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Our Team

Mary Lonsdale

Chair of Trustees

Mary had the idea to set up the Afghan College for Girls, having previously founded and run Mentor Education. Mentor Education is one of the UK’s leading tutoring agencies, and won ‘Tuition Agency of the Year’ at the Education Investor Awards in 2022. Mary is passionate about girls’ education and is Vice President of The Tutor’ Association, the UK industry representative body. She is also the author of the best selling book “How to Pass the 11 Plus”. She had a degree in English and Classics from Leeds University and is a Chartered Accountant. She has two children and likes reading.

Kate Kettle

Director

Kate has overall responsibility for running the Afghan College for Girls, and spends much of her time overseeing the charity’s strategy, fundraising and impact reporting. Prior to joining the Afghan College for Girls, Kate ran her own education business which she sold in 2023. Alongside her responsibilities at the the Afghan College for Girls, Kate is a Trustee for the Bridge Builder Trust in Oxford, and sits on the Advisory Board of charity Migrant Leaders. She has a History degree from University of Oxford. 

Hannah Larsen

Operations Director

Hannah is our Operation’s Director. She has extensive experience of girls’ education having started her career at James Allen’s Girls’ School. She has hired all of our tutors, organises all the classes for the children and ensures that our operations are safe and well run, as well has having communication with the girls directly. She has a degree in Public Relations and Communications from University of Greenwich, and is often found back in her native Cornwall. 

Tag Rowe

Trustee

Tag is currently studying law and aims to practice as a commercial solicitor. He has a general interest in geopolitics, human rights and international aid. Tag enjoys getting involved with voluntary projects that address injustice and inequality. In 2021 he regularly attended a pro-bono legal clinic in London; this involved offering ad-hoc legal advice to people from the local Latin American community. Tag’s interest is by virtue of his military experience in the British Army. In preparation for deployments, he was required to learn the local languages and understand the local customs. Given his legal and military background he feels honoured to be part of a charity that aims to address this injustice with positive action.

Additionally, he volunteers his time at an amateur women’s football team, providing his expert knowledge in strength & conditioning and sports therapy.

Justin Nowell

Trustee

Justin was educated in Lancashire before pursuing a degree in Biochemistry at the University of Liverpool, following which Justin took his medical degree and trained as a doctor. Justin then spent the next 26 years working in the National Health Service as a cardiac surgeon. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2010. He was then in 2012, appointed as Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at St George’s Hospital. During his time working there Justin was involved in saving many lives and is now President of the ‘Friends of St George’s’ (Charity number 209330).

After dedicating his life to St George’s for four years Justin then decided on having short term change of scenery where we moved to the Middle East to work as a heart surgeon. On returning to the UK, Justin continues to maintain an interest in surgical teaching and training. 

Rameez

Rameez has been teaching English for over ten years and brings a wealth of experience to our intermediate classes. He has held a wide range of teaching positions, including Senior English Instructor at the Albadr English Language Centre, English Lecturer at Kabul University, Master Trainer for the British Council, and trainer for university lecturers.

Rameez has taught students at every level, from complete beginners to advanced speakers. During his time with the British Council, he not only worked with higher education professionals but also played a key role in delivering the Council’s highly successful English Doctor sessions.

Known for his vibrant and dynamic teaching style, Rameez creates an engaging classroom environment that keeps every student motivated and involved.

Naeem

Naeem has a well-rounded experience in teaching English to women and girls in Afghanistan. Naeem is taking our adults intermediate, night classes. Naeem worked for the British council in Afghanistan, helping to train the military, members of government and students in higher education. Naeem helped hundreds of people through his time at the British Council, preparing and delivering over 400+ lessons in his time there. He helped people to confidently overcome the challenges of learning another language and has helped them to progress into further roles. Naeem in an inspiring and aspirational teacher that wants each one of his students to achieve their full potential. He challenges the minds of his students, helping them to broaden horizons. Naeem is a strong, academic and enthusiastic teacher who has brought determination and inspiration to the Afghan College for Girls.

Armin

Armin was a senior teacher with the British Council’s operations in Afghanistan. Over the course of three years, he planned and delivered more than three hundred English language lessons for both teenagers and adults. As a qualified and experienced teacher, Armin creates engaging and effective lessons that inspire our pupils learning English.  Armin teaches our beginner classes, making them fun for our pupils just starting to learn English.

Armin is now permanently based in the UK, estranged from his family because of Taliban rule.  He loves to help children in his homeland continue their studies. 

Edrees

Edrees’s teaching career started off with the NTM-A ELTProject where he taught English and was a site supervisor for the delivery of lessons. Edrees has also taught with the Afghan National Association for Adult Education, the US Embassy ELCLC project, was a senior teacher/teacher Trainer for the British Council in Afghanistan. After becoming a senior teacher for the British Council Edrees then went onto become a Learning Centre Coordinator and IELTS trainer. During his time in this role he helps students prepare for scholarships for the UK and Australia. As well as preparing exam papers and regular testing for those students under his core. He now lives in England having been evacuated out of Afghanistan as the Taliban took over.

Mariam

Mariam grew up and studied in Kabul and has a track record helping and supporting women and children in Afghanistan. Mariam has worked with the 10,000 women programmes alongside the American University of Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Ministry of Education to start a scholarship scheme for women. Now living in Canada, Marian is the CEO and Founder of the charity Her Afghanistan which allows professionals around the world to support Afghan women in the field of security, peace, foreign policy, education and tech. Mariam also worked as a volunteer teacher with W.O.M.E.N in Afghanistan and brings this teaching experience to our Afghan College for Girls.

Florence

 Florence is a highly experienced teacher who leads our Intermediate One and Two classes, as well as Advanced One. She has a wealth of expertise in teaching English as a second language, having begun her career with a project in Madagascar similar to the Afghan College for Girls.

She has a deep understanding of the challenges of online teaching—particularly for girls with limited or unreliable internet access—and ensures that every lesson is interactive, engaging, and accessible. By introducing new and dynamic approaches to learning, Florence helps ACG students build confidence and enjoy their studies.