Meet the Governors
Tim Saiet
Foundation Governor – Ex – officio
Revd Tim Saiet is Vicar of St John the Evangelist Church, Hildenborough. He has spent much of his life as a professional illusionist and creative communicator. He is married to Charlotte and has four children. He is a former Royal Marine Commando and has spent time coaching all types of skiing and outdoor winter pursuits.
Emma Challis
Foundation Governor – Nominated by the Parochial Church Council
Vice Chair of Governors
Emma was a primary school teacher for 25 years and now recently retired. She has worked in South East London and more locally at Woodlands Primary School in Tonbridge, where she was part of the SLT; had responsibility for PE; and an oversight of English. Emma was a Teacher Governor in London and has been a Foundation Governor at Hildenborough since February 2015. Emma attends St. John’s regularly and has served on the PCC and Deanery Synod. Currently, she has responsibility for the Trailblazers (age 7-11) Sunday School group. Emma was born in Hildenborough and has very fond memories of the school where she and her sister were pupils. She says she was a member of the very competitive and successful school netball team!
Andrew McNeil
Co-opted Governor Vice Chair
After working in the investment banking industry for a decade, Andrew has now decided to go back to university to further his studies. He was previously a school governor a Alward Academy (a  secondary school in Edmonton), where he chaired the Achievements and Standards Committee. Having moved to the area 3 years ago, Andrew now has two young daughters. He has also recently become a member of Hildenborough Parish Council. Andrew hopes that his working background, previous governing experience and local community links will help contribute in supporting the school in developing and educating the children.
Michael Calamito
Co-opted Governor
Michael has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years in a variety of business operations and business continuity roles. He joined Hargreaves Lansdown in March of 2021 as Head of Operational Resilience and retired in September 2023. Michael was also Head of Global Business Continuity Management at Fidelity International, where he oversaw business continuity activities across 27 countries for Fidelity International. Michael’s service with Fidelity’s domestic operations dates back to 1987. Michael also served in the US Army Reserves for 30 years, retiring in 2015 with the rank of Colonel. Michael had an accomplished career that included deployments to Iraq in 2006-2007 as an Iraqi logistical advisor and Afghanistan as the Commander of the Defense Logistics Agency in 2013. Michael holds a BS in Business Management and Industrial Relations from Seton Hall University and a Master Business Continuity Planner (MBCP) from the Disaster Recovery Institute. Michael is also a trained UK Domestic and International Responder for REACT Disaster Response Charity.
Jo Wallace
Co-opted Governor
Jo is an ex-parent of two children who attended Hildenborough School and has lived in the village since 2008. This is Jo’s first role as a school governor and enjoys supporting the teachers and children at Hildenborough School in making it the best it can be.
In her day job, Jo works for the Care Quality Commission ensuring that people get safe and high quality care services and she is passionate about supporting services to continuously improve.
Jo believes all children have the right to an exciting and fulfilling education and access to skilled and creative teachers. She is keen to ensure that Hildenborough is a safe and nurturing school that brings out the best in both its staff and students. Jo is the safeguarding Governor.
Ben Essenhigh
Parent Governor
Ben has a daughter at Hildenborough Primary, and one who recently left for secondary school.
He has worked in both the State and Independent Education Sector for over 15 years, and is currently part of the Senior Leadership Team at Sutton High School, as Director of Enrichment and Partnerships. This is Ben's first role as part of a governing body but he hopes to support the school to continue delivering the best possible educational experience to all pupils, and support the staff in their work, which makes this a reality.
John Cheeseman
Parent Governor and Chair of Governors
John was raised in a family of teachers, and education has always been at the heart of his personal and professional values. John firmly believes that every child deserves access to high-quality learning opportunities that not only equip them with knowledge but also empower them to thrive in an ever-changing world.
John is currently the Head of Strategy & COO for the Bank of England’s 200-strong Legal Directorate, with significant leadership and governance experience. John has previously served as school governor at Horton Kirby C of E Primary School, and is a Trustee of local charity Imago Community.
John lives in Hildenborough with his wife and two children. He loves the gym, racket sports, reading, live music, attending the theatre, swimming his children, and making time to catch up with his friends!