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College Prospectus

Staff, Tutors and Advisory Board

Staff

Tutors

Advisory Board Members

We are privileged to be served by an excellent non-executive Advisory Board of academics and educationalists who volunteer their time to provide independent guidance and support to the work of the College in the UK and China.

Dr Mario Peters, Director
Mario gained degrees from the Universities of London (BSc), Edinburgh (MSc), and Oxford (DPhil). His early career was as a research scientist at Oxford, where he worked in the field of space technology, developing scientific instruments for NASA space missions. In 1997 he founded Oxford Science Studies, providing revision and training courses, mainly to UK students seeking admission to leading British universities. In 2002 he co-founded Oxford International College, followed three years later Oxford International Education for the provision of educational services overseas and developing quality pathways for international students into the UK higher education sector. In 2008 Oxford International College opened its first international campus in Shanghai, followed by Qingdao and most recently Chengdu. In 2010 Mario also co-founded The Oxford Summer Academy, providing academic summer courses located within one of the undergraduate colleges of Oxford University. Mario’s main passions outside of education are Youth Leadership and Tennis. He is a co-founder and director of Plan8 Tennis, an initiative to establish grass roots tennis projects around the world, and an advisor to Algarve Open, a tennis academy in Portugal. Mario also volunteers as a governor to a Steiner-Waldorf school, and to Journeyman UK, a charity offering contemporary rites of passage for young men. Mario is married with three sons. Return to top

Kim Terrar, Chief Operating Officer
Kim was educated at Otago University, New Zealand and has extensive experience in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. She was for a number of years the residential Geography/Geology tutor at St Georges College at the University of Western Australia. Within the UK she has taught at Wycombe Abbey, Headington Girls School and was the Deputy Principal of an independent sixth form college in London. Kim joined Oxford International College five years ago as Principal and has overseen the successful expansion of the College to its current size, as well as the move to newly-refurbished premises in January 2011. In October 2011 Kim was appointed to the new position of Chief Operating Officer at Oxford International College. Kim is married with two children. Return to top

Fiona Pocock, Academic Principal
Fiona joined Oxford International College in January 2011 after over 8 years as Principal of Oxford Tutorial College. Fiona has experience in the commercial sector, and her background in education includes teaching at Headington, Oxford, and 9 years lecturing at Oxford Brookes University in the School of Languages. “Unlike some more traditional schools, Oxford International College offers a highly personalised blend of one-to-one tuition and teaching in very small groups. I am passionate about this approach as it meets the exact needs of each individual”. Fiona held the post of Chairman of CIFE (Council for Independent Education) and also served on the Academic Affairs Committee for over six years. Fiona is married with two sons aged 20 and 18. Return to top

Andrew Grimley, Director of Studies
Andrew has a background in both education and the charity sector. After studying Physics and PGCE at the University of Oxford, Andrew taught science at Swalcliffe Park Special School and Cheney School including involvement with curriculum development and pastoral care. During this time he also served as chair trustee for Oxford University based charity KEEN who provide sports coaching and recreational activities to local young people with special needs. He was appointed in 2007 as a Programme Curriculum Manager for national business education charity Young Enterprise and later as Director of Development and Communications, heading up the organisation's enterprise education programme development, marketing and communications. Andrew lives in Kidlington with his wife and 2 year old son Joseph.
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Simeon Masmanian, Senior Tutor
Simeon was born in Alexandria, Egypt, where he attended Victoria College, a public school somewhat reminiscent of Hogwarts and once known as the Eton of the Middle East. He pursued his undergraduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he obtained separate Bachelor's degrees in Physics and Humanities (Philosophy of Science). After MIT he came to England and enrolled simultaneously at Imperial College and The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, where he obtained Master's degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Physics, respectively. He later pursued further graduate studies under Professor David Bohm at Birkbeck College, University of London. Simeon's hobbies include travel (he loves driving!), reading (history and science fiction), writing and photography. He is a member of the MIT Educational Council, the British Psychological Society, and the Institute of Patentees and Inventors. Return to top

Ellie Dear, Examinations Officer
After completing her degree in 2009, Ellie was keen to continue in to a career that allowed her to maintain her passion for education. She joined Oxford International College where she was involved with a number of areas, supporting other members of the team. It soon became evident that Ellie’s skills, talent and capability meant she was suitable for a more senior role and she rapidly progressed to become Examinations Officer. Return to top

