Lisa Vernon

Lisa has 30 years of experience in delivering and managing learning programmes. A former archaeologist and anthropologist she specialises in cultural education policy as well as third sector learning provision. As an experienced literacy and numeracy tutor she has an understanding of practical application of policy.

Lisa has worked in 13 different countries as a project manager and advisor. Recent roles include; Senior Programme Manager (Education) at the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea, Special Advisor to the Finnish Ambassador to Romania and Partnerships director for the Finnish Vastra Nylands Folkhogskola. She set up the charity Wanpela Skulim Wanpela to encourage grass roots literacy provision in Papua New Guinea. She was on the UK Government panel for functional skills development, consultant on active citizenship education for the Grundtvig programme and founder member of the EU Intergenerational Learning Network.

Lisa previously worked for the Campaign for Learning as the Head of Policy and Research, developed the Third Sector National Learning Alliance and led the Derbyshire Learning and Development Consortium. She specialises in further education and skills policy, prison education and literacy programs for marginalised learners. .

Her current areas of research include: the impact of Brexit on marginalised learners, global skills gaps, cultural barriers to literacy acquisition and the UK FE funding crisis. She is skilled in leading focus groups and public consultations and delivers a two day training course for the European Commission on leading public consultation.

In 2014 Lisa was awarded the MBE for services to Learning and Skills in the UK.