Board of Management

Liz Connolly

Liz was appointed as Principal of West College Scotland on 3 September 2018, she was formerly Vice-Principal Corporate Development. 

She was born and brought up in the East End of Glasgow and has an honours degree and an MBA from Strathclyde University. She attended Harvard University to study Executive Development.

Liz worked for the Scottish Development Agency before its merger with the Training Agency in 1991 to become Scottish Enterprise. She then spent the next 16 years with Scottish Enterprise, becoming Chief Executive of three separate Local Enterprise Companies, as well as Operations Director for the West of Scotland.

Liz left the organization in 2010 to spend time working on charity projects, including the building of a community centre in a village in South Africa. She has since assisted in similar projects in Nepal and Cambodia.

Before joining West College Scotland, she project-managed the merger of Anniesland, Cardonald and Langside Colleges to create Glasgow Clyde College.

Liz is a board member of Colleges Scotland and Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, and a Fellow of The Royal Society of Edinburgh.

John Leburn

A qualified Chartered Accountant, John has enjoyed a long and varied career with many blue-chip organisations. Well known for his “left-field” thinking, John has a strong track record of implementing best practice throughout all major areas of a business or organisation.

His experience spans many sectors such as Audit; FMCG; Infrastructure; Defence; Aerospace, Wines and Spirits and SME’s. He has managed Finance, IT, Business Analysis; Customer Service, Strategic Planning, Consumer Intelligence, Commercial Development, Supply Chain and Investor Relations functions – contributing new ways of thinking to many of them.

John is a Principal Consultant for Exponentiate.uk, providing a wide range of business support services (Strategy, Leadership, Change Management and Business Modelling) to a varied client base.

Ronald Leitch

Ronald, from Paisley, started his career at Glasgow Airport as a Modern Apprentice in partnership with Reid Kerr College back in October 2000.  He has held numerous senior roles at the airport and the wider AGS Airport group with a range of leadership responsibilities across our airside, rescue and fire,  security, terminal, engineering, and capital investment.

From 2015 to 2019, Ronald led the Capital and Engineering functions where he was  responsible for delivering capital investment programmes totalling £70 million, including the replacement of the airport’s baggage systems to meet Standard 3 compliance and also major refurbishment programmes in the terminal and airfield. Ronald also played a crucial role in bringing the iconic A380 aircraft into service at Glasgow in 2019, which was a first for Scottish aviation, using his experience in operations to lead design development and construction delivery.  

Now the leader of Glasgow Airport in the role of Operations Director, he has led the business over the last two years through its most difficult time and looks forward positively to better times ahead.  

With his wealth of knowledge and experience across two decades in aviation, Ronald has joined the Board with a desire to support and assist those in Education harness links with industry and be part of shaping the future of West College Scotland for its staff and students to ensure the best learning opportunities exist in the communities it serves.

Danny McMahon

Danny is an experienced Engineering Leader having joined Rolls-Royce straight from School and completing an apprenticeship, Danny went on to graduate with an honours degree from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2011. Working as a Business Metrologist within Rolls-Royce Danny completed a Master of Science degree with the University of Strathclyde in 2015.

Having worked in the aerospace sector for 11 years Danny then moved roles to take leadership of the Metrology team at the Advanced Forming Research Centre, Part of the University of Strathclyde, where he grew the teams activities and helped to establish a Digital Team. Danny then led both teams growing their activities and capabilities around Digital technology and Measurement into what is now a key part of the Digital Factory within the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

Danny is currently a Business Partner within the Digital and Technology Plan function of Diageo looking at global investment and strategy for manufacturing. This role involves engagement across all Diageo sites globally to identify key areas where investment should be made in technology solutions.

Having made lifelong learning a key part of his career Danny has particular interest in skills and culture development and the ever-increasing impact technology has in these areas.

Dr Jillian Couto-Phoenix

Jillian is Head of Skills and Talent for the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre.  Here she leads a range of career development programmes to encourage new generations into aquaculture and to develop those who are already working in the sector.

Jillian has had a varied career to date. She started out as an academic scientist in the medical/life-sciences, and then, following a discipline hop, pivoted to develop a research and teaching portfolio in environmental engineering and biotechnology.

 Wanting to enable newly discovered science and technology to make a more direct impact in society, Jillian moved from academia to managing research and innovation programmes that connected universities to manufacturing businesses.  She then joined the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, where she oversaw the delivery of two transition training fund programmes focused on upskilling and training to meet the industry’s digital transformation, net zero and sustainability skills requirements.

 Jillian is passionate about the transformational capability of life-long learning and has a particular interest in helping develop inclusive programmes to enable individuals to transition back into careers after a break and to help those wishing to transition across sectors.

Kyle Prele

Kyle is a former HNC Applied Science student and MA Science Technician here at West College Scotland. He tries to blend the realms of academia and activism together, making his mark not only in the world of knowledge but in the fight for a more inclusive and just society.

Kyle is someone who embodies passion, purpose, and a wholehearted commitment to positive change. A trailblazer in the area of LGBTQ+ activism, having earned a prestigious National Award and secured a Top 3 spot in the WorldSkillsUK EDI Awards in his tireless efforts in promoting equality, understanding, and acceptance here at West College Scotland.

Edmond Cselik

Over the past two years, Ed has proudly served as a Class Representative, fostering positive changes within our educational environment. Additionally, in the previous academic year, he held the role of Communications, Digital Media, and Marketing Volunteer Officer, where he gained valuable insights into effective communication strategies.

Ed is honoured to serve as the Student Vice President, representing the vibrant student body of West College Scotland. His journey within this academic community has been one of continuous dedication and involvement. His overarching objectives for the current academic year revolve around key pillars:

Accessibility: Ensuring that all students have equitable access to resources, services, and opportunities within our institution.

Student and Staff Engagement: Promoting active participation and collaboration between students and faculty, fostering a sense of belonging within our community.

Communication: Enhancing the flow of information and feedback channels to keep students informed and engaged in our college's activities and decisions.

Collaboration: Encouraging partnerships and cooperation among various stakeholders to enrich the college experience and drive positive change.

Sustainability: Advocating for sustainable practices and initiatives that contribute to a greener, more environmentally responsible college environment.

Ed is committed to working diligently on these priorities to elevate the educational experience at West College Scotland and strengthen partnerships within and beyond our institution.

Fiona McLaren

Fiona has been a member of the Support staff at Clydebank College and latterly West College Scotland since October 2006.

She has a BA (Hons) from Strathclyde University and has post graduate qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Chartered Management Institute.

Fiona also sits on the College Development Network (CDN) Communications Steering Group for Choose College, working closely with members from other colleges to develop a sector strategy and raise the profile of the college sector nationally.

Fiona is passionate about using her experience and connections to help support positive changes at the College.