Executive Board
Our Executive Board is our own leadership team, which governs and guides our activities and focus. This includes our Chair and Vice Chairs, our Co-ordinator and other invited or co-opted parties as appropriate. We meet monthly to review our latest findings and draw together our collective knowledge of the system at present, helping to determine future courses of action for the association on behalf of Norfolk school leaders.
Please click below on a person’s name to find out more information.
Jess Balado
Chair Person, Headteacher Thurlton Primary School
Jess Balado
Jess is our current Chair person, appointed November 2023 and in post until November 2025.
A serving primary head teacher with 16 years of headship under her belt, she has previously worked in Essex, Hertfordshire and now in Norfolk; Jess has led maintained schools, church schools and is currently head of a school in an academy trust.
As Chair of NSLA Jess, is determined to communicate with the LA, DfE and the wider system to represent the issues and concerns facing school leaders in Norfolk and more widely, whilst also celebrating the successes and positive impact of educationalists in our county.
- Email:head@thurlton.org
Sarah Shirras
Vice Chair, External Liaison, Executive Headteacher, The Hive Federation
Alex Griffiths
Vice Chair, Primary Headteacher Costessey Primary School
Emily McMillan
Vice Chair, Leadership Support, Headteacher, Heartwood Primary School
Emily McMillan
Emily is a current, serving headteacher. She leads our peer support sessions and is an integral part of our new school leaders’ induction programme.
- Email:kirsty@norfolksla.co.uk
Jim Adams
Vice Chair, Secondary, CEO Clarion Corvus Trust
Jim Adams
Jim is currently Vice Chair (Secondary) and has worked with EN and now NSLA since it's inception in a number of roles. He is currently CEO of a small Trust based in Norfolk and North Suffolk. The schools within the Trust include SRBs, Nursery, Infant, Junior and Secondary settings. Prior to that he has led a Sixth Form Centre, an all-through school and an 11-16 secondary school.
- Email:jadams@cc-trust.co.uk
Kirsty Savage
Co-ordinator, Norfolk School Leaders' Association
Kirsty Savage
Kirsty joined the association back in 2017 as our Administrator. Her first project was to work with the Chairs of the Primary and Secondary Associations to amalgamate them. Kirsty keeps the association running day to day. She is the first and main point of contact for many and supports the Executive Board to deliver on Norfolk school leaders’ priorities.
- Email:kirsty@norfolksla.co.uk
Katrina Warren
Director of Specialist Provision, Unity Education Trust.
Katrina Warren
I started as a primary school teacher in a mainstream city school in Derby over 30 years ago. I've worked mainly in primary schools and special schools / provisions with a focus on SEMH in a variety of leadership roles. I am currently the Director of Specialist Provision for UET and support Headteachers to look after and provide education for the PEX , CME and Medical Needs pupils across the county.