John Ruskin College Lecturer wins Educator of the Year Award at The Professional Beauty Awards

Proud to announce that Kelly Clark, Beauty Therapy Lecturer and Advanced Learning Practitioner at Orbital South Colleges, won Educator of the Year at The Professional Beauty Awards.  

Taking place at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, The Professional Beauty awards are highly respected industry-recognised awards that celebrate excellence and innovation across the professional hair, beauty and aesthetics sectors. These awards are supported by HABIA (Hair and Beauty Industry Authority), showing a high level of professional integrity and industry relevance.  

In 2025, the Professional Beauty awards saw 477 entries and 63 finalists, ranging from Boutique Salon of the Year to Educator of the Year, showcasing the wide range of focus in the hair and beauty industries and how these areas have helped shape the beauty industry.  

Kelly’s impressive achievement comes as no surprise to staff at John Ruskin College and East Surrey College, as beyond her work in our in-college Atrium Hair & Beauty Spa as a Beauty Therapy Lecturer, Kelly also assists students across the college group make the most of our interactive immersive suites. She regularly works with Metaverse to provide engaging and innovative sessions for students, using headsets and state of the art technology to enhance their learning in a digital setting. 

After winning Educator of the Year, Kelly reflected on this amazing achievement:

“Winning Educator of the Year at the Professional Beauty Awards 2026 is an absolute honour, and I couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of Orbital South Colleges.”  

She went on to add,

“Thank you to the teaching and learning team for always encouraging my creativity, trusting my vision, and giving me the freedom to truly do what I love. Your belief in me and constant support has allowed me to grow, innovate, and inspire others every single day — I’m so grateful to be part of such an empowering team.”

Lindsay Pamphilon, CEO & Principal of the Orbital South Colleges Group, was thrilled for Kelly:

“I am absolutely delighted for Kelly and incredibly proud of what she has achieved. This award recognises not only her outstanding expertise in the beauty industry, but her innovative approach to teaching and her confident use of technology to enhance learning and raise standards for students. Kelly is a powerful role model — she leads with authenticity, creativity and ambition, showing both learners and colleagues what is possible when professional excellence is combined with innovation.”  

We are so proud to have Kelly shaping futures at John Ruskin College and East Surrey College and can’t wait to see what she achieves next.