Meet our team

Sacha manages the Froebel Trust's Executive Team and oversees the implementation of the Trustees' strategic plans.

Sacha first joined the Froebel Trust in September 2018 as Director of Education, Research and Strategy. Previously Sacha was an Honorary Professor of Early Childhood Education at the Education University of Hong Kong and Director of the Research Centre for Children, Families and Communities at Canterbury Christ Church University.

She has been an Early Years researcher since 1996, was a co-author of the Birth to Three Matters Review (DfES / Sure Start, 2003) and a principal investigator for The Baby Room research and development project (funded 2009-2012 by The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation), Mothers’ Songs in Daycare for Babies and Pedagogies of Care for One-Year-Olds in Four Countries projects (funded by The Froebel Trust in 2013 and 2017).

In recent years she has co-authored or co-edited many books and articles including the Routledge International Handbook of Theories and Philosophies of Early Childhood Education (2017), An Introduction to Early Childhood Studies for Sage (2017), the Routledge International Handbook of Froebel and Early Childhood Practice (2018), The Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel (2024) and Pedagogies of Care with One-Year-Olds: Froebelian Connections in Four Countries (2025). In 2015, Sacha was elected Chair of the UK Association for Professional Development in Early Years (TACTYC). She continues to be an active member of Early Years organisations and networks, including the Executive Committee of the International Froebel Society and the Steering Group of the Early Years Coalition.

Oksana is responsible for all financial matters, including those relating to management accounting, annual audit, due diligence and the payment and monitoring of grants and accounts payable.

Oksana joined the Trust in February 2012 and was appointed as Finance Manager in May 2015.

Oksana’s passion for education and charitable causes stems from her involvement in various projects across Eastern Europe. Most notably “Revival of Chernobyl” project, organising treatment for children from the affected areas as well as taking an active role in visiting and supplying orphanages in Ukraine.

She brings more than 25 years of experience, previously holding various financial roles for leading UK companies.

Eliot joined the Froebel Trust in August 2023 on a part-time basis. He is responsible for the administration of online and face-to-face Froebel Trust courses. Eliot graduated in 2021 with a degree in Professional Musicianship. He now runs a recording studio and composes and performs his own songs at live events. He has previously worked in a school as a Design Technology Technician and as head chef managing resources and teams of staff within busy restaurants in Brighton.

Heather leads on the development and delivery of the Trust's communications, marketing and public engagement strategies.

Prior to joining the Trust in March 2025, Heather worked for a variety of public and private sector organisations, including a local authority where she led the communications and marketing activity for a variety of council services including adult social care, health, housing, children, young people and learning.

Most recently, Heather worked for the National Suicide Prevention Alliance, where she led the development of the organisation's social media, website and webinars to drive member engagement and increase awareness of issues related to suicide prevention.

Heather brings over 16 years of communications experience and began her career working in PR agencies generating widespread media coverage in local, regional and national press.

Mariana is Administrator at the Froebel Trust. She works closely with trustees, staff, tutors and grant holders to help ensure the smooth running of the Trust’s operations. With a background in arts education, cultural management and creative learning, Mariana brings over a decade of experience delivering and coordinating complex educational programmes and community events for children and families. Directly prior to joining the Trust, she held roles at Discover Children’s Story Centre and the Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL, where she honed her skills in project management, safeguarding, and inclusive practice. Passionate about children’s literature, education and equitable access to the arts, Mariana is committed to supporting creative and joyful learning experiences rooted in Froebelian principles.

Nicola leads the development and dissemination of impact from the research and education the Trust supports. She previously worked as an academic at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) and continues this affiliation as Visiting Reader.
During the 15 years she spent at CCCU she had various roles including Course Director for the MA Early Childhood Education, Director of Graduate Studies and most recently as Academic Lead within the University's Academy for Sustainable Futures. She also brings ten years of experience working in Local Government as a Senior Policy Officer.

A geographer by background, her research interests are focused on the inter-relationship between education and sustainability across ages and educational phases. Much of her research has explored young children’s relationship with the natural environment.

She has led two Froebel Trust funded projects focused developing on outdoor pedagogies for babies and toddlers in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings and has published extensively in this area including a book chapter in the Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel (2024) and an Open Learn Course Young Children, the Outdoors and Nature

Katie supports with the delivery of the Trust’s communications and engagement strategy, providing digital support across the website and social media channels to maximise the Trust’s communications, reach and engagement.

