- Chair of the Partnership -
Sandra has been a senior manager and strategic leader in enterprise and knowledge exchange for more than 12 years, developing specialist initiatives to stimulate innovation within higher education, promote graduate entrepreneurship, regional economic regeneration, business support infrastructure, employer engagement and knowledge transfer. At Cumbria the primary aim of enterprise is to expand the university’s range of profitable activity, through the innovative deployment of physical and human resources to meet the needs of businesses and to focus our research and expertise on addressing key challenges in ways that can add value and can be applied to create positive changes in society and the economy. Sandra’s role will focus on developing enterprising and dynamic ways for the university to collaborate with business, and she is fully committed to driving economic growth and wealth‐creating opportunities by working with partner organisations across Cumbria to make a positive impact in our region. Sandra is the university strategic lead for: Identification and exploitation of profitable business streams. Business and employer engagement particularly with major businesses of the region. Regional, national and international stakeholder relationship development, Innovation and knowledge exchange.
Sandra began her professional career in marketing and worked for the Chartered Institute of Marketing developing partnerships with businesses and further and higher education providers who were seeking to bring a commercial focus into their organisations and more recently at Staffordshire University where she was the Director of Enterprise and Commercial Development’
-Vice Chair of the Partnership -
With a background in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management, Phil has extensive experience in major construction, infrastructure, market and affordable housing delivery, gained from 32 years in industry.
Former national Commercial Governance Manager reporting to a major Construction PLC Board. Operating at a senior level for 23 years, Phil is a respected communicator with a collaborative approach, able to engage at all levels, across multi-stakeholder groups.
With a strong Partnering ethos - a former School Governor, prior Chair of the District’s, Carlisle Housing Partnership, Chair of Cumbria LEP Housing & Planning Task Group and continuing Vice Chair of Carlisle Partnership - Phil is Business Development Manager at Story Homes