Claire Fell, Student Welfare Manager
Claire trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked for over ten years as a professional Stage Manager in both theatre and television. After raising three children in Oxfordshire, Claire returned to work and has been working in the education sector for the last six years. Claire has been working at Oxford International College in various roles for two and a half years and maintains an active (and passionate) interest in theatre. Her other interests are food, traveling and, of course, her family. Return to top

Marianne Thompson-Hill, Human Resources Manager
Marianne graduated from Kings College London University in 1996 with a BA Hons in Hispanic Studies. Following this, she worked for a period of seven years for the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in a number of positions including Director of the Regional Initiatives. In 2004 Marianne made the decision to move away from all the travelling and make time to start a family. In preparation for this she became qualified as a life coach gaining a certificate and diploma in life coaching. Shortly afterwards Marianne began to work at Oxford International College where she has held a number of positions, including Welfare Officer, New Business Manager and currently working as Human Resources Manager. She has coached a number of students, dealing with issues such as examination stress, apathy, low self-esteem, a sense of not "fitting" or "belonging", an inability to set goals or to see and create a pathway that leads to the "desired" future. Marianne has three children – a four year old boy and twin girls. Her husband, Nick, works in Loyalty for London Clubs International. The family dog is a good looking, attention seeking hound called Ollie who still considers himself to be the “first child”! Marianne has also worked in publishing and for SOCOG (the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games). Marianne has lived in London, Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Sydney but now lives in a tiny village called Pyrton in South Oxfordshire. Return to top

Claudia Williams, Operations Manager
Claudia joined Oxford International College in January 2010 to support the Director in the strategic and operational management of the College. Born and raised in Germany, Claudia moved to Findhorn in Scotland in 1984. She started her working life running a graphic design studio specialising in desktop publishing for six years, using her creative talents and her organisational and IT skills. Taking time out when her sons were born, she returned to work as Customer Care Manager for a training consultancy. Together with her husband she runs a small leadership consultancy, alongside working at the College and its sister organisation Oxford Science Studies. “Working at the College brings together two very different elements for me - on the one hand there is the established academic education of our students, and at the same time we are building a business, which allows for autonomy and creative self-expression.” Claudia lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and two teenage sons. Return to top

Chris Griffin, Bursar
Chris has been Bursar on for Oxford International College since 2004. He has been a freelance accountant for twenty years, with clients in other commercial sectors as well as the College, and has been ‘accounting’ since gaining the CIMA qualification in 1982. Chris’ first contact with Oxford International College was as a part-time EFL tutor after taking a CELTA course here in Oxford, prior to visiting China twice as a volunteer with Baptist World Mission. He lives somewhere up the M40 and loves motorbikes even more than accounts! Return to top

Graham Coles, Tutor
Studied at Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford University, and PGCE at Sussex University.
Visiting artist at various UK foundation and degree art colleges (1993- 1997)
Moderator for A level art (OCR) 1995-2000
Bath Society of artists open exhibition (prizewinner)
Tetterhall Gallery open national drawing competition (prizewinner)
Exhibited widely in UK and abroad (inc. Royal Academy)
Interests include fishing and travel.
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Barrie Dale, Tutor
I have an interest in growing and photographing wild flowers. I have transformed half-an-acre of chest-high nettles into a wild flower meadow, without the use of chemicals, power-tools, or bought-in seeds or plants. Photographs of the meadow, and of the wood behind can be found on my website at www.wildhavenimages.co.uk. Two of my photographs were 'Commended' in the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) competition, 2010-2011. They are included in the book of the competition, and in the IGPOTY website, www.igpoty.com. I have given three recitals of Classical Guitar music in Oxford, and have held three exhibitions of my paintings in the City. I was at one time Chairman of the Oxford Area Arts Council, responsible for converting the Old Fire station into an Arts Centre, and for saving St Paul's church, Walton Street, from demolition. Return to top

Katherine Louise Ely, Tutor
Katherine has a first degree in Biochemistry from King's College London and a Teaching Certificate in Higher Education. As well as tutoring at Oxford International College, Katherine also works as a chiropractor (qualified December 2001), specialising in the effects of stress (psyche/psychology) on the body (soma/physiology). She plays classical harp, piano and violin, is a member of a folk harp ensemble and occasionally composes. Katherine has written about 4000 poems and designs and makes mediaeval fantasy costumes. Return to top

