WHO WE ARE

Sarah Edmonds
DNA Awarding Board Member

Sarah has been involved in the regulated awarding industry at a senior and strategic level for almost 20 years. She has spent time as a Head of organisation, Executive Director of Quality and Standards, Responsible Officer roles, non-executive Director of the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) and chair of independent regulatory governing and advisory boards within the sport and fitness sector.

Through her thorough understanding of regulatory governance, risk management and maintenance of standards through effective quality assurance strategies, Sarah has a proven track record of improving performance and ensuring compliancy in awarding organisations.

Laura Topliss
Director of DNA Awarding

Laura has end point assessment running through her DNA having been immersed in the sector since early 2018. Previously working for a large awarding organisation, Laura upscaled the EPA provision to over 60 standards, assessing thousands of learners each year and achieving the highest levels of compliance with the regulators. Prior to that Laura headed up apprenticeship delivery for an FE College and worked with sub-contractors to improve quality and compliance, leading an Ofsted inspection where the Apprenticeship provision was graded Good. Laura is also a fully qualified Careers Guidance Professional having spent many years supporting schools, colleges and training providers, develop and improve their CEIAG provision.

Having been an apprentice herself, an employer of apprentices, a deliverer, adviser and assessor of apprenticeships, Laura has pretty much experienced a 360 view of the sector over the years and is in a great position as strategic leader of DNA Awarding, understanding the challenges and opportunities for end point assessment and leading the business through exciting times ahead.

Laura keeps her mind and body active through swimming and yoga each week and volunteers for the Imperial War Museum.

Andrew Gilbert-Dunnings
Head of Product and Assessment Development

Andy has worked within the education sector for over 15 years, including for a number of awarding organisations, working on the development, maintenance and assessment of a range of general, vocational and technical qualifications – during this time qualifications he has written have been nominated for Qualification of the Year at the FAB Awards. Andy has been heavily involved in the development of resources and assessment materials for end-point assessment since the inception of apprenticeship standards, across a wide variety of occupations.

Andy has worked as a Principal Examiner for GCSE Psychology, has been involved in the writing of exam papers, the delivery of large training events and has recently co-authored an A Level revision guide. Andy still works as an examiner during the summer months and as an Assistant Principal Examiner.

Andy’s question writing continues outside of work, as he writes questions for a weekly pub quiz which he hosts. Andy is also passionate about mental health and wellbeing and has been responsible for setting up and facilitating a weekly men’s mental health peer support group. Andy is also a keen runner, cricket fan and a long suffering supporter of Derby County.

Jade Davies
Head of Quality & Compliance

Jade has always had a keen eye for quality, having spent the last eight years within the work-based learning sector improving the quality of provision across a wide range of apprenticeship standards and industries.

Outside of work, Jade is also a keen sportswoman, playing competitive league hockey alongside climbing, cycling and running. Jade enjoys spending much of her spare time walking the mountains of England & Wales.