SPOKE: About us

SPOKE is a resource to support the academic community as a whole in their design and development of qualifications and to support practices and sector businesses in their role as placement providers within the new qualifications.

How is Spoke organised?

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Oversight Committee 

Senior representatives of partner organisations provide governance through the Oversight Committee. 

SPOKE Steering Group

The Steering group are accountable to GOC for the delivery of the hub objectives. The members of the Steering Group are:

Professor Lizzy Ostler

Director of Education

Lizzy has a long track record of higher education leadership and research activities, with a focus on improving health in later life. She has more than 15 years’ experience of leading curriculum design, approval and quality assurance process development in Higher Education, including for regulated qualifications. She has led national subject networks, delivered multidisciplinary multi-organisation research grants, organised international conferences, and regularly acted as vice chair for multimillion euro funding panels.

Miranda Richardson, Head of Professional Qualifications & Education, Association of British Dispensing Opticians

With a BSc in Environmental Biology, Miranda transitioned to optics, and has been an FBDO qualified dispensing optician for 22 years, working in both multiple and independent settings including managing several practices, supervising trainees, and been an ABDO practical examiner since 2004. In her current role, Miranda is responsible for the five ABDO qualifications, including the ABDO certificate in Contact Lens Practice, ensuring the professional qualifications are delivered and approved both in the UK and overseas. She has extensive experience in syllabus review, delivery, assessment, quality assurance and legislation of higher-level qualifications and continues to provide professional representation for dispensing opticians across the sector.

Professor Joy Myint, Chair, Optometry Schools Council

Joy is an optometrist and has worked within a variety of settings in primary, secondary and tertiary eye care. She is currently primarily employed within academia, involved in both pre-registration and post-registration education. She has experience of leading curriculum design, assessment, and quality assurance. She was instrumental in the construct, implementation and approval of the first UK regulated integrated Master of Optometry. Her research interests include education and accreditation.

Hub Manager

The Hub Manager supports the work of the Steering Group and the task and finish groups.

Jennifer Rasteiro, Knowledge Hub Manager

Jennifer has worked for the College of Optometrists within the Education department and also has experience of working in the higher education sector having previously been employed as the Membership and Qualifications Manager at the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.

Emma Allan - Knowledge Hub Coordinator

A career in teaching gave Emma a wealth of experience in the education sector. She then transitioned into the administrative side of the sector, supporting BTEC and Apprenticeships teams before joining the SPOKE team where she supports the Knowledge Hub Manager.

Advisory and Review Group

The Advisory and Review Group (ARG) forms a standing body of expertise to act as a sounding board for output development and from which specialist task and finish groups will be formed. Membership of the ARG is flexible and adaptive to emerging needs. If you would like to join the ARG please email Spokehub@college-optometrists.org.