Hull College Executive Director of Digital Transformation, Deb Millar, Awarded OBE in New Year’s Honours List

Hull College Executive Director of Digital Transformation, Deb Millar, has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) in the New Year’s Honours List, recognising her exceptional and sustained services to education.

A respected figure in further education for more than 35 years, Millar has become widely 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 been transformative, positioning the institution as a sector 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 strengthening online learning, library services and learning resources.

Under her leadership, the college has received national recognition on multiple occasions for its work in ethical educational technology and digital inclusion, including the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education in November earlier this year, acknowledging her and Hull College’s support for asylum seekers, neurodivergent learners and students with disabilities through AI-enabled accessibility solutions.

Known affectionately across the institution as ‘DigiDeb’, her straight-talking, northern warmth and unwavering commitment to removing barriers have made her a transformational figure for both staff and students.

Reacting to the announcement of her OBE, Millar 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.”

Principal & CEO Debra Gray CBE praised the recognition, saying: “Deb has changed the way Hull College thinks, works, and teaches. Her leadership and contribution to the progress made by the college in recent years has been nothing short of extraordinary, and this honour reflects the impact she has had not only on our college, but on the education sector. We are immensely proud of her achievements and delighted that her dedication, innovation, and passion for education have been recognised at the highest level.”

A ’Hullraiser’ Making a Difference

Millar’s contribution to digital education extends far 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. Through her leadership, institutions were able to secure digital access for tens of thousands of students, spanning further education, secondary and primary settings. Her work during this period helped embed long-term digital resilience and fundamentally changed how organisations approached online learning.

Beyond lockdown, Milar has continued to drive large-scale AI and digital transformation across education and industry, with her work reaching an estimated quarter of a million students. She has supported colleges, SMEs and public-sector organisations to embed AI into teaching, learning and operational practice, with a strong focus on ethical, responsible adoption.

Her career spans senior digital leadership roles at Grimsby Institute / TEC Partnership, Salford City College, and Blackburn College, alongside over 23 years of teaching in FE and HE. She is an international keynote speaker, consultant, and author of more than 20 influential publications on digital education.

Her achievements have been recognised through numerous major personal awards including the Global EdTech Lifetime Achievement Award (2024), Pearson Digital Innovator of the Year (2024), and multiple Association of Colleges (AOC) Beacon Awards for Effective Use of Digital Technology.

Despite her national reputation, Millar credits her success to her roots. Proudly from Darwen, Lancashire, she speaks openly about the challenges of undiagnosed dyslexia and the teachers who underestimated her potential.

Neurodiversity as a Super Power

She continued: “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.”

At the heart of Millar’s work is an unwavering commitment to digital inclusion and bridging digital divides, ensuring that disadvantaged learners, neurodivergent students and those with additional learning needs are not left behind. Through her leadership, advocacy, and innovation, Millar has not only transformed institutions but also empowered communities, leaving a lasting legacy that will continue to shape education and skills development for years to come.