ATL

Mary Bousted, general secretary

Dr Mary Bousted is general secretary of ATL. Mary represents the interests of her members to the government, and to a wide variety of other stakeholders. As the education union, ATL leads the debate on key educational issues with strong policy positions on, for example, assessment and curriculum changes; school accountability and school structures.

Mary contributes regular articles for newspapers and education journals, and appears frequently on national media. She sits on the executive committee of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Mary is also an accomplished public speaker, taking part, last year, in a debate at the Oxford Union.

Mary previously worked in higher education at York University, Edge Hill University and at Kingston University where she was Head of the School of Education. Prior to this Mary was a Head of English, and English teacher in comprehensive schools in North London.

Martin Johnson, deputy general secretary

Martin Johnson is ATL's deputy general secretary. Particular areas of expertise include the future of the teaching profession, funding, admissions, schooling in London, school-business links, personalisation, and staffing schools in challenging circumstances.

Before joining ATL in 2005, he worked at the Institute for Public Policy Research and was president of NASUWT from 2000 to 2001. Martin was a secondary teacher for over 30 years in Merseyside, Yorkshire and London, specialising in social studies.

Peter Pendle, deputy general secretary

Peter Pendle has been chief executive and general secretary of the Association of College Managers (ACM) since 2001, and seconded as deputy general secretary of ATL since October 2009. Before joining ACM, Peter was director of resources for the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principles (now Universities UK), and vice principal of Greenhill College in Harrow.

Peter has been a governor of Newham College of Further Education since 1982 and is chair of its audit committee. He is also a mentor for the Black Leadership Initiative Mentoring Scheme and a recipient of the Network of Black Managers' Award for leadership in race equality in FE.

Mark Langhammer, director of ATL Northern Ireland

Mark Langhammer is director of ATL Northern Ireland. He is responsible for the staff team, strategic direction, education policy, negotiations, recruitment and organisation. Mark was previously employed as director of the University for Industry's learndirect initiative in Northern Ireland, as CEO of the North Belfast (urban regeneration) Partnership and director of the Dunanney Centre.

Philip Dixon, director of ATL Cymru

Dr Philip Dixon is director of ATL Cymru. He is responsible for the work of the union in Wales. He directs policy in Wales and supervises caseworkers and organisers in the field.

Previously he was director of CAFOD Wales, an international aid agency, and before that special advisor to the then Leader of the Opposition at the National Assembly, Ieuan Wyn Jones (currently Deputy First Minister).

Keith Robson, national official for Scotland

Keith Robson became ATL's first national official for Scotland in August 2007. Previously, he worked as director of the National Union of Students Scotland. Keith has worked in education, health and housing. He has also served as a school governor in London and on the Scottish Higher Education Funding council.

Keith's main responsibilities include building organisational capacity, providing support to members, representing ATL with key stakeholders, and developing a distinctive ATL response to educational policy developments in Scotland.

Martin Freedman, head of pay, conditions and pensions department

Martin Freedman is head of ATL's pay, conditions and pensions department. He represents ATL on the Rewards and Incentives Group, the social partnership between employers, teacher unions and government on teachers' pay and conditions.

Martin sits on the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group, which looks at the deployment of teachers and support staff in schools, and leads negotiations for ATL in further education. He has worked in education and employment for more than 30 years.

Martin Pilkington, head of legal and member services

Martin Pilkington is head of legal and member services at ATL. He manages the provision of support for members who face professional difficulties, which is provided through the legal and member services department at the London office, the network of regional officials working in England, the national casework officials and the senior regional officials.

He qualified as a solicitor in 1988, practising law at Simmons & Simmons, a City law firm, before joining AMMA (ATL as was) in 1990.

Nansi Ellis, head of education policy and research

Nansi Ellis is ATL's head of education policy and research. She is responsible for the development and implementation of ATL's education policy.

Nansi joined ATL as a primary education advisor, having previously managed the early years team at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Before that, Nansi worked as a primary teacher, first in west Wales and then in London.