Prior to joining the Trust in August 2025, Katie worked for a variety of public and private organisations, with the last five years focusing on charities. She led on largescale digital comms campaigns for charities within the health sector ranging from community to regional and UK wide.

Most recently, Katie worked for Winston’s Wish, the nationwide childhood bereavement charity. There Katie helped with the development of the social media and email strategy as well as website development to maximise awareness of the organisation.

Katie brings over 8 years of communication and marketing experience, having started her career at a digital agency before progressing into the charity sector.

Dr Stella Louis leads our team of Froebel Trust Travelling Tutors. She was named Trainer of the Year at the Nursery World Awards 2023 and was also honoured with the Nursery World Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in early childhood education.

She is an early years consultant, trainer and author working with individual early years settings, parents and carers, nursery schools, local authorities, government departments and charities. She provides training and consultancy and is particularly interested in observation and its part in developing learning, especially through children’s schemas.

Stella has worked both in the United Kingdom and internationally, including South Africa and Australia where she worked with teachers to develop a Froebelian approach to teaching and learning.

Helen is Headteacher at Truro Nursery School; leading the school to develop a Froebelian approach with children aged 2-5. Helen is an early years trained teacher with over 30 years experience in the UK and Germany and has led a speech, language and communication area resource base. Helen’s MA is in early years professional development. She has successfully supported various settings and practitioners and has been a national leader of education. Helen co authored the Froebel Trust pamphlet ‘ Creating environments for children to play and learn’. With the support of a Froebel Trust grant, Helen has undertaken research on building stronger relationships with parents and carers.

Annamaria Bevan is Head of Centre at the Ely and Careau Integrated Children's Centre in Cardiff. Since commencing the Elements of the Froebel Trust Short Courses, Annamaria has encouraged the team to embed a Froebelian approach including in their offers of nursery education through the medium of both Welsh and English. The centre works with a range of partners to offer services to local children and families - including flexible childcare, day care, after school clubs, groups for parents/carers and holiday clubs. Annamaria is also co-manager of early years advisory teachers for Cardiff non-maintained nursery settings. Annamaria is a founder member of Froebel Network Wales.

Carole's early training was in London, some of it at Froebel College with Professor Tina Bruce. While in the UK, she taught in special education and nurseries but for most of her career, she has worked in South African multilingual settings on holistic approaches to teaching young children reading and writing. Her aim is to enable equitable, inclusive and holistic learning opportunities for all young children. She is informed and inspired by Froebelian ideas and principles in her work as Director of The Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) and Extraordinary Professor in Language Education at The University of the Western Cape. Carole has co-ordinated several initiatives to bring Froebelian pedagogy to life in South Africa (SA) with Dr Stella Louis and Professor Tina Bruce, including an online Froebel Trust course, from which a South African Froebel Network is emerging.

Gaynor has a long career in teaching young children and advising on how they learn best. She has particular interest in positively affecting the life chances of children in socially deprived areas through high quality play-based learning. She has a Master’s degree in ‘Early Literacy Difficulties. She has led a team of improvement partners for schools and settings for over 30 years – always focusing on what matters for the youngest learners and for the adults that support them. Gaynor was one of two Professional Advisers to Welsh Government and was instrumental in shaping policy guidance on curriculum and assessment for early years. Her wealth of experience and lifelong interest in children’s learning has helped to shape her view of them as ambitious, capable and endlessly fascinating individuals. Gaynor is one of the founding members of Froebel Network Wales.

Amanda has over twenty years of teaching and leadership experience in educational settings which include pack and play preschools, independent school nurseries and a maintained nursery school, as well as infant and junior age phases. She currently works as a Lead Mentor with the University of Roehampton, having trained in Leading Teacher Development. 
In a voluntary context, Amanda is a governor in schools which collectively span the baby to sixth form age ranges. Amanda considers learning as a lifelong adventure which she feels aligns harmoniously with the Froebelian Principles.

Sally is currently the headteacher of Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre (GNSFC).  Sally is committed to working collaboratively and building positive relationships with children, their families and educators that are underpinned with mutual trust and respect.  She has a successful track record in the fields of school improvement and pedagogy, which has been recognised at a national level.
 
Sally has taught across the whole primary age range; she has been a deputy headteacher of a large primary, a senior Early Years consultant in two London boroughs, a Regional Advisor for the National Strategies and a strategic lead for a locality of children’s centres. 
 
Sally is successfully leading the development of Froebelian pedagogy at GNSFC.  Froebelian principles guide Sally’s work with children, parents and staff.

Tess Dean is an experienced educator and SENCO and Assistant Head at Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre, with a deep passion for Froebelian principles. Since completing the Froebel Short Course in 2021, she has embraced and championed Froebel's vision through leadership, research and reflective practice. Tess has introduced Froebelian approaches across schools, led INSET sessions, contributed to conferences, and participated in international projects.
Her work focuses on inclusion, particularly supporting neurodivergent children. As a Froebelian Travelling Tutor, Tess is committed to inspiring others and advocating for meaningful early education, rooted in children's autonomy.

Beverley has 17 years' experience as an early years educator. She is passionate about early childhood experiences and development - with a particular emphasis on outdoor play, exploration and engaging with nature. She is the nursery manager at Tiddlers Wraparound in Caerphilly, Wales which has been recognised as a 'Lead Setting' offering support, guidance and good practice to other nurseries and early years settings. Beverley is a founding member of the Wales Froebel Network.

Caroline has worked in early education her entire career. Retaining her close connection to the sector, Caroline still works as a bank early years educator whilst juggling her academic, writing and consultancy career. Caroline’s research and writing focusses on the voices and rights of very young children, with a specific interest in how babies experience their time in early years settings. Caroline is particularly interested in how a child’s sense of belonging in early childhood spaces can be traced in the ways they make ‘the inner outer, and the outer inner’ (Lilley, 1967) in their visible external communications. Caroline has taught on a range of university undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes since 2009, championing the voices of work-based students and supporting them to find confidence to transform practice and develop their academic writing. She completed her PhD, funded by The Froebel Trust in 2023.

Stephanie Harding was originally an archaeologist. She trained as an early years teacher and taught in a Nursery School where she later become the Headteacher. She completed a MA research project which looked at how children used bikes and undertook further research on how the children were developing new skills and strategies to manage their learning in the outdoors. She is interested in curriculum development and has researched practitioner’s response to implementing a curriculum based on Learning Dispositions. She has published work on children and learning outdoors and co-authored a book on the history and development of a nursery school.

She enjoys supporting other practitioners and has supported students studying at HND through to MA level courses. Her interest in the role of observation, naturalistic outdoor learning environments, children as active agents in their own learning and the history of early years education has led her to embrace a Froebelian approach to young children’s learning.

Ellen is an Early Years Improvement Partner in Wales, supporting settings to embed play-based pedagogy and Froebelian principles. She designs and delivers professional learning, provides bespoke support to non-maintained nursery settings, and contributes to research in the field.

Ellen’s journey into early childhood education began in her teenage years, helping at her mum’s playgroup. This early experience inspired her to become a primary teacher, working in inner-city schools in Nottingham. She taught across the primary age range, predominantly with children aged 3 to 7.

Ellen is a founding member of Froebel Network Wales, and is currently studying for an MA in Early Years Education at the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC). Her research interests include leadership, reflective practice, and observing children’s play and learning.

Tricia Johnson is an Early Years’ consultant with a broad range of experience, both theoretical and practical. Throughout her career she has ensured she has remained up to date with current practice and research, and, that children in the Early Years receive a high level of education and care. She worked as a Lecturer and Head of School for Early Years in Further Education and as a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education. Her practical experience as an Early Years Practitioner began at her local Pre-School followed by fourteen years at the Norland College where she cared for children from 10 days to 9 years of age. Tricia remains committed to providing high quality care and education through her work with the Froebel Trust as a Froebel Travelling Tutor and membership of national Early Years organisations.

An experienced Further Education Lecturer and Trainer, Shirley has a proven track record in teaching and training Early Years/Childcare and Health and social care programmes. Following a brief spell as a general nurse, in the early eighties Shirley trained as an NNEB nursery nurse. Employed by Lewisham Council, initially as a nursery officer, then student placement supervisor, liaising with further education colleges, and subsequently a nursery manager and NVQ assessor.

The core aspect of her work has always been co-ordinating and delivering vocational courses. This enabled strong community links to develop guidelines for standards in practical training and support workplace supervisors with practical assessments. She also developed strong links with awarding bodies, and as an exam writer gained greater understanding of curriculum and assessment frameworks.

Following her long career in vocational training and study skills programmes, Shirley currently works for City Lit as a community outreach childcare tutor, delivering accredited and non- accredited courses and family learning programmes. She also delivers introductory courses to ESOL learners.

Rachna is an early childhood teacher, action-researcher and consultant. She works with under-threes, Nursery and Reception children in classroom settings and holds an MA in Early Childhood Studies. Rachna also writes for organisations like Tapestry and Early Education. Her recent work includes embedding music into settings via grants to purchase outdoor music walls, open-ended music resources and workshops for children and their families.

Paula Lester, an independent Quality Consultant, has been a senior leader in Early Years for over 25 years, including as a Group Manager and a Director of Quality for two nursery groups in the South of England.

Paula is a member of the Froebel Trust Education Committee and an active Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor (since 2017) and currently delivers many courses in England, Scotland and Wales in addition to teaching online. She has a Master's Degree in Early Years Education from the University of Roehampton.

Julia Manning-Morton is an author, trainer and lecturer in early childhood. Her career spans 40 years and diverse roles as a nursery nurse, manager, adviser and lecturer in Early Childhood Studies. Julia is now an independent consultant, an associate trainer for Early Education, a Froebel Travelling Tutor and a member of the Pikler (UK) Association.

Julia’s research, writing and teaching is focused on practice and provision that meets the needs of children from birth to three years old and on the personal, social and emotional well-being of children. Her aim is to promote the well-being of all children and all aspects of their care and learning; emphasizing inclusion and anti-bias, and to promote the well-being and professionalism recognition of all practitioners.

Maree has over 30 years’ experience as a teacher in the early childhood education sector. She lives and works in New Zealand, a country where the name Fredrich Froebel is virtually unknown. Inspired by the connection between Froebelian principles and the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whaariki she undertook a short course with the Froebel Trust. She works alongside her manager integrating Froebelian principles into her early learning centre. We hope to inspire others in New Zealand to learn about Froebelian practices.

Eve worked in a maintained nursery school in Peckham, London for over 6 years and is now a nursery teacher in a primary school in Cambridgeshire. She gained her MA in Early Childhood Studies at University of Roehampton and it was there that she became inspired by a Froebelian approach to early education.

Thelma Miller trained to be a Primary school teacher at Goldsmiths College, University of London from 1968- 71, studying Drama and Art as her main subjects. Her first teaching experiences were in schools for children experiencing emotional behaviour difficulties and/ or physical disabilities. Following the birth of her children she became interested in how children develop in the first years and retrained at the Froebel College, Roehampton in 1983 to become an early years teacher.

Throughout her long and happy career as a teacher, a family literacy tutor, headteacher and early years adviser she has tried to nurture the imagination and creativity in children, finding this the best way to motivate, interest and engage them in their learning.

In 2017 Thelma was invited by Professor Tina Bruce to train to become an accredited Froebel Travelling Tutor. She found it inspiring to revisit Froebel’s principles that are so comprehensive, practical and relevant for our work with children in the UK and around the world. She was delighted to make 3 visits to Kolkata, India to complete a programme introducing Froebelian principles and practise to a charity working with street children.

Pete Moorhouse is an Early Years Creative Consultant and works regularly as an artist educator in settings. Froebelian principles very much inform his work with children. Pete is a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor and an associate trainer for Early Education and delivers CPD training and conference presentations throughout the UK and overseas.

Pete is the author of several books and journal articles including ‘Learning through Woodwork: Introducing Creative Woodwork in the Early Years’ (Routledge 2018), and ‘Outdoor Environments’ and 'Learning Outdoors' (Community Playthings 2019) and 'The Wonder of Woodwork' (Froebel Trust, 2021). Pete is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, researching children's progression in their creative and critical thinking. He is a Churchill Fellow through which he researched woodwork in early childhood education around the world and in 2019 Pete was awarded the national award from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education.

Amanda has worked in the field of early childhood education for many years and has a wide range of experiences caring for children, teacher training and play therapy roles. Amanda is currently Programme lead for the BA (Hons) Childhood Studies at University of Winchester. Amanda's professional experience has included working in health and social services contexts and opening and managing a successful day care nursery, catering for children from birth to four years old. During her appointment at the nursery she led a team of staff through curriculum delivery and several OFSTED inspections. She specialised and trained as a practicing psychologist, Assessor, PGCE/ FE, EYP, Therapeutic Play Specialist (PG PT), SG lead, SENCO, ENCO, and TEFL supporting her professional practice as part of the senior management team.

