Members

Canon Jonathan Veasey

Fr Jonathan Veasey is a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham and serves as Parish Priest of Sacred Heart and Holy Souls in Acocks Green, Birmingham.

Fr Jonathan has served as Director of the Diocesan Education Service leading the strategic development of Catholic education for the schools of the Archdiocese

Eric Kirwan

Eric is the Chief Operating Officer for Birmingham Diocesan Education Service.

Christopher Loughran

Chris has recently completed a 30-year career with Deloitte, the international professional services firm. Joining the embryonic management consulting division of Deloitte (then Touche Ross and Co,) in Birmingham in 1987, he has worked both nationally and internationally with the firm. He was admitted to partnership in 1993, led the Technology Consulting practice from 2002-2010 and returned to Birmingham in 2010 to assume the role of Senior Partner for the Midlands Region from 2010-2015. He served as an elected member of the Board of Partners from 2010-2016.

He has served on the Board of Marketing Birmingham from 2011 to 2017 and its successor, the West Midlands Growth Company from 2017 to 2020. He was Deputy Chairman of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership from 2015 to 2020 and Chairman of Midlands Connect Steering Group from 2017 to 2020. Chris served as High Sheriff of the West Midlands in 2018/19 and was made a Deputy Lieutenant in 2019.

Having retired from Deloitte in 2018, Chris now serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the CBSO Development Trust and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham's Charity. He is President of Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club (where he was previously Chairman for ten years) and Honorary President of Birmingham's oldest musical theatre company, BMOS.

Kari Gordon

Kari is an education specialist and author with her own educational consultancy company. She has a Master’s Degree in Education. She was Head of Heritage Education for Warwickshire County Council and lectured in Education at Warwick University. 

Her consultancy work has included projects for local and national arts and heritage institutions. 

She has extensive governance experience in  both primary and secondary sector in Catholic schools. Until 2023 she was Catholic Mission Director of Our Lady of the Magnificat MAC. She is currently a member of the Archdiocesan Education sub-committee. 

Kari is dyslexic herself and passionate about inclusion, raising the aspirations and achievements of children and young people and sharing the joy of her faith. She has four children one of whom is severely disabled. She is an active member of the SVP and worships at St Francis Parish in Kenilworth.

Steve Bell

Steve is joined the Diocesan Education Service (DES) in November 2023 on an initial two-year part time secondment as Director Of Education. Previously the CEO of Painsley Catholic Academy, Steve's role is to promote, communicate and implement the Archbishop’s vision for Catholic education in the Archdiocese.

You can find details of all Members' pecuniary interests here