‘This recognition belongs to the incredible teams I have worked with throughout my career, especially the Hullraisers’
Hull College has launched a double celebration after its leader and a pivotal director were named in the New Year’s Honours List. The principal and chief executive Debra Gray, has been awarded a CBE in the King’s Awards, in recognition of her services to education. And executive director of digital transformation Deb Millar has been awarded an OBE, telling us: “For most of my life I felt like the underdog”.
Debra Gray’s CBE comes five years after she was awarded an MBE, and recognises her for leading complex institutional recovery, strengthening governance and culture, and championing high-quality, inclusive education. Debra is also completing a doctorate focused on the future readiness of Further Education in the context of digital and industrial change.
Since joining Hull College as principal and CEO in April 2022, she has led a period of rapid and sustained improvement. She took up post shortly after the college received its second consecutive ‘Requires Improvement’ judgement from Ofsted.
Following a full Ofsted inspection in October 2023, Hull College was judged ‘Good’ overall, with ‘Outstanding’ grades for adult learning programmes and personal development. In the same year, the college successfully exited government intervention after more than seven years, marking a decisive turning point.
This November the college – which set a world record in October – also received a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education, which is recognised as one of the highest national honours available to UK colleges and universities.
Debra Gray said: “I am deeply honoured to receive a CBE for services to education. While my name appears on the citation, this recognition belongs to the incredible teams I have worked with throughout my career, and especially to the amazing Hullraisers.
“Leaders are only ever as good as the people they work with, and I have been privileged to stand alongside some of the very best in further education. Together, our Hullraiser team has restored trust, raised standards, and rebuilt pride, driven by a shared belief that background should never determine opportunity.”
Meanwhile, executive director of digital transformation Deb Millar has been awarded an OBE, recognising her exceptional and sustained services to education. A respected figure in further education for more than 35 years, Deb is known as one of the country’s most impactful digital education leaders, dedicated to driving innovation and inclusivity in further education.
Her work at Hull College over the past three years has helped to steer the institution to become a leader in digital innovation, AI adoption, accessibility, and staff digital capability, benefiting thousands of students, educators, and employers.
Within her first 24 months at the college, she led a comprehensive digital transformation programme, delivering AI training for hundreds of staff, launching AI academies, modernising digital learning environments, and boosting online learning, library services and learning resources. Under her leadership, the college has received national recognition for its work in ethical educational technology and digital inclusion, including the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education.
She said: “I’m touched, humbled, and grateful to receive this honour. To be recognised for doing what I love most – helping people feel confident with technology – is genuinely so rewarding. I never get tired of that moment when someone’s eyes light up and they get it. When technology becomes empowering instead of intimidating – that’s what keeps me going.
“On both a personal and professional level, this honour means the world to me because it reflects what the right environment can do for someone. When you’re placed in the right setting and given encouragement, support, and space to grow, you truly thrive. Hull College has allowed me to be completely myself, without hiding any part of who I am, and that authenticity has helped shape me into the leader I am today.
“I’m incredibly grateful to all my colleagues, past and present, who have supported me along the way and made this recognition possible. It’s a genuine privilege to work in the further education sector alongside so many dedicated people who give so much to support the thousands of young people and adults whose lives are changed through the opportunities colleges provide within their communities.”
Deb’s contribution to digital education extends beyond Hull. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a pivotal role in the Government’s EdTech Demonstrator Programme, supporting hundreds of schools and colleges nationwide to rapidly establish effective digital learning provision.
She added: “I wasn’t a high-flyer at school. I’m dyslexic, and I really struggled to get through my exams. One of my teachers once told my parents not to expect much from me and that is something that always stuck with me. For most of my life I felt like the underdog, the one who wasn’t expected to achieve much. That’s why receiving an OBE feels so powerful – it proves that where you start doesn’t have to determine where you end up.
“My dyslexia has shaped everything about the way I work and lead. For years I felt like I had to work twice as hard just to keep up. But over time and with experience, I’ve realised that being neurodiverse is actually a superpower. It gives you a different way of seeing the world and solving problems – and that difference is often where innovation begins.
“More than anything, I hope people who feel like the underdog, or who’ve been underestimated, can look at this and think: ‘people like me can achieve things like this.’ We all have skills and talents. When you’re surrounded by the right people who see your potential, you can achieve more than you ever thought possible. If my journey gives even one person a bit of hope or confidence, then that means more to me than the honour itself.”
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