Dame Sally Dicketts CBE

Sally has over four decades of experience as a senior leader in further education. Sally brings a depth of commitment to helping people learn how leaders best adjust to significant career transitions, changing systems from within and developing more innovative practice.

She has chaired and been a member of local, regional, and national boards in both public and commercial sectors, mentors and coaches senior leaders, provides development in design thinking, and works with a range of organisations on culture change. Sally is non-executive director of two PLCs, Council Member of University of Bradford, Board Member of the University of London, and chairs the national charity Brook.

Sally is a keen advocate for education and became the President of the Association of Colleges in 2020 having previously chaired the Women’s Leadership Network. In 2013 Sally was awarded a CBE for her contribution to the further education sector, and in 2023 was made a Dame.

Most recently, she was CEO of Activate Learning, and, alongside her team, transformed a struggling medium-sized institution into a high-quality group of seven innovative colleges across three counties, three training providers, six schools and an international study programme with a combined turnover of £150 million pounds.

Sally enjoys travel, cycling, Zumba and spending time with her partner and daughter.