Tory has been supporting and working for AMCIS since April 2004. Over the past 12 years the association has seen a 30% rise in membership and a host of new initiatives and events including two new training programmes – The AMCIS Diploma in Schools’ Marketing, and The AMCIS Certificate in Admissions Management – individual seminars focusing on specific areas of schools marketing, closer working relationships with other independent school associations and the development of a new and interactive website and APP.

Before becoming the AMCIS Managing Director, Tory spent 11 years working in independent schools’ marketing; 8 as Marketing Director at Pocklington School and then 3 as Marketing and Development Director at St Peter’s School, York, where she spearheaded the formation of the St Peter’s School Foundation.

With her extensive experience in independent schools marketing and her time as Managing Director, Tory is able to answer many of the questions and queries raised and asked by members who call her on the AMCIS Helpline. If Tory is unable to answer the question then she will always be able to put members in touch with a professional that can.

Melissa is your ‘go to’ person if you have a query about an AMCIS event. She deals with all aspects of our diploma courses in independent school admissions and marketing, as well as bookings and admin for our other training events and conferences, both online and in-person. Melissa has an extensive background in sales and customer service, having worked in the bank and financial services sector for 20 years, during which time she co-ordinated numerous seminars. With two children of her own, she loves working with schools. 

Rachel Kerr joined AMCIS as Communications Manager in October 2021. She is responsible for our communications strategy as well as day-to-day communications, including our member-only groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. Rachel is happy to speak to members who are looking for advice – or simply a listening ear – about their own communications challenges. She has worked in the independent education sector for over 20 years, as a director of external relations for a large northern independent school and more recently as communications lead for the Girls’ Schools Association. She is a ‘big picture’ thinker who enjoys problem solving and has extensive experience of PR / media relations / corporate comms & marketing in organisations whose customers are also members.

Lucy deals with day to day finances at AMCIS as well as managing our highly popular job vacancies service. Lucy is your point of contact for placing a recruitment advert and all invoice and remittance related queries.

Sarah provides administrative support to our CEO Tory and her colleagues, including updating our database and scheduling the half-termly  AMCIS ‘bubble’ meetings, which are a great way for non-competing members to meet each other on Zoom, discuss a whole range of topics and issues, and pick up some moral support along the way.

AMCIS Chair

Director of Communications, Admissions & Development, Brentwood School, Essex

• Social Media
• Internal Communications
• Branding

AMCIS Vice Chair

International Marketing Manager, Sedbergh School, Cumbria

• Marketing strategy
• Re-branding
• Social media
• International recruitment
• Working with agents

AMCIS Treasurer

Deputy Headmistress, St Francis’ College, Hertfordshire

• Working with SLT
• Marketing on a shoestring
• Working with the Common Room
• Internal & External Communications
• Local Community partnerships

AMCIS Immediate Past Chair

• Rebranding
• Marketing Strategy
• PR
• Marketing on a shoestring

AMCIS Board Member

Head of Marketing & Admissions, Queen Mary’s School, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire

• Marketing strategy
• Brand identity and rebranding
• PR
• Admissions
• Marketing on a shoestring
• Event hire and management

AMCIS Board Member

Head of External Relations, Bootham School, York, North Yorkshire

• Crisis management
• Strategy and leadership
• Rebranding
• Community partnerships
• International recruitment

AMCIS Board Member

Director of Admissions & Marketing, Padworth College, Berkshire

• Marketing & Admissions working together
• International student recruitment
• Increasing digital reach
• The power of outreach & community engagement
• Internal PR – building WOM

AMCIS Board Member

Director of External Relations, Bedford Modern School, Bedfordshire

• Crisis communications
• Campaign and event planning
• Public Relations
• Leadership and strategy

AMCIS Board Member

Head of Admissions & Marketing, Banstead Preparatory School, Surrey

• Online Admissions
• Rebranding