Ash Patil (Chair)
LA Governor
Ash has an Electrical Engineering degree with postgraduate qualification in Operations Research.
He has worked with Xerox for 10 years in Inventory Control and Logistics and then for 20+ years with Digital Computers later to be merged into Compaq and Hewlett Packard in Management Science, (Business Intelligence) and Sales in IT solutions for big corporations .
For the last 12 or so years, Ash has worked voluntarily in education in governance of all types of schools – from infant care, nursery to primary and secondary schools further extending to technical colleges. He is part of county’s Hertfordshire Leaders of Governance (HLG). He feels privileged to be asked to chair at Westfield Primary and Nursery School in Berkhamsted. Those who know him will affirm not only his sincerity, honesty and the depth of his commitment but also his tireless, boundless energy with which he does this work.
Charley Eriksen
Parent Governor – December 2020 – 2024
We joined the Westfield community in March 2019 and I joined the governing board in December 2020. I have two children in Westfield School and we are very thankful to have found such a welcoming and wonderful school. I am a chartered accountant and have years of experience of finance in schools and nurseries in both the UK and abroad. I hope my skills will help the board with their decision making and look forward to working with the entire team to ensure Westfield School continues to provide an excellent education for our children.
Kate Moody
Staff Governor – February 2021 – 2025
Emily Millar
Parent Governor – November 2021 – 2025
I joined the Westfield Governing Board in November 2021. I have four children who attend Westfield and I am pleased to be part of the supportive and welcoming school community.
I am a secondary school teacher and a SENDCO-in-training and hope my experience here can be of benefit to the board. I am passionate about the education our children receive and feel strongly about the inclusion of all children within our setting.
I am very much looking forward to working with the other members of the board to ensure the ongoing exceptional education our children receive.
Alex Traube-Childs
Co-Opted Governor – September 2022 – August 2026
I joined the Westfield Governing Boarding in September 2022 as a co-opted member and am also a member of the Curriculum Committee. I recently moved to Berkhamsted from Buckinghamshire so am new to the school and the area and I have a son and daughter who attend the school. My background is in law and I am a qualified lawyer and compliance professional. Having previously worked in City law firms, my current role involves working in house in the development finance sector focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa. I very much look forward to making a positive contribution to Westfield and look forward to getting involved in the school community.
Paulius Gailiunas
Parent Governor – September 2022 – August 2026
I have joined the Westfield family in 2020, when my son started reception here, and began my role as a school governor later in 2022. I have a huge passion for learning new things and it allowed me to have a rather diverse career, that included teaching music, running a small recording studio, working as a photographer, and managing an electronics lab. I currently work as a software engineer. I think my diverse skills and perspectives transfer well to assist the board of governors, particularly in relation to health and safety, which is my current focus. I am very excited to be working with the governing body and the school to ensure Westfield continues to be a safe and enriching space for our children.
Ben Conolly
October 2023 –
Ben joined the governing board at Westfield in October 2023. He has two young children and lives in Berkhamsted. Ben is a chartered accountant by trade and holds a BSc in mathematics from the University of Warwick, and now works in the insurance industry where he leads financial planning and performance management for a global specialty (re)insurance company. Ben is passionate about education and the opportunities in life it brings; and wishes to positively impact Westfield with his input to the governing body.