Governance

Governance at Engage International School

Engage International School is proud to be part of Dukes Education, a family of schools and educational organisations across the UK and Europe. Each school within Dukes Education maintains its own distinctive identity and ethos, while being united by a shared commitment to delivering outstanding teaching and learning.

Our Governance Structure

Governance at Engage International School ensures that the school is well-led, forward-thinking, and focused on the best outcomes for our students. The Governors work strategically with the Head and Senior Leadership Team to guide the long-term strategic goals, vision and priorities of the school. Their role includes supporting and challenging leadership, monitoring educational quality, reviewing progress, and ensuring that statutory duties are fulfilled.

The Governors act as a “critical friend”—a trusted partner who offers constructive challenge while supporting the school’s continued growth and success. Operational responsibilities remain firmly with the Head and Senior Leadership Team. The Governors’ focus is on strategy, oversight, safety, wellbeing, and long-term school improvement, reflecting the governance approach used across the Dukes Education family.

Our Governors

David Fitzgerald

CEO, Dukes Education Europe

David Fitzgerald

David Fitzgerald is an experienced school and system leader with over 30 years of experience in education and having previously worked for the Reserve Bank of Australia. He holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Undergraduate degrees in Education and Business. David joins Dukes from Education in Motion (EiM), the leading Asia based school group that includes the Dulwich and Green School brands. In his role with EiM, he was responsible for the educational outcomes and the quality of education provision for all EiM international curricula schools and is focused on improving education quality.

David has been a successful Head/Principal of five schools across government, private independent and international sectors. He has been involved in international education since 2006 and has worked in IB World Schools, US Curriculum schools, Indian Curriculum schools and NCfE schools. David has system leadership experience with the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong and with GEMS Education in the UAE where he was Senior Vice President – for US and IB Schools. David is an accredited IB, CIS and WASC team visitor and Chair, and an accredited Performance Coach.

Chris Eversden

Managing Director of Spain

Chris Eversden

Chris began his career in education as a teacher aged twenty-one and has had an extremely rich and varied career in education across the UK, USA, Mexico and Spain. Chris joins Dukes Education from Cognita Spain where he was Assistant Director of Education for Spain and Italy. In his role as Managing Director for Dukes Education in Spain, Chris combines service leadership with his knowledge of pedagogy, holistic education and private schooling to deliver the highest quality experiences for students and staff that will drive growth and success for all.

Liza Humphrey

Sales and Marketing Director, Europe

Liza Humphrey

Liza Humphrey has joined Dukes Education Europe as European Director of Admissions & Marketing. In this role, Liza will collaborate closely with country and school teams to design an exceptional parent experience journey while driving both organic growth and start-up expansion. Her mission includes ensuring operational excellence and delivering world-class service across marketing and admissions functions.

A graduate of the University of Leicester with a BA (Hons) in European Business & Spanish, Liza began her career teaching English before transitioning into marketing and admissions, where her passion for connecting families with educational opportunities flourished.

Throughout her career, Liza has held pivotal roles in global education markets. As Global Enrolment Management Director at Laureate International Universities from 2005 to 2013, she led enrolment strategies that drove growth and operational success. In 2014, she joined Nord Anglia Education as Regional Director of Admissions & Marketing for China, managing enrolments, launching a bilingual school brand, and spearheading market expansion efforts. From 2019 to 2024, Liza served as Chief Marketing & Admissions Officer at Globeducate, leading group-wide strategies and working closely with operational leaders and country CEOs to foster growth and operational excellence. Her extensive international travel facilitated collaboration with school leadership teams, fostering best practices and operational efficiency.

Having lived and worked in the UK, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, and China, Liza brings a global outlook and strategic insight to her leadership. Her passion for innovation and customer-centric approaches consistently drives impactful results in the education sector.

Christopher Durbin

External Governor

Christopher Durbin

Christopher Durbin brings nearly a decade of experience in international school accreditation through his work with the Council of International Schools (CIS), most recently serving as Associate Director of School Support & Evaluation. In this role, he has partnered with schools across the world to drive continuous improvement and strengthen educational quality.

Before joining CIS, Christopher was a School Development Adviser for the English Schools Foundation (ESF) in Hong Kong, where he oversaw quality assurance, strategic curriculum development, and professional learning. He also served on several ESF governing bodies and contributed to the recruitment and support of school leaders.

Christopher’s earlier career in the UK included positions as a teacher, head of faculty, and advisory teacher for Derbyshire LEA. He later joined the BBC as an Education Officer, leading the development of the GCSE Bitesize online learning platform. He went on to work as an advisor and inspector for Staffordshire LEA, contributing to inspection frameworks, curriculum innovation, and national teacher-networking initiatives.

A published writer and experienced presenter, Christopher has authored articles and textbooks and delivered keynotes and workshops at national and international conferences, particularly in the field of global citizenship education.

Beyond his professional life, Christopher is a lifelong environmentalist and avid cyclist. A cancer survivor, he regularly takes part in long-distance charity rides, raising funds for myeloma and heart-research initiatives. He is most at home in the wilderness or completing a challenging 100-kilometre cycling route.

Scroll to Top