Biography

Teresa was born and educated in south east London and moved to Kent in 1979. She has been a local champion for Rochester and Strood through her work on Medway Council, where she currently represents a ward in Rochester which she has done since the creation of Medway Council. She is a strong and well known local campaigner.

Teresa became a campaigner for local issues, as she saw first hand the result of the tory years of government across Medway; the closure of the dockyard in Chatham and the urban decay of parts of Rochester and Strood caused by mass unemployment.

Times have changed under a Labour Government, but Teresa remains a firm believer in championing the concerns of residents through use of her experience gained over years of living and understanding Rochester & Strood.

Teresa trained as a teacher in 1987 and began working in further education, schools and prisons. She is currently Head of School at Mid Kent College with responsibility for teaching and administration staff who deliver Basic, Key Skills and ESOL across the whole further education curriculum for Mid Kent College.

Teresa believes that to represent an area, you must campaign effectively on issues important to the local community. As Medway Labour Group’s spokesperson for health and community services she has been and continues to be an advocate and voice for people in Medway, whether fighting tory cuts to local services or helping the individual in her ward.

Over her career, Teresa has worked with local MPs to represent the concerns of residents of Rochester and Strood. She has campaigned tirelessly across numerous issues locally, including obtaining regeneration money for Rochester, saving urban green spaces, and working to fight anti-social behaviour by creating new opportunities for vulnerable children and families.

Teresa is a committed trade unionist and is a member of UCU (formerly NATFHE). Her membership has helped her develop a strong grasp of employment rights and law. She is also a member of the local ethnic minorities forum and racial equality council.

Teresa is a mother with two children working for the immigration service and as a primary school teacher.