Board of Governors
The Board of Governors is responsible for supporting senior leaders, constructively challenging processes and contributing to the development of strategy, as well as overseeing the School’s finances. They work collaboratively with the Head, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise from a variety of sectors including the professions, finance, business, education, marketing and agriculture.
The Governors are deeply committed to the success of the School.
Philip Petersen
Philip brings with him a wealth of experience in commercial leadership and business development from the tech industry. Educated at Cranfield School of Management and Durham University, he provides consultancy and executive help to businesses, particularly in strategy, business development and sales. Prior to this, Philip founded a software start-up and took it to exit, having worked for a range of corporates in operating roles covering the UK, EMEA and the US.
Philip joined the Board of Governors in 2018 and was appointed Chair of Governors in 2025. Prior to this, he served as deputy Chair of Governors, Chair of the Commercial Enterprise Committee, and a member of the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee.
Shauna McNeil
Shauna works in Corporate Development and Strategy having previously held operational leadership and management consultancy roles across the energy, industrial products and biotechnology sectors in the UK, US and Norway. She graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA in General Management and the University of Minnesota with a BEng. She is also a current St Leonards Junior School parent.
Shauna joined the Board of Governors in 2023; she was appointed Deputy Chair of Governors in 2025.
John Lalis
John began his finance career as an options clerk at the Chicago Board of Trade during university. After graduation, he specialised in banking and financial consulting, co-founding Price Waterhouse’s Beijing consulting practice. A notable achievement was his two-year role with the People’s Bank of China, enhancing the supervision of China’s financial sector. Back in the US, John spent ten years as an investment banker in mergers and acquisitions.Transitioning to education, he taught at the Western International School of Shanghai and Munich International School, covering DP Economics, Business Management, Theory of Knowledge, and MYP History and Humanities.
John holds a BA in Economics from Northwestern University, an MBA from The University of Chicago, and an MA in Teaching from The University of Southern California.
John joined the Board of Governors in 2024.
Fenella Taylor
Fenella has worked in PR for many years, across different sectors, both in-house and consultancy and in both the UK and Uganda. For the past few decades, she has run her own PR consultancy based near Glasgow and now principally handles consumer PR for companies across the food and drinks sector, interiors, gifts, and homeware. She is also a freelance PR consultant for Flourish Marketing, a leading Scottish marketing consultancy. In addition, she undertakes considerable charitable work, such as a Committee Member of the Women of Scotland Lunch and local charities.
As a former pupil of St Leonards, and a mother of four boys, Fenella takes a keen interest in Scottish education.
Fenella joined the Board of Governors in 2018.
Sara Robertson
Sara is a second-generation St Leonards Senior and graduated from Kings College London. She followed this with a Postgraduate Degree (M.Litt) in Management, Economics & Politics at the University of St Andrews. Sara then went to work at Standard Life in Management before becoming the Marketing Manager of Standard Life Bank. Since then, she has moved with her family overseas living in Kuala Lumpur, Philadelphia, and finally London giving her a broad understanding of various different education systems. Sara has 3 children, two of whom recently studied the IB at St Leonards; all now having completed university at UCL, Bristol & Durham.
Outside family life, Sara is a keen golfer, coaching primary school children at SALJGA, enjoys bridge and is an active member at the St Rule Club, St Andrews.
Sara joined the Board of Governors in 2023.
Andrew Peddie
Andy Peddie runs the farm at Cornceres Farm in Anstruther with his wife Gwen and son Craig, as well as the Silverdyke Park, in partnership with their daughter Kirsty. Silverdyke is a holiday park on the outskirts of Anstruther and was started as a farm diversification 12 years ago. It is now a thriving standalone business with 130 static holiday homes and space for 31 tourers. In 2014, they erected a 400kw wind turbine in a community partnership with community groups from the nearby villages of Anstruther and Crail.
Andy has been involved in many ‘Agri’ boards including the National Farmers Union of Scotland and is currently on the board of SRUC, Scotland Rural College which has around 5000 students on various campuses across Scotland.
Jenny Brown
Jenny has spent over 20 years working within the golf and wider sports industry, with the majority of her experience being in business and brand development and more recently in strategic planning. She joined The R&A 7 years ago, initially to head up The Open’s retail and licensing business. Three years ago, she started a new role at The R&A to lead a project to transform a local council course in Glasgow into a new “Blueprint for Golf”, focused on bringing the game back to the heart of community life in an appealing, affordable and inclusive way. The focus for this project has been around implementing education pathways to inspire the local community to get involved in golf, which Jenny is very passionate about. Jenny is also part of the Executive Leadership team at The R&A and is now responsible for business diversification.
Jenny is a keen golfer, loves yoga and life in St Andrews with her husband and young daughter.
Jenny joined the Board of Governors in August 2023.
Andy Goor
Andy Goor is the Chief Financial Officer at the University of St Andrews where he is responsible for leading and developing both short-term financial plans and a long-term financial strategy, supporting the over-arching University strategy, along with ensuring financial control and long-term financial sustainability is maintained.
He sits on a number of Committees and Boards within the University and sits as a Director on some subsidiary businesses. He also sponsors several capital and change projects.
In his current role, Andy is directly responsible for over 50 staff covering Financial Accounts, Operations, Accounts Payable, Cash and Treasury and Financial Advice and Support (incorporating the Management Accounts and Research Finance Office functions).
Andy joined the Board of Governors in 2023.
Douglas Pickles
Douglas was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh before completing a BA in History at the University of Bristol. Douglas has pursued a successful career in Management Consulting working with clients in various industries and in multiple geographies on a range of business challenges. After 15 years living internationally, Douglas now works for PwC in Edinburgh with a focus on energy transition. He has recently been certified by the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Douglas has three children at St Leonards.
Douglas joined the Board of Governors in 2023.
Annie Long
Annie graduated with a degree in Fine Art and English literature from Stirling University and began her career at Phillips the Auctioneers as a trainee valuer. Annie then moved to The National Trust for Scotland where she worked for nearly 30 years with responsibility for the business management of 72 holiday cottages and a programme of educational holidays; all of these returned a profit to the charity for the purpose of the conservation of historic buildings and important landscapes. These activities had a large cross-over with the fundraising aims of the charity and relationship building.
Following a family move to St Andrews, Annie is now responsible for raising the funds necessary to operate the Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre at Ninewells hospital in Dundee and has been instrumental in making the centre financially self-sustaining.
Annie lives in St Andrews with her husband Phil and their two sons who attended St Leonards from 2011 to 2021. Annie is a Trustee of the New Park Education Trust and is a keen gardener in her spare time.
Annie joined the Board of Governors in 2025.
