Board of Directors
President Richard Longson Richard became President at the Institute's Annual General Meeting on 8 November 2007.
When Regional Reresentative for the East Midlands, he represented ICG on the Careers Advisory groups of The Guidance Council and the Engineering Training Board before taking up the role as Vice-President. As Vice- President he worked to support the continued building up of a strong ICG network through Regional Meetings for members to share and improve professional practice. He is Head of Careers in an independent school, but also previously worked closely with Connexions across the East Midlands with regard to Career Mark Quality Award. He qualified with a DCG through distance learning from Swanley in the late 1990s.
Vice President Vivienne Brown Vivienne Brown has responsibility for the strategy and development of career guidance services for people of all ages, in her role as Head of Career Guidance, since Careers Scotland's inception in 2001.
This includes building an evidence base for career guidance and improving the understanding, role and contribution of career guidance by policy-makers, partner organisations and individuals in Scotland and beyond. Previously, Vivienne was Chief Executive of Lanarkshire careers company, and has over 15 years of experience in a senior management and leadership role in career guidance. A short secondment to the Scottish Executive enabled Vivienne to contribute to the development and shape of Careers Scotland in 2000. This was followed up by a further secondment to Scottish Executive in 2005/06 to work on enterprise, social inclusion and educational developments.
Immediate Past President              Kieran Gordon        Prior to his appointment to the position of Chief Executive of Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership Kieran was Chief Executive of Career Decisions Limited, a Careers Service provider contracted by DfES.
Kieran has more than twenty five years' experience of working with young people.  Appointed to the position of Chief Executive of Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership in March 2001. Established Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership Limited, a Company which has grown to employ 600 plus employees delivering services, in Partnership with key agencies, to over 140,000 young people across 6 Local Authority areas.
Chair of the Board Allister McGowan A former President (1995-96) of the Institute, Allister has been Chair of the Board since 2002. In a thirty year "career in careers" he has been Chief Executive of Hertfordshire Careers Services and VT Careers Management.
A Fellow of the National Institute of Careers Education & Counselling (NICEC), he has also been an external examiner for Nottingham Trent University's careers and Connexions courses and chaired the Board of the College of Guidance Studies through the process of merger with Canterbury Christ Church University College.   Allister played a leading role in setting up the trade association, Careers England, and remains a director of that company and of a social enterprise company providing training opportunities for "disaffected" young people in environmental projects. Now working as a self-employed consultant, Allister has a particular interest in the impact of policy upon professional practice and is committed to the ideal of high quality, all age career guidance services.
Honorary Secretary Monica I Lemecha Monica is an ICG past-President. Having trained as a careers adviser in 1974 she worked initially for Sunderland Careers Service before moving to Tameside in Greater Manchester.
Monica was promoted to Principal Careers Officer in 1982 and took on the role of Director of Business Development when Tameside Careers Service became part of Careers Partnership following privatisation in 1995.
Honorary Treasurer Michael Howard Michael started off as an Accountant in 1971, before joining the Careers Service two years later. In 1995 he became General Manager of Tyneside Careers Partnership and retired from the post of the Assistant Chief Executive of Connexions Tyne and Wear in 2005.
Michael has a BA in Economics and Accounting from Newcastle University and is a keen mountain walker, real tennis player and occasional Rhythm and Blues drummer and an even keener consumer of Italian food and wine. As well as being National Honorary Treasurer of the Institute since 1985, he is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management and the Royal Society of Arts, whilst being a board member of several not-for-profit/ charitable organisations.  Michael holds a long-term vision that everyone should be able to access career guidance support so as to make informed and suitably supported decisions about their future. By this, individuals will maximise their potential and well-being while contributing to a successful economy and inclusive society.
Executive Director Chris Evans Chris has been involved with the Institute since he first joined the Careers Service in Bootle, Merseyside in 1972. Until retirement a few years ago Chris was Chief Executive of Leicestershire Careers and Guidance Services; prior to his appointment to Leicestershire in 1991 he worked in North Wales.
Now a self employed consultant Chris has contributed to the development of career guidance services in Estonia and Lithuania ; he is currently contributing to an EU project rebuilding vocational education and training in Kosovo with a specific focus on developing career guidance policy and operation.   He has three passions - Wales ( at the heart of which is his fanatical dedication to Welsh rugby!), his family and career guidance. He is actively involved as a school governor in Leicester and is an External Examiner for the Diploma in Careers Education at Nottingham Trent University.
To contact a member of the Board please email