New principal and chief executive for Preston's College

Louise Doswell will join the College, based in St Vincent's Road, Fulwood, on June 1 following the retirement of Dr Lis Smith, who has successfully led it for the last 10 years.

Louise has worked in further education since 1999 and has held a range of senior appointments, most recently as deputy chief executive and principal at York College, where she served for 13 years.

She has worked across curriculum and professional services functions and has expertise in strategic planning, infrastructure development and working with employers. As part of the Government’s policy to invest in higher technical education, Louise led the development of the Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology, working with partners across the region and securing substantial capital investment.

Partnerships have been a strong theme of Louise’s leadership and she has worked with the Department for Education, local government bodies, employer and local community groups. In addition, she has actively contributed to the development of national policy through both the Association of Colleges and active membership of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

With over 20 years’ experience in the sector, Louise is relentlessly focussed on the role and value of further education and the power it has to transform lives and communities.

Louise is married with three children and five grandchildren. In her spare time, she can be found enjoying outdoor pursuits and creative arts.

John Boydell, chairman of Preston’s College says: “We are delighted to welcome Louise to Preston’s College to lead our committed and talented team in building on the great work of retiring principal, Lis Smith.

"The College is there to serve its learners and its community with the care, competence, passion and ambition that all our staff display.

"It was important for us to take time on a thorough search to find a person who shared those same qualities, and we believe we’ve found that in Louise, in whom we have great confidence to steer our course towards becoming an even better college for our learners.”

Louise said: ‘’I am very privileged to be taking up the post of principal and chief executive at Preston’s College.

"Under Lis Smith’s leadership, the college has made great progress towards its ambition to become outstanding.

"I am looking forward to joining the leadership team and working with them and the Board of Governors, staff and students, to continue the journey to outstanding. I am keen to hear from the college, young people and the wider community how I can take a key role in making this happen.”

It is thanks to our loyal readers that we can continue to provide the trusted news, analysis and insight that matters to you. For unlimited access to our unrivalled local reporting, you can take out a subscription here and help support the work of our dedicated team of reporters.

Support us and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe