We use necessary cookies to make our website work. We’d also like to set analytics cookies that help us make improvements to our website. For more detailed information about the cookies we use, read our Cookie Policy.
Jude Farrell
Interim Head of Service
On leaving school, Jude undertook an Electronic Engineering apprenticeship with GEC Avionics before deciding to complete a BEd at Greenwich University, when her children were young. Jude joined CLS in 2000 as an IT Tutor/co-ordinator, delivering in outreach venues across the county. She has also volunteered for a number of years in both Ashford soup kitchen and the food bank. Jude is passionate about people; helping them to understand and realise their potential. She loves that working in this environment provides constant challenge, as well as regular reward from seeing the impact of what we do to support learners' lives.
Matt Wallace-Wells
Head of Funding and Finance
Matt joined CLS in 2011, having previously worked for the Kent and Medway NHS Mental Health trust where he qualified as a chartered accountant. When he began his career at CLS, he was overwhelmed by the power that education has to change people's lives. Matt says "It can open doors, eyes and minds, provide a fresh focus or perspective, progress careers, develop empathy, and drive people to understand, to think and to grow. The question I always ask myself is 'What can I do to support and enable high quality learning opportunities for the people of Kent?' This is what keeps me driven to help our wonderful service to continue to thrive and succeed.
Mark Easton
Head of Resources
Mark has lived in Kent all of his life, where he was raised and educated. He started working life at 16 years of age in engineering as an apprentice, but once completed he soon moved into the Education sector. At the age of 22, he secured a position as an Engineering tutor in Southeast London with a training company owned by a local authority. Mark says "It was during my employment with this training company where I forged my career through undertaking a series of continuous professional development opportunities across various disciplines, which secured my progression into management. After 23 years of service, I took an alternative managerial position in the voluntary sector for a brief duration before gaining employment with Kent County Council, again within the Education sector.
On a more personal level, not only do I enjoy family life and a broad circle of friends, all with varied interests, but also a variety of hobbies that keeps me more than occupied during the spare hours."
Mark Starns
Head of Marketing and Sales
Since starting his career as a technical illustrator for Marathon Oil, Mark then changed direction, gaining over 25 years' experience covering Advertising, Direct Marketing, Digital Marketing and Sales Promotion disciplines across a range of market sectors.
After joining a small full-service agency to serve his 'apprenticeship', Mark then progressed to larger and more specialist agencies. Working across a broad portfolio of clients within the pharmaceutical, technology, travel and government sectors. He has developed B2B and B2C initiatives that address customer acquisition and loyalty in extremely competitive and price sensitive market places. Mark has developed a great understanding of data driven insights and return on investment needs, as well as building brand equity.
His experience is broad, but he is particularly focussed on delivering timely, measurable campaigns that can change behaviour, as well as, enhancing brand equity and ROI.
Mark lives in Kent with his wife and has four 'grown-up' children and one grandchild. Mark's hobbies include music playing (guitar and drums) and cars.