Professor Jeanne Keay (Copy)

Chair of the Board

Jeanne has worked in various phases of education throughout her professional life, initially focusing on physical education but eventually moving into a broader remit in senior management. She began her career as a teacher of physical education in secondary schools in Cannock, Gloucester and Rotherham before moving into higher education in 1992 to work in teacher education at Leeds Beckett University (or as it was then, Leeds Metropolitan University) and to subsequently lead the physical education team.

In 2002 she became Head of Initial Teacher Education, and then Dean of Education, at the University of Roehampton and during this time was a member of the PEA and afPE Boards and involved in the London afPE group. In 2012 she became Assistant Director and Head of International Strategy at the UK Higher Education Academy (HEA) and led the internationalisation agenda for the organisation. In 2013 she joined the University of the West of Scotland as Pro Vice Chancellor (International) before moving back to Yorkshire in 2016 to work as Pro Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement) at Leeds Beckett University. She retired in 2022 and is now Emeritus Professor for Physical Education with the Carnegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University.

Although working in broader education roles she has always remained involved in physical education through research and various influence groups e.g. the European Primary Physical Education Network group. Her research has been located within the area of teacher professional development focusing on induction, quality assurance processes of CPD providers, CPD innovations and communities of practice.