Dr. Lucy Parker is a Deputy Headteacher at Ludwick Nursery School in Hertfordshire where she has been instrumental in introducing a Froebelian approach, including cookery and clay as core curriculum experiences. Lucy is a Froebel trained teacher with a BA, PGCE, MA and PhD from the University of Roehampton. As a trustee of the Froebel Trust, Lucy co-chairs the Education and Research Committee.

Kate has spent most of her adult life in the north of England, teaching in Early Years in Manchester, largely in schools with high levels of deprivation, asylum seekers and refugees. She has had a great deal experience of teaching children with EAL.

She went as the third teacher to the Kolkata Project, funded by the Froebel Trust. This was a project working alongside untrained teachers in charity schools to develop their understanding of Froebelian principles and practice, and thus to improve the quality of education these schools offered to the poorest children.

As a Froebel Travelling Tutor she has trained adults in a variety of settings, ranging from a maintained nursery school to a community allotment.

Emma has worked in Early Years for 30 years. She is currently headteacher at Camborne Nursery school in Cornwall. She has previously taught in Rome, Prague and London and has been engaged in European research projects. She is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments that support families in the local community. Emma is co-leading the development of the Cornwall Froebel Network. She has co-authored the Froebel Trust pamphlet ‘ Creating environments for children to play and learn’. She has undertaken a research project on building stronger relationships with parents and carers which was funded by the Froebel Trust.

Dr Kate Smith began her career working with children and families as a reception class teacher in primary schools. After moving into Higher Education she became a Senior Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University supporting practice based and research students in the field of Early Childhood Studies.

Kate's research interests are focused on young children’s literacies, particularly their mark-making and writing. She has written for a variety of publications and collaborated on a range of early childhood projects including the recent Birth to Five matters document. Her latest publication, 'Supporting Early Literacies through Play ' (Smith and Vincent, 2022) explores the symbiotic relationship between play and literacy.

Kate is a Travelling Tutor for the Froebel Trust and an education consultant working with a range of early years settings, schools and arts based organisations.

Sara is a trained early childhood teacher in New Zealand. She established a private centre, The Cottage Kindergarten in 2012. Continuing to study she graduated as Master of Education Practice in 2024. She leads a team of ten, and since starting the online Froebel short course in 2022 with her colleague Maree Mascard, has journeyed into implementing Froebelian Principles & Practices. She is a founding member of Froebel Aotearoa New Zealand, committed to the goal of creating a place for all those interested in the Froebel approach to education, to connect, share practice, ideas, training, and resources.

Chantal is a highly experienced, qualified teacher with a passion for block play. She has worked with a range of year groups in Key Stage 1 before concentrating on the Early Years supporting children 0-5 as well as their families and colleagues. Chantal has completed the Froebel Trust Short Courses and the University of Edinburgh Froebel in Childhood Practice course. Chantal works at Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre where she became a member of the Froebel Partnership Team, which undertook 3 years of integrated early childhood research and practice development funded by the Froebel Trust.

Fengling is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at School of Education, Froebel College, University of Roehampton. Fengling’s teaching covers BA/MA Early Childhood Studies, Froebel Professional Certificate in Early Childhood and supervision of MA/PhD students at Roehampton. Her research interests include Froebelian perspectives, young children’s identities/spirituality/wellbeing, play and creativity, children’s rights and participation, early childhood professionalism and higher education pedagogy.

Felicity is a Froebel trained early years teacher and has over 40 years’ experience of teaching, leading and training others in this sector.

She has worked in schools, family centres, children’s centres and within the community. She is one third of a consultancy and training company which she started with two like-minded and recently retired head teacher colleagues. She has experience of teaching adults on a foundation degree accredited by Hereford University and has assessed leaders doing their early years initial teaching qualification.

Felicity has retrained through the Froebel Trust to become a Froebel Travelling Tutor. She has used her updated and reflective understanding of Froebelian principles to support teachers working with the street children in Kolkata. Recently she has co-authored a book (available from the Froebel Trust) about the history of early years education in England and related this to a case study of the nursery school she led.

Helen Tovey was Principal Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at University of Roehampton, London teaching on undergraduate, masters and professional development courses. She is a Froebel trained teacher with over 20 years experience working in Nursery and Primary Schools. She was head of a Nursery school in an inner-city area of London and was involved in setting up and developing a challenging outdoor environment.

Helen is author of numerous books and articles including Playing Outdoors, Spaces and Places, Risk and Challenge published by Open University Press and Bringing the Froebel Approach to your Early Years Practice published by Routledge.

