Zoe had a successful career in corporate finance within a global organisation having qualified as an Accountant. After a career break, Zoe joined education as an Academy business Leader and Chief Finance Officer, and undertook this role across a Single Academy Trust and three Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) for 7 years prior to joining Enlighten Learning Trust. Zoe has experience across all educational phases, and in Special Schools. Zoe is focussed on adding value to all elements of Enlighten Learning Trusts delivery, and supporting colleagues across the Trust. 

Gary has a Mechanical Engineering degree, going on to work for Glaxo Welcome and BOC Gases. Thereafter spending 14 years managing charities; Limbless Association and the Royal British Legion’s London Operations. He has worked in the education sector since 2012 in business management and operational roles managing capital projects, up to £10m, and also managing contracts and estates compliance, with an onus for value for money at all times. He has worked cross all phases providing operational support to Primary, Secondary, University and also Alternative Provision establishments.

In his Trust role, Gary supports our schools in ensuring their facilities and estates are safe, vibrant, adaptable and secure environments to work, learn and play a pivotal role in building strong bonds with the whole school community. 

Helen has a background in customer service and HR.  She studied languages at university and has had a varied career, ranging from escorting groups of tourists through Europe and the Soviet Union, through  to selling educational tours to American High School students and working as a Train Manager for Eurostar.  She values the life experiences that education can open up to children and wholeheartedly supports the ELT vision.

It was whilst working for Eurostar that Helen started working in HR.  She has been a member of the CIPD since 1994 and is currently studying for the level 7 diploma in strategic people management.  In 2014, she started working in education, in a variety of settings and since 2019 she has been a member of the ELT central team, working with leadership and staff across the organisation.  Her current role is Head of HR leading the people function in the Trust, setting out the strategy and supporting the schools in fostering a high quality working environment which will attract and retain great staff as well as ensuring compliance with our statutory obligations. 

Lucy brings over 25 years of experience in communications, having worked across both agency and client environments. As a member of the Executive Team, she plays a pivotal role influencing the Trust’s strategiy and operations team, contributing to the leadership, management, and oversight of Trust-wide development initiatives in collaboration with the Chief Executive, Director of School Improvement and Chief Finance Officer.

Lucy leads the Trust’s GDPR service, providing expert guidance on data protection matters and overseeing all related processes to ensure compliance and operational efficiency. Having successfully completed both Foundation and Practitioner-level certifications in GDPR, Lucy supports the Trust in maintaining robust data protection practices across all areas.

Elise started life working in IT, first on a Help Desk, and then in project management, until she decided to switch careers in 2000 to become an accountant. She hasn’t looked back since! 

She has predominantly worked in the public sector, first in the NHS where she worked as a Junior Management Accountant for 7 years, moving around between specialities, and then for English Heritage for a further 7 years, gaining a variety of experience managing the finances of some very well known properties such as Kenwood House and Dover Castle. 

Elise made the move into Education in 2018 working in a couple of Multi Academy Trusts as Finance Business Partner, before joining ELT in January 2023 as Trust Finance Manager. Her role is to support the Heads in keeping the schools’ finances within budget, providing various analysis, as well as supporting the CFO in delivering a variety of statutory requirements for the ESFA. 

Alison worked in commercial banking and the global banking regulatory sector before moving into education. She brings a wealth of experience from her regulatory work and voluntary/volunteering roles in governance, and local and national charities.

Alison’s role at ELT is to lead on governance, policies and compliance across the trust.

Since taking up the role of Company Secretary and Clerk, Alison has completed Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP's  Company Secretarial Course for Academies and the NCTL Clerks Development Programme.