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. 

Before starting her career in education, Julie qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant working in Commodities. She began working for Esher High School in 2006 in finance and progressed to School Business Lead, managing the school’s budget and support staff departments. During this time, negotiating and monitoring contracts was a key part of the role, as well as ensuring the school received value for money.

In her Trust role, Julie supports our schools in ensuring their facilities and estates are managed to the best standard. Her procurement processes and contract management provide a way for schools to ensure they are getting the best service both in quality and price. She holds a Certificate in School Business Management and has recently completed the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply Corporate Practitioner Award. 

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 has enjoyed a career in marketing and communications for more than 25 years both on the agency and client side. Her core purpose at ELT is to provide effective and results driven marketing strategy and management across the academy trust and it's schools. As a member of the Trust’s strategic operational team, she contributes to the leadership, management and monitoring of Trust development working alongside the both the Executive Headteacher and the Chief Finance Officer.

Lucy leads on providing a GDPR service to the Trust, advising on all associated issues and administering all related matters to support the smooth running of the Trust. Having completed both a Foundation and Practitioners Certified Course in GDPR, she works across all aspects of Data Protection.

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.