Although retired from lecturing Helen is a member of the Froebel Trust Education Committee, Chair of the University of Roehampton Froebel Archive Advisory Group and a Nursery School Governor.

Jane Whinnett MBE is an associate tutor on the 'Froebel in Childhood Practice' course at the University of Edinburgh and a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor. 

She is author of the Froebel Trust pamphlet on 'Froebel’s Gifts and Block Play Today' and co authored 'Sewing with Young Children'. She has published chapters in 'Early Childhood Practice: Froebel Today' (2012) and co-edited the award winning book 'Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice' (2020) and 'The Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel' (2023). 

Jane trained as a primary school teacher, later specialising in early years and went on to become Headteacher at two local authority nursery schools in Edinburgh. In 2019 Jane was awarded an MBE for services to Early Childhood Education.

Holli Williams is Head of Schools at Linden Tree Nursery Schools, a small chain of privately-owned settings in Southwest London. Linden Tree has undertaken three of the five Froebel Short Course elements, which began their transformation to a Froebelian educational approach in all their settings.

Holli is also a Trustee of the Froebel Trust.

Janaki Wood is an experienced Early Years educator with over 30 years in the field. A committed proponent of Froebelian principles, she advocates for learning through inclusive and nurturing practice, with a strong emphasis on relationships. Her recent roles include serving as Early Years Lead for the Race, Equality and Minority Achievement Team and Project Manager for the Froebel Partnership. Janaki has delivered training to educators, governors, and university students on multilingualism, cultural identity, and inclusive practice. A Froebel Short Course graduate, she brings reflection, collaboration and lived experience to her work.

Mark is an experienced Chair and CEO, having worked at Board level in both the public and third sectors over the last twenty five years. His most recent role being CEO of the charity Young Epilepsy, which amongst other issues works for greater inclusion in education and wider opportunities for children living with the long term health condition and/or additional needs. Previously, he was COO for Unicef UK, the leading child rights charity and also a Trustee of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. He is Chair of a national homelessness charity and a University Council Member.

He has a strong interest in early years education and previously chaired a group of children and family centres in South London. Mark is from Northern Ireland and a graduate of Queens University Belfast.

Michael Pearson is CEO of Sharp Surveys, a business he founded to help organisations collect feedback and opinions more easily, and use them to make better decisions.

Previously he was CFO for a variety of real estate services and investment businesses, where he led successful debt and equity fundraisings in excess of $10 billon.

Michael studied at Magdalen College, Oxford gaining a BA in Mathematics. Subsequently he became qualified as a Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales.

Michael has a keen interest in early childhood wellbeing, and brings his financial expertise to his position as Treasurer and Trustee.

Lilah Woods is the Stakeholder Engagement Lead at the Money and Pensions Service.

Lilah is a marketing professional with over 22 years of experience, much of it in the charity sector and for the last four years has been a mentor for the Chartered Institute of Marketing mentoring programme.

Professor Kate Hoskins is Professor of Education at Brunel University, London. Her research focuses on education policy, identity, inequalities in relation to early years, further and higher education.

In 2018 she completed a project, funded by the Froebel Trust, with Dr Sue Smedley, exploring the possibilities to protect and extend Froebelian practice through policy interventions.

Her recent funded project with Professor Alice Bradbury examined the role of nursery schools in reducing the impact of socio-economic disadvantage in the early years sector.

She has published on inequalities in ECEC, with a focus on the role of policy in exacerbating these. She regularly reviews for early years journals.

Dr Lucy Parker is Deputy Headteacher at Ludwick (Maintained) Nursery School in Hertfordshire. She has been instrumental in introducing a Froebelian approach at the nursery, including cookery and clay as core curriculum experiences.

Lucy is a Froebel trained teacher and has received a BA, PGCE, MA and PhD from the University of Roehampton.

Lucy is Chair of the Froebel Trust's Education Sub-Committee and Co-Chair of Education & Research Committee.

Sharon is Senior Lecturer in early childhood education at Bath Spa University and an associate trainer and researcher for the Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education (CREC). She is a vice-chair on the Executive of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network.

She has a diverse career background, working initially in the Department for Work and Pensions as a policy manager, owning a private day nursery, assessor for the award of EYPs, participating in the review of the Teacher Standards, and more recently working as project assistant for the development of Birth to Five Matters non-statutory guidance.

