Sponsored through electrical engineering degree by UK Atomic Energy Authority. Trained as Chartered Accountant with Touche Ross (now Deloittes), in Wolverhampton and Birmingham offices, working in audit and accounts preparation, up to level of Audit Supervisor. Left to join Forward Trust (part of HSBC), as Accountant – Pricing Policy, then Divisional Financial Accountant, and finally Compliance Accountant. Moved into education by teaching at West Midlands Business School, Sandwell College on variety of professional courses, including CIPS, IAM, CMI and CIPD, for five years. Returned to accounting by working as Business Manager at a school, but then moved to Tamworth & Lichfield College to teach AAT at all three levels, including taxation. Appointed to post at Wolverhampton University in September 2007.

Chartered Accountant, ACA, member of ICAEW since 1991

• SFHEA
• PGCE Staffordshire University
• Certificate in Business Administration – Wolverhampton University
• Chartered Accountant
• BSc (Eng) Electrical Engineering, Imperial College, London University

Challen, R., Howell, L., McKeown, L., Purnell, E (2012) "ePortfolio based learning for accountants...Does it add up?" published in Making the Case - More effective practice with PebblePad, a collection of case studies from the conference PebbleBash 2012

• 5 years' experience in audit and accounts preparation at a Big 4 accountancy firm
• 5 years' experience in a finance house, ranging from review of pricing policy, divisional financial accountant and compliance accountant roles
• 15 months as school business manager

Corporate and community engagement

• Lead Academic on CW Corporate Communications KTP, focused on financial information capabilities (2009-10).
• Voluntary annual accounts preparation for St John’s Community Church, Burntwood on an ongoing basis.

Teaching interests

• Audit
• Taxation
• Digital Accounting
• Financial Accounting
• Business Accounting for non-specialists