Collingwood College Advisory Board

Our college advisory board supports our community providing insight, knowledge and guidance:

Gabe Allason

Gabe graduated from Durham in 2021 with a degree in History. Throughout his time at Collingwood, he volunteered with the College Welfare team, delivering wellbeing support to students and becoming Senior Welfare Officer in 2020-2021. Upon completion of his degree, Gabe was elected to the role of Junior Common Room President. He was responsible for leading Collingwood out of the COVID-19 pandemic, restoring student engagement post-lockdown. He has retained his membership of the College Advisory Board since concluding his term as President. 

Gabe now works as Private Secretary to the Housing Minister. He brings governance experience to the Advisory Board as well as continued advocacy for wellbeing support and widening student participation.

 

Charlotte Basing

Charlotte graduated from Collingwood in 2023 with a degree in Behavioural Science. During her time at the college, she was actively involved in student life, participating in dance, cheerleading, frepping, and working at the college shop. She also held several leadership roles, including Events Manager and an unprecedented two-year term as JCR President, during which she served on the Advisory Board. 

Charlotte now works as a Safeguarding and Pastoral Coordinator, crediting Collingwood for laying the groundwork for her career. Having contributed to both local and institutional change during her university years, she looks forward to continuing her engagement with the College and fellow board members, offering thoughtful insights with a strong focus on enhancing the student experience.

 

Thom Brooks (chair)

Thom is Principal of Collingwood College and Professor of Law, Ethics and Government at Durham Law School where he was its longest serving Dean. He has held visiting positions at Columbia, Harvard, Penn and Yale. His work on British citizenship and immigration has been debated in Parliament and has over 2,000 media appearances since joining Durham in 2012. His books include Becoming British (2016), Punishment (2nd edition 2021) and Reforming the UK's Citizenship Test (2021).

 

 

 

 

Kasia Czyrko

Kasia is the President of the JCR this year, having just graduated from Durham with a degree in Ancient History. In this position she is responsible for overseeing all areas of the JCR, ranging from welcoming the new cohort of Freshers, overseeing all sports, societies, and committees, fundraising and events, including JCR formals, as well as the day-to-day running of the JCR. Kasia also represents the interests of the JCR by working with other JCR Presidents and university committees to advance the wider student experience of Collingwood students.

 

 

 

 

 

Kate Davies

After graduating from Durham with a degree in German, Kate started her career in local government, following which she moved to the Building Societies Association/Council of Mortgage Lenders where she worked on a wide range of policy matters at both UK and European level.  She then worked freelance for a number of trade associations, and served for 6 years as a non-executive Director at Darlington Building Society, before being appointed Executive Director of IMLA (Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association in January 2018.  

Away from work her interests include music/opera/ballet (her Assembly Rooms debut was as a DULOG fairy many decades ago), skiing and travel.

 

 

Graham Courtney

Graham is a football commentator for talkSPORT radio and director of the Independent Football Ombudsman (IFO) service working closely with the FA, Premier League, and Football League. He’s also a motoring journalist road testing cars on a weekly basis for various national outlets. 

After graduating from Hild-Bede College in 1980 he joined Metro Radio in Newcastle…the commercial station for the North East…before becoming News & Sport Editor for TFM Radio in Teesside. In 1996 he joined Newcastle Utd FC as the club’s Press Officer working with Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit and Sir Bobby Robson. In 2001 he joined the Independent Football Commission (which became the IFO) as Chief Executive before eventually returning to work as a commentator and North East correspondent for talkSPORT. He also ran the media section of the 2012 Olympic Games football tournament at St. James’ Park and the 2014 Commonwealth Games shooting event in Glasgow. 

Graham lives in Durham with his wife…they met at Hild-Bede in 1979!

 

Ishtiaq Hussein OBE

Ishtiaq Hussain OBE is a Senior UK Government Leader and Board Member, recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours 2023 for public service, including his leadership on counter-extremism and social cohesion. He has over 15 years’ senior leadership experience across the Department for Education, Ministry of Justice, Home Office, and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, where he has shaped national policy, delivered major programmes, and strengthened safeguarding frameworks. His expertise includes national security, governance, strategic policy, counter-extremism, safeguarding, youth violence, race and equality, and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). As a member of the Ofsted Advisory Board, he advised on national frameworks to protect children and young people. 

Beyond government, Ishtiaq is a Trustee of the education charity Since 9/11. From September 2025, he joins the Governing Board of Collingwood College, Durham University, where he looks forward to contributing to governance, community engagement, and student support.

 

John Maltby MBE

John has a portfolio of non-executive roles in the UK and Scandinavia.  He is Chair at West Brom Building Society, at Allica Bank and is Chair of Audit at Nordea Bank.  He is also Chair of Max Nicholas Renewables a UK based developer of turbines for use in the generation of Tidal Energy. 

His previous NED appointments include Chair of Good Energy, Chair of BlueStep Bank AS and Chair of Risk Committee for Simply Health, Bank of Ireland UK and Tandem Bank. 

As an executive John was CEO of Williams & Glyn and ran the Commercial Bank of Lloyds Banking Group with responsibility for all banking services to UK SME’s. His early career was as a Management Consultant for Andersen Consulting and Price Waterhouse.  John is a Collingwood Alumni and graduated in Engineering Science in 1983. 

John was awarded an MBE in 2022 for work in supporting young people. 

 

Emma Whithorn

Emma is College Operations Manager at Collingwood College and has worked at Durham University since 2014 gaining extensive experience in a range of Facilities Management roles within mixed and postgraduate colleges.  

Prior to working at Durham University Emma worked at Citizens Advice Bureau as a Generalist Advisor and Debt Caseworker providing advice and support to clients on a range of topics such as benefits, housing, debt, immigration, family/relationships, and consumer problems. 

As Operations Manager she delivers the college’s operational strategy and ensures that the college facilities run smoothly, that Service Level Agreements are maintained and that the Operations team are focused on providing a quality student experience.  Emma also provides operational, Health and Safety and event management advice, contributes to the delivery and development of services within college and provides the student body with guidance, knowledge, and skills. 

As a member of the Collingwood College Advisory Board Emma uses her expertise to help raise the college profile whilst supporting the college Principal in relation to the mission, values, character, and reputation of Collingwood College.