Sharon’s PhD research and interests are particularly concerned with play based participatory pedagogies and its part in developing children’s mixed ethnic identity and cultural learning and development – especially learning and development informed by child-led perspectives. Sharon also has a deep interest and engages in work that develops anti-oppressive practice.

She is an active member of Early Childhood Education Research Association (ECERA), CREC learning circle and Early Education.

Dr Fufy Demissie is a senior lecturer in the Sheffield Institute of Education. She began her career in higher education after 10 years of teaching in Foundation Stage settings.  She currently coordinates the CPD network and the student placement programme for the Early Years Community and Research Centre (EYCRC) at the Meadows nursery, Sheffield.   

Fufy teaches on the BA and PGCE early years courses at Sheffield Hallam University and supervises doctoral candidates. Her own research focuses on understanding the role of dialogic pedagogies in professional learning in the early years and beyond. Recent projects include an Erasmus project on Global Citizenship and Mathematics education and a classroom intervention to promote metacognition in early childhood settings. 

Professor Jean-Noël Ezingeard is Vice-Chancellor at University of Roehampton, a university he describes as ‘an engine of social progress’. He has previously held leadership and academic positions at Manchester Metropolitan University, Kingston University, Henley Business School and Brunel University London. He is passionate about building relationships between universities, business and the community and while in the North West, oversaw the development of one of the largest high level apprenticeships in the UK.

Jean-Noël has held Board and advisory positions with Warrington and Halton NHS Trust, Henley Management College, Richmond upon Thames College and the Association of Business Schools. He has also worked on a number of business-academia steering groups with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and the Office for Students. He is a board member for the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB), and University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC).

Jean-Noël is a graduate of École Centrale de Lille where he studied Engineering Systems, followed by postgraduate study at Brunel University London where he also studied for his PhD in Information Systems. His research expertise is in systems and processes management with a focus on the social aspect of information systems management (including information security).

Catriona began her professional career in theatre, working in several directorial positions with companies in England and Scotland. In April 2021, she joined the Early Years team at Education Scotland, following more than 20 years in teaching roles after gaining a degree in Psychology and a Post-graduate Certificate in Education. Her last teaching position was as Head Teacher of Greengables Nursery School and Family Centre in Edinburgh. Having gained the Froebel and Childhood Practice Certificate from the University of Edinburgh in 2008, she now shares her expertise with current students as a part-time tutor on the University of Edinburgh Froebel in Childhood Practice courses.

As well as being a respected Froebelian author and presenter, Catriona is a member of the Edinburgh Froebel Network. She is a member of the Froebel Trust’s Education Committee and participated in the 2020 'Young Voices on Covid-19' research project.

Abha is a barrister who works part-time at Crown Office Row chambers in Brighton. In her work, Abha specialises in the area of trusts and probate disputes and she has worked with numerous charities over the years.

As parent to a young child, Abha’s interest in early childhood education and care (ECEC) was sparked by her own search for nursery provision. Her quest to research and find play-based, child-centred approaches to ECEC led her to read the work of educationalists, such as Sir Ken Robinson. Abha’s values and views about education align closely with approaches commonly found in Finland – her husband’s home country – and the Froebel Trust’s principles.

Holli Williams is Head of Schools at Linden Tree Nursery Schools, a small chain of privately-owned settings in Southwest London. Linden Tree have undertaken three of the five Froebel Short Course elements, which began their transformation to a Froebelian educational approach in all their settings.

Sean is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of experience in investment banking and financial services, including as Chief Operating Officer for the Credit Suisse banking entities in the UK. In this capacity Sean oversaw strategic operations, key risk management and compliance processes and played a pivotal role in navigating complex industry transformations.

Sean currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of JN Bank UK where he is Chair of the Audit Committee. In this role Sean provides strategic oversight and ensures robust governance in financial reporting, risk assessment and internal controls.

A dedicated advocate for social impact, Sean has also served as a trustee for several prominent charities, contributing expertise in governance, financial stewardship and organisational strategy to advance their missions. His boardroom experience is complemented by deep insights into corporate governance, operational resilience and sustainable growth strategies.

Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts with honours in Economics from The University of Manchester. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), and is recognised for his ability to balance commercial acumen with a strong commitment to ethical leadership. The Black British Business Awards recognised Sean’s leadership as the winner of the 2022 Senior Leader in Financial Services and he was also a winner of the Powerlist Executive Leadership Council 'Executive of the Year.’