Alumnae Recognised in New Year Honours
Congratulations to Sharon and Clare!
Our warmest congratulations go to alumnae Clare Briegal and Sharon Fuller, who have been recognised in the New Year Honours list. Clare and Sharon have made an immeasurable difference in their sectors and we are thrilled to see their hard work celebrated on the national stage.
Photography credit to Simon Wilkinson from SW-Pix.
Clare Briegal (née Munford New Hall 1981) has been awarded an MBE for her services to sport. Clare, who learned to row at New Hall, rowed in NHBC First IV (Head of the Mays 1984) and stroked Blondie in the same year for CUWBC, was the first female captain of Northwich Rowing Club. She is the current Chair of Table Tennis England, as well as Deputy Chair of British Rowing. For the past three years she has been chair of Sport Liverpool, the board which oversees the delivery of Liverpool’s major sports events as well as bidding for the city's next events.
Clare was Chief Executive Officer of World Netball (the International Governing Body) from 2012-2024, having moved into sports administration following 25 years in sales, marketing and general management. She was elected to the Executive Board of ARISF (Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations) for a four year term from October 2021. Clare was Chair of British Rowing’s NW Council before her election to the British Rowing Board in November 2022 and appointment to the position of Deputy Chair in November 2024.
Sharon Fuller (née Malkin New Hall 1989) known professionally as Commodore Sharon Malkin has been awarded a CBE for her distinguished service in the Royal Navy.
Commodore Malkin, who joined the Royal Navy in 1994 as an air engineer, has built an exceptional career spanning front-line aviation, engineering leadership and senior command. She has served aboard HMS Brazen and HMS Sheffield, with 800, 820 and 899 Naval Air Squadrons, and on HMS Invincible, Illustrious and Ocean, as well as RFA Fort George.
She is a trailblazer within the Naval Service: the first woman to hold the rank of Captain Engineer and later Commodore Engineer, and the first female officer to lead the air engineering department of a naval aircraft squadron. She also led the complex technical integration of the F-35B Lightning jet into the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and commanded more than 200 engineers and scientists on 1710 Naval Air Squadron. In December 2022, she took command of His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde, one of the UK’s most strategically important defence establishments.