Meet our new director

Professor Catherine Staite LLB, MBA, FRSA

Catherine is a researcher, consultant and coach who specialises in leadership, governance and coaching support for senior politicians and managers.

Catherine was the Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV) at the University of Birmingham from 2011 to 2017. Her teaching and research focused on leadership, governance, user and citizen engagement and strategic commissioning. In 2017 she stepped down from that role to lead the University's engagement with the public sector in the West Midlands, as Director of Public Service Reform. Catherine retired from the University in February 2018 but maintains close links as an INLOGOV Associate and Professor Emeritus.

From 2005 to 2011, Catherine was a Director of the Office for Public Management (OPM), a not-for-profit consultancy and research organisation, dedicated to improving public services. Catherine led the Organisational Development team.

Catherine was an Assistant Director at the Audit Commission from 2001- 2005, leading on User Focus and also acting as Deputy Head of Policy. In these roles Catherine led a major transformation programme in the AC, to put users and citizens at the heart of its work.

From 1998 - 2001, Catherine worked for the Legal Services Commission, as Regional Planning and Partnerships Manager and was responsible for commissioning civil legal aid services in the East Midlands and ensuring a needs-led allocation of resources.

From 1996 to 1998, Catherine was Director of Organisational Development for Bradford Community Health Trust, working directly with users of mental health services to improve governance and service quality in the Trust.

Catherine was Chief Executive of North Humberside MIND from 1990 - 1996. It was a large, service-providing organisation and Catherine was responsible for fourteen housing projects, three day-centres and a number of specialist projects including advocacy and diversion of mentally disordered offenders from custody.

Non-executive roles include;

• Member of the Board of Visitors at HMP Hull, responsible for the welfare of prisoners in the hospital wing.
• Member of the Board of Rampton Special Hospital, responsible for reviewing the continued detention of those patients not under the supervision of the Home Secretary.
• Vice Chair of Nottinghamshire NHS Mental Health Trust

Catherine was also Chair of Fiskerton-cum-Morton Parish Council, in Nottinghamshire, from 2016- 2018.

We have asked Professor Catherine Staite why she applied for a position of Director at The Connaught. Her answer: 

The reason I applied to join the Connaught Board is to use my skills and experience to make a contribution to the life of the island.