Katie Simcevic

With a career spanning hospitality, retail management, international cruise operations and further education, Katie brings a wealth of industry experience and a strong commitment to supporting people to achieve their potential.

After beginning a career in hospitality and retail leadership, she completed a BA (Hons) in Events Management before embarking on an international career at sea, working across major cruise lines in retail, art sales and gallery management.

A transition into land-based cruise operations followed, coordinating the deployment, travel and compliance of crew members and officers worldwide. This role provided her with valuable experience in workforce planning, logistics, stakeholder management and large-scale operational delivery.

Joining East Kent Colleges Group in 2020 as a Job Broker marked the start of a move into education and skills development. Since then, her progression has included completing teaching, assessing and quality assurance qualifications, delivering employability and vocational programmes, leading curriculum development and supporting adult learners into education and employment.

Most recently, this journey has led to a Programme Director role, alongside interim leadership responsibilities and successful completion of the EKC Group Aspiring Leaders Programme.

Passionate about widening opportunities and helping individuals build confidence, skills and aspirations, Katie brings an industry-informed perspective to education, combining operational expertise with a genuine belief in the transformative power of learning.