem, Massachusetts.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 31 December 2025)
In 1997 Marcia moved to Cumbria, UK. Marcia (with her husband) was the Owner/Director of two dental practices managing all administrative and compliance requirements.
From 1997 to 2015, Marcia and her husband maintained two dental practices, as Directors. Marcia managed all administrative, compliance requirements. In 2015 to present, she and her husband sold one of the practices. Marcia continues to be Owner/Director of the dental practice in Alston, Cumbria.
Marcia also worked as a clinical psychologist/family therapist for NHS, Cumbria at Portland Square, working within CAMHS and Psychology. She initially agreed to work for a year for the NHS; she retired 10 years later.
From 2001 to 2021, Marcia was a Justice of the Peace. As a Magistrate, Marcia sat in the Adult Courts (crime) and Family Court Panels. Through the years, she participated on many panels; she was elected as Carlisle Bench’s Deputy Chair. Two years later, she was elected as Chair of North & West Cumbria Bench. Within that role, Marcia became the North West Regional Representative to the National Bench Chair Forum and National Representative to the Probation Sentencing Board.
From 2019 to 2020, Marcia took a year’s leave of absence while being The High Sheriff of Cumbria; and had a most successful year promoting Cumbria and Cumbrians.
In 2017, Marcia became a Board member of Tullie House Museum, Carlisle. In 2020, Marcia joined the Cumbria Victims Charity Trust Board, the Cumbria Community Foundation Board, the Multicultural Cumbria Board, the Cumbria Opera Company and the Grasmere Sports Board. She is the founder and co-chair of Cumbria Race Equality Network (2020 – 2024). And was the Patron for the British Energy Coast Business Cluster (2020 to 2023) and AWAZ (2020 to present).
In 2020, Marcia became a Deputy Lieutenant of Cumbria.

Maureen Whilby
Maureen Whilby joined Lancaster University Council as a lay member in 2022.
Maureen is a strategic people and organisational change expert, having led significant transformation programmes for many Public Sector, FTSE 100 and Global organisations.
She is currently a Non-Executive Director at Mersey Care Foundation Trust, one of the country’s leading Mental Health and Community Trusts where she is the Chair of People Committee and NED lead for people transformation and EDI.
(Lay Member: current appointment to 28 February 2028)
Previously Head of People Change at DWP Digital, delivering long term people transformation, enabling DWP to deliver critical systems and services through its people.
Maureen is a Lancaster alumna with a PgDl in Business Law from the University of Law in Chester. Maureen is a Lancaster alumna with a PgDl in Business Law from the University of Law in Chester.

Professor Claire Leitch
Professor Claire Leitch was elected as one of Senate’s representatives to University Council in 2021.
In May 2022, she was appointed Executive Dean of Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), with responsibility for leading the Faculty to align with Lancaster University’s strategy. She joined LUMS in 2012 and served as interim Executive Dean, Deputy Dean and Associate Dean in LUMS prior to that appointment.
(Senate Appointed Member: current appointment to 31 July 2027)
Before arriving in Lancaster, Professor Leitch held posts at Queen’s University Management School, Belfast and the University of Ulster. She has an international research reputation in gender, leadership and learning in entrepreneurial contexts, with a particular focus on leadership, leadership development and learning. Accordingly, her work straddles the interface between entrepreneurship and leadership and has significant theoretical, industrial and policy impact. Current work explores the underpinning reasons for practice-policy gaps which exist. She has a particular interest in gender and takes a critical feminist perspective to explore macro, meso and micro level influences on inequality among entrepreneurial leaders.
She is passionate about addressing gender inequity in HE and is a strategic advisor on a major EU project addressing gender inequality in management schools, thus placing the University at the heart of the European EDI agenda. Under her leadership the School was successful in obtaining the Athena Swan bronze award. Granted in May 2021, this award recognises the School’s commitment to enhancing gender equality in education and research. In addition, she has led the Faculty’s successful AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA re-accreditations ensuring that LUMS continues to hold the coveted ‘Triple Crown’ of business school accreditations putting it in the top 1% of business schools worldwide. She is Chair of the Advisory Board for Keele Business School and sits on the Advisory Board for Deakin Business School, Australia.

Alison Mullan
Alison has over 30 years’ experience working in higher education across a range of universities and in a variety of roles. She has worked at Lancaster University since 2013 and, since 2024, has been the Director of Students, Education and Academic Services.
(Senate Appointed Member: current appointment to 31 July 2027)
Alison holds 3 degrees, the most recent of which is an MBA in Higher Education Management from UCL. She is passionate about the transformational nature of education and is committed to supporting people from all backgrounds to reach their full potential.

Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone
Distinguished Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone is a Senate elected member since 2021, and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medicine.
Prior to her appointment at Lancaster University Jo worked in a variety of university roles, including as a contract researcher, programme lead, Head of School, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact). She continues to be an active researcher.
(Senate Appointed Member: current appointment to 31 July 2027)
Funding for her research has come from a variety of sources including EU/FP7 Programme, National Institute for Health Research, Economic & Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, and Australian Health and Medical Research Council. Jo is a named highly cited researcher.
Jo also has considerable experience in research and policy contexts including as Director of the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) Programme, member of the NIHR Strategy Board, Urgent Public Health oversight group member, and as Chair of the National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) Implementation Strategy Group.
Jo is an emeritus Welsh Senior Research Leader. She was awarded an OBE for services to health and care research in the Kings New Year’s Honours List in 2023.
Jo has recently been appointed as Chair of the REF2029 for Unit of Assessment 3 – Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy.

Leah M Buttery
Leah Buttery is the elected Wellbeing Officer of the Lancaster University Students’ Union for 2025-26. Before taking up office, Leah studied History at Lancaster during which time she held the role of Vice-President Welfare and Campaigns on the JCR of Furness College.
Beyond university, Leah has also worked for Children in Need as a youth advisor on a project regarding funding for a national mental health support programme for young people.
(Appointed student representative: current appointment to 30 June 2026)
Beyond university, Leah has also worked for Children in Need as a youth advisor on a project regarding funding for a national mental health support programme for young people.
During her time as VP Welfare for Furness, Leah discovered a passion for social justice and feminist issues. She has been working on a campaign focused on tackling period poverty throughout her time at university and has devoted the final year of her Undergraduate Degree to expanding historical research in the field of menstrual activism. She hopes to continue this work during her time in the Students’ Union.

Secretary
Dr Michael Wykes
Dr Michael Wykes is the Director of Strategic Planning and Governance and Interim University Secretary at Lancaster University.
As University Secretary, he has responsibility for the operation of governance and support to Council as well as a number of other legal, governance and licensing roles.