Lorna Fergusson, Tutor
Whether it’s a case of reading them, writing them, or encouraging others to discover the joy and potential of them, words are my passion. Not only have I taught English Literature at A level for something scarily close to three decades, but I am also a published novelist and have taught creative writing for a number of years. I’ve given various talks and workshops, run courses at the Writers’ Conference at the University of Winchester, and have taught for Oxford University’s Department of Continuing Education on their summer school and part-time tutoring programmes, as well as conducting day schools on their Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing programme. In 2009, I set up Fictionfire, my own business offering creative writing courses along with editing, critiquing and mentoring help for writers. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and of the National Association of Writers in Education. My website is at www.fictionfire.co.uk and my blog is at literascribe.blogspot.com. Return to top

Dr. Catherine MacKenzie, Advisory Board Member
Dr Catherine MacKenzie is a Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge, a Research Associate at Green Templeton College, Oxford, and an Academic Fellow of the Inner Temple (one of the Inns of Court for barristers). A member of the Bar of England and Wales and the High Court of Australia, Dr MacKenzie has been employed by Allen & Overy, the United Nations, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and has worked throughout the Asia, Africa and the Middle East. She studied at Oxford, the Inns of Court, Tokyo, Sydney and the Australian National University, at which she was a Commonwealth Scholar. She currently advises governments and corporations on matters of international law, publishes widely and contributes to BBC programs." Return to top

Dr. E J Williamson, Advisory Board Member
Dr Williamson has been a member of Oxford University since he matriculated as an undergraduate in 1956. He completed his doctorate in 1964 and became a lecturer at the University in 1968. In 1970 he became a fellow of St cross College, Oxford. In 2000 he became Chairman of Physics Finals Examiners at Oxford, a position he held for four years. Dr Williamson retired in 2004 but was elected to an Emeritus Fellowship and is still highly active within the University. He currently holds the positions of Dean of Degrees and Director of Publications at St Cross College, Archivist of the Physics Department, as well as part time lecturer. Return to top

Mr. Simon Costa, Advisory Board Member
Mr Costa is the Senior & Finance Bursar at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford. Prior to taking up this post, he was an experienced investment banker, who built his career specialising in transatlantic Mergers and Acquisitions. Mr Costa earned a BSc (Honours) in Banking and Finance from Birmingham University, and an MPhil in Management from Oxford University, where he was a recipient of the Bankers Trust Award. He then moved to the United States to begin his investment banking career with Prudential Securities in New York City, before being head-hunted by Lehman Brothers. He worked for Lehman Brothers on Wall Street, before being asked to join the firm’s London Mergers and Acquisitions group, where he was promoted to Executive Director. Mr Costa has advised both American corporations on European deals and European corporations on US transactions. He advised International Public Relations PLC on its sale to The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. of the US, a deal widely viewed in the financial press as the precedent-setting pooling transaction into the UK. He then advised Esprit Telecom Group PLC on its sale to Global TeleSystems Group Inc., the largest transatlantic pooling transaction to date. Mr Costa has been quoted in journals such as Acquisitions Monthly, Corporate Finance, Corporate Money, Financial News, the Financial Times, and The M&A Journal, with observations regarding transatlantic deals, pooling transactions and aspects of the M&A markets generally. After leaving Lehman Brothers in 2000, Mr Costa worked pro bono for a company developing socially- and environmentally-responsible business concepts. He then founded his own property company, before joining his former Oxford College in his current role. Mr Costa’s particular interest is aviation. He learned to fly with the British Airways Flying Club, and he is a Freeman of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. Return to top

Dr. Audrey Curnock, Advisory Board Member
Dr A G Curnock trained as a Mathematician gaining a BSc Hons, followed by an MPhil and a PhD in Pure Mathematics (Functional Analysis), from the University of London, Goldsmiths' College. After 20+ years lecturing in London, including at London South Bank University, and in Rome at the American University of Rome (AUR), she began to move into University Management. She was Head of Mathematics & the Sciences at AUR, and Acting Provost for a semester; the busiest of times, but great fun. She then took on the role of Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mathematics at the University of Oxford. During this period she chaired numerous Undergraduate Examination Boards and tried to promote the importance of writing for mathematics undergraduates. She also tutored at Keble College and Wadham College, and carried out admissions work at Exeter and The Queen's College, Oxford. After five challenging years at Oxford, she set up the Educational Consultancy called Aspiring Heads Consulting LTD (www.aspiringheadsconsulting.co.uk) which works with Universities and Colleges. Return to top

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