Appointment of New Chair at West Lothian College

The Minister for Higher and Further Education has announced the appointment of Sue Cook as Chair of the Board of Management of West Lothian College.

Sue replaces Alex Linkston who retired on June 26, 2024 after serving the maximum of two four-year terms as chair.

Sue Cook has 14 years of experience in the college sector, having served most recently on the board of Edinburgh College. Before that, she was vice chair of West Lothian College for many years.

Sue has lived in Livingston for 25 years and her children went to Bellsquarry Primary and James Young High School. One of her sons achieved HND Engineering Systems at West Lothian College, her daughter is a doctor at St John’s Hospital and her other son is in his final year at Edinburgh Napier University, studying accountancy.

On top of her strong background in business, Sue is committed to community and education. She was regional chair of the Prince’s Trust for West Lothian for 15 years, helping many young people start in business.

Demonstrating her commitment to supporting the wider community in West Lothian, Sue serves as a Justice of the Peace and chairs two charities. One is Courage Together which supports the minority ethnic community in Scotland, the other is The Scheme Livingston which supports people impacted by drugs.

Sue said: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Chair of West Lothian College. Colleges play a crucial role in transforming lives by providing opportunities for education and personal growth, and I have witnessed this impact first-hand.

"West Lothian College has a supportive and innovative learning environment that continually makes a positive difference in our community and I’m excited to be working with staff, students and board members to ensure our continued success.”

Jackie Galbraith, principal of West Lothian College, welcomed the news of Sue’s appointment.

She added: “I am delighted that Sue has been appointed as chair of West Lothian College. I had the privilege of working closely with Sue for five years when she was vice chair of the board and it is great news that she is returning to the college as chair.”

Sue’s appointment will be for four years from June 27, 2024 to June 26, 2028.