The Management Team

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Stefan Anderson, Principal, is a graduate of Carleton University, Ottawa, the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, the Royal College of Music, London, and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was appointed Assistant Director of Music and Organist at Wellington College in 1983, and later Director of Music at the King's School, Canterbury (1995-2002). He was appointed Principal at Tring Park in September 2002. As a choral conductor, pianist and organist he has performed and recorded extensively in the UK, Europe and North America, including programmes for BBC television and radio, CBC and Radio France. He is currently Vice-Chairman of Music and Dance Excellence (MADE) (formerly the National Association of Music and Dance Schools) and will take over the Chairmanship of that organisation in September 2009.

Alex Walker, Deputy Principal. A Classics graduate of New College, Oxford, Alex spent six years as a theatre director on a number of West End shows and touring musicals. He was also an assistant director at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1999, having undertaken a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, he was a Housemaster and taught Classics at Rugby School. He joined Tring Park in September 2007 as Deputy Principal.

Edward Applewhite, Director of Drama. A graduate of the Guildford School of Acting, Edward worked as an actor before serving as Artistic Director of Wigan Pier Theatre Company (1993-2000). After achieving Qualified Teacher Status he was appointed Head of Drama at De Lisle Catholic Science College, Loughborough in 2001 and moved to Tring Park in 2004. He has a Degree in Theatre Studies and also works as a freelance writer, director and actor.

Donna Hayward, Director of Musical Theatre. Donna Hayward trained at Laine Theatre Arts. Upon graduation she worked continuously and extensively as a professional dancer in both television and theatre in the UK and internationally. She has held the position of Senior Jazz and Tap teacher in vocational schools, Tring Park and Elmhurst and was appointed Director of the Musical Theatre Course in 2005. Donna was a major Examiner for the ISTD from 1996-2006, and a founder member of the New Development Group. She has lectured in Denmark, taught in the United States for a Musical Theatre school in Baltimore, and furthered her studies of Jazz and American Tap in New York. Whilst at Tring Park she has choreographed numerous productions including; 'The Wild Party', 'Hot Mikado', 'I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change' and 'Copacabana'.

Elizabeth Hewett, Director of Music, studied Music at the University of Sheffield and graduated with a BMus in 1994. She graduated as a teacher from the University of Wales in 2000. Prior to her appointment at Tring Park (September 2003), she was Head of Music at St David's Catholic College, Cardiff. She is a singer, pianist, flautist and saxophonist and has performed with a number of choirs and orchestras across Europe, North America and South Africa.

Rachel Rist, Director of Dance, has a Masters Degree in Performing Arts and has taught widely in Italy, Canada and the USA. She has published two books and regularly writes for many dance publications around the world. She was President of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science 2003-2005, and currently Chair of the Education Committee. She has also served for ten years on the Executive Committee of the Royal Academy of Dancing. In addition to acting as external examiner and lecturing widely she has also frequently been an expert witness on legal issues in dance training.

Helen Wells, Director of Academic Studies. Having qualified at University of Wales in 1973, Helen taught History, Classical Civilisation and Politics/Law for a number of years at a variety of schools, including a year in the USA as a Fulbright Scholar at Elyria High School, Ohio. She began teaching at Tring Park in 2002 and was appointed Director of Academic Studies in 2003. She continues to teach RS, History and Junior Art.

Miriam Juviler, Marketing Manager. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music she spent her early career as a performing musician and teacher before moving into arts management. She was the Director of South East Music Schemes, funded by the Arts Council before joining the Purcell School as their first Concerts Manager. Miriam was awarded an Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music for services to the classical music industry. She joined Tring Park in January 2008.

Derek Rayner, Finance Manager & Company Secretary is experienced in all areas of accounting and general management within complex industrial environments over the past forty years. Formerly Finance Controller and Pension Fund Director of a large local manufacturing company, Derek retired in 1999 and joined Tring Park in 2001.

Les Smith, Head of Planning and Examinations Officer. Les was Head of P.E. in an Aylesbury Grammar School for almost ten years before undertaking a "role reversal" to be a house-husband, bringing up his three daughters. He then spent ten years as a teacher and then Head of Education at a residential school for pupils with Severe Learning Disabilities. After teaching in further Special Education schools, he joined Tring Park in 2001 and is now Head of Planning and Examinations Officer alongside his role in the Learning Support department.

Jane Foy, Campaign Director. Coming from a background of Corporate Event Management, Jane entered the Charitable sector over 10 years ago in her role as Head of Events & Fundraising for the national children’s charity KidsOut. Combining her fundraising skills and love of the Arts she went on to join the Senior Management Team at Watford Palace Theatre where she was successful in raising the match-funding for the theatre’s £8.3m redevelopment project completed in 2004. A second smaller arts capital project followed at The Stables Theatre in Wavendon, where Jane was responsible for fundraising for the development of a second performance space which opened in 2007. Prior to joining Tring Park in February 2009, Jane was Interim Development Director at LAMDA and was once again heavily involved in the early stages of a major capital project.