ICS Learn Welcomes Four New Female Leaders to Drive Excellence in Online Learning Programmes

ICS Learn is thrilled to welcome four exceptional female leaders to our Education & Skills Department: Lisa Stevens, Melanie Gostick, Dr. Nicola Bowman, and Danielle Smith.

Bringing a wealth of professional expertise and a shared passion for transforming the learning journey, they join us to enhance the learning experience for all students, with a particular focus on our online CIPD and accoutancy and finance programmes.

Their arrival reflects our ongoing commitment to meeting high academic standards, strengthening support across every stage of study, and empowering our students to complete their qualifications with confidence to succeed in their careers.

Meet the Women Shaping the Future of ICS Learn

Lisa Stevens – Head of CIPD, Education & Skills Department

Lisa joins ICS Learn as a qualified CIPD member and Leadership & Management graduate, bringing over 25 years of operational experience in designing strategies that drive organisational performance and lasting success.

Throughout her career, Lisa has been guided by her passion for a people-first approach to business; championing inclusive, accessible learning that keeps students at the heart of every decision.

Building on her success as Learning Delivery Director at Avado, Lisa’s priority at ICS Learn will be to lead our journey toward achieving CIPD Platinum status, one of the most prestigious accolades in the HR industry. This initiative reflects her dedication to excellence, ensuring that current CIPD students and aspiring HR professionals have clear, confidence-building pathways to develop their skills with the support from expert guidance.

Equally passionate about lifelong learning, Lisa is dedicated to creating opportunities that also empower experienced professionals to take significant, transformative steps toward their career goals.

Reflecting on this, Lisa says, “By creating a supportive, high-quality learning environment, we can strengthen the HR profession as a whole and ensure our people have the capability and confidence to drive meaningful organisational success.”

Melanie Gostick – CIPD Student Experience & Insights Manager

Results-driven and student-focused, Melanie joins ICS Learn with two decades of extensive operational expertise in change management, quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, and strategic leadership.

A qualified teacher with an unconventional background spanning the prison service and police, and the past five years in management roles at Avado, Melanie brings a unique understanding of people development, safeguarding, and behavioural needs. Her knowledge is underpinned by a strong belief in the transformative power of education and its ability to motivate individuals from all walks of life.

With a proven ability to manage high-quality services, Melanie excels in problem-solving and tailoring support to meet students’ individual needs. Her focus within the business will be to enhance the student experience, working to create an environment where learners feel more informed, supported, and confident throughout their online studies.

A key component of this will be embedding a “You Said, We Did” approach, in which her team will actively gather student feedback and translate it into continuous improvements through updated processes, procedures, and additional support.

Commenting on her new role, Melanie says, “By strengthening our internal systems and continuously responding to learner feedback, I hope to deliver a more seamless, engaging, and consistent student experience. Ultimately, I want our students to feel motivated to continue their development, achieve their qualifications, and progress in their careers, while contributing to ICS Learn’s reputation as a trusted, student-centred organisation.”

Dr. Nicola Bowman – Head of CIPD Programmes

A long-standing Chartered Fellow of both CIPD and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Nicola joins ICS Learn with an abundance of industry expertise and leadership experience.

Alongside her academic achievements, including an MA in Human Resource Management, a Master of Laws in Employment Law, and a Doctorate in Business Leadership, she has experience as an HR Business Partner across a wide range of private and public sector organisations.

While Nicola takes great pride in supporting and developing her teams within their roles and the wider organisation, her true passion lies in working with students to help design and deliver highly interactive programmes.

Speaking about her new role, Nicola says, "Creating transformative learning experiences that enable students to thrive in their careers is a real privilege. I’m excited to be working with some exceptional people as we work toward achieving CIPD Platinum status". 

Over the past 20 years, she has taught and led CIPD programmes across a range of organisations, shaping every aspect of the learning journey, from delivery and curriculum design to quality assurance, assessment, and programme management. Her work has helped thousands of learners feel confident, supported, and fully prepared to advance in their HR careers.

Nicola also finds a strong sense of purpose through her voluntary work, most recently helping a charity organisation strengthen its HR policies and procedures, only further reflecting her enthusiasm for using her expertise to support others and create positive change.

Danielle Smith – Head of Accountancy & Finance, Education & Skills Department

A proud Fellow Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and holder of a BA (Hons) Degree in Business Management with Accounting, Danielle joins the business ready to lead the strategic direction of ICS Learn’s accountancy and finance portfolio across the UK and the Middle East.

With more than a decade of experience in teaching, curriculum leadership, and partnership management, she brings a rare combination of commercial acumen and enthusiasm for empowering learners to succeed. Her goal is to help every learner feel capable and ready to progress in a profession that continues to evolve.

Before joining ICS Learn, Danielle’s journey into the profession began with an AAT qualification. This avenue ultimately led her to become a Partner Account Manager at AAT and helped shape her belief that education should create real opportunity for everyone.

Danielle believes that by supporting learners to build both technical knowledge and the power skills employers value, ICS Learn can help prepare them for careers that feel fulfilling and sustainable.

Speaking about her wish for our students moving forward, she added, “My hope is that students experience more than a qualification when they study with us. I want them to feel supported, encouraged and confident as they progress, with a strong sense of identity and belonging that carries into their careers.”

A Major Step Forward for Online Learning 

For ICS Learn, these exciting developments not only reinforce our dedication to the incredible students we support today but also those we’ve yet to meet. Director of Education and Skills at ICS Learn, Gerwyn House, echoed this in saying:

“We’re incredibly proud to welcome these leaders to ICS Learn. Their commitment to our students reflects exactly who we are and where we’re heading as a trusted, forward-thinking provider; one that prioritises clarity, connection and opportunity to guide every learner experience.”

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