Our people
Our President
Penny Tassoni MBE
Penny Tassoni is a well-known education consultant, author and trainer who specialises in the whole spectrum of learning and play within early years.
Penny has written over 40 books, many of which are best sellers in the sector. Her latest professional book is Reducing Educational disadvantage; A strategic approach in the early years.
Penny is a sought after speaker both in the UK and internationally where she has worked in Istanbul, China, and Japan.
In addition to training, Penny has worked as a consultant for awarding organisations as well as leading toy manufacturers.
“The early years sector is wonderfully diverse, but yet I see it as a united community as it always puts children and their families first. It is therefore an honour to be President of PACEY – an organisation designed to support members who work in a variety of roles within this early years community.”
Penny has been President of PACEY since 2013.
Our Board of Trustees
Dr Amy Page (Chair)
Dr Amy Page became Chair in November 2020.
With extensive experience in the early years and childcare sector, Amy began her journey as a paediatric doctor. In 2013, she gained her Early Years Professional Status and then became a childminder for six years until 2017. Passionate about early years, while Amy was a childminder she also set up a local childminding network and helped to run toddler groups in the local area.
After 2017, Amy then joined a nursery chain and helped manage their group of pre-schools, day nurseries and after-school clubs. With her previous experience, she has recently re-entered the medical profession, currently working for a medical insurance company.
Amy joined the PACEY board initially as a Trustee in 2018 and was appointed the position of Chair in November 2020.
You can contact Amy by email at chair@pacey.org.uk or write to her care of PACEY, Northside House, Third Floor, 69 Tweedy Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3WA
Stephanie Douglas MBE
Stephanie Douglas is Head of Early Intervention and Localities for Doncaster Borough Council. She has over 25 years’ experience working in the education and skills sector and 20 years working as a Local Authority Senior Officer. Stephanie is dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families by the leadership and implementation of excellence in policy and practice. She has been awarded the MBE for services to Education and Early Years in 2021. Stephanie joined the Board because she is passionate about the care and education of young children and their families, and to represent the voice of the sector she values very highly.
Sabrina Saulle
Sabrina Saulle is a chartered accountant and has been an Internal Auditor for Financial Services for most of her 15 years career. Sabrina currently works for a global bank leading the GIA quality assurance team for EMEA.
Sabrina joined the Board of PACEY because she believes early years’ education is crucially important for both children and parents.
Shanti Flynn
Shanti Flynn is Head of Education at Storal, a group of award winning nurseries across the UK. Shanti began her career in early years as a teacher over 25 years ago, and has worked as a LA advisor, Area SENCo, Ofsted Inspector and Head of Education and Childcare. She has proven experience in leading teams to deliver excellent care and education so that our young children achieve the best possible outcomes.
Andrew Maxwell
Andrew Maxwell is currently Head of Markets and Infrastructure at a large IT Services organisation, focusing on Digital Transformation. He has a background in delivery, operations and sales. As the parent of young children, Andrew joined the Board because he has experienced first-hand the impact early years practitioners have on the development of children.
Sharne McLean
Sharne McLean is currently Head of Early Years and Childcare at the London Borough of Royal Greenwich. In her role, Sharne has been driven to promote the value of early learning and childcare to families and organisations, especially supporting private, voluntary and independent providers, including registered childminders. Sharne has joined PACEY’s Board to support the ambitions of the organisation in making sure every child has the best possible early years’ experience, valuing the role of excellent practice in the sector and increasing parental confidence in using childcare.
Danny Frost
Danny Frost is the Chief Risk Officer & Regional Head of Risk for EMEA and APAC at American International Group (Fortune 500 company) and he is a designated ‘Material Risk Taker’ as defined by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Prior to joining AIG, Danny spent nineteen years of his career at Credit Suisse Investment bank. Danny holds Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and Chartered Institute of Banking qualifications. Danny joined the board as a trustee, given his passion for driving positive change, so as every child has the best possible developmental opportunities.
Lucy Lewin
Lucy Lewin is a dedicated champion for early years education, serves as the founder of The Profitable Nursery Academy and Little Angels Nursery. With her profound experience in the sector, she has crafted her mission around empowering early years settings to embrace a strengths-based leadership approach. Lucy started her early years journey s a childminder and is now a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who firmly believes in harnessing individual strengths to cultivate highly engaged and motivated teams. This approach, she believes, is instrumental in delivering high-quality education and care to children and families.
Our Senior Management Team
Helen Donohoe, Chief Executive
Helen Donohoe leads PACEY, championing the vital role practitioners play in helping children prepare for a bright future and working to ensure everyone in childcare and early years can provide high quality care and early education.
Helen joined PACEY as Policy Advisor in 2019, taking the role of Chief Executive in December 2022. She has almost 30 years of experience across policy development, campaigning, and senior leadership, including time as the Director for Public Policy at Action for Children and as a Parent Governor of Islington North Nursery. She is passionate about early intervention and ensuring every child gets the best start in life.
Working with PACEY staff, volunteers and members, she ensures PACEY provides information, advice and support to childminders, nurseries; pre-schools and nannies as well as families and others involved in childcare and early years; enables members to share their ideas and experiences with each other and represents and advocates on their behalf. Helen represents PACEY at the Department for Education’s Early Years Strategic Forum; Ofsted’s Early Years Consultative Forum and shares PACEY members’ views and experiences on other coalitions, at conferences and parliamentary forums, as well as to the media.
Amy Wood, Head of Data & Technology
Amy ’s job is to lead on all PACEY’s technology and data systems, ensuring our website, member portal as well as our online training are accessible to members and other beneficiaries 24/7. She also leads PACEY data strategy, ensuring we meet all GDPR requirements and supporting us to use the data we have to inform and improve our work as well as grow our engagement with members and other stakeholders. Before joining PACEY, Amy was the Director of her own business working on implementing, managing and operating data systems and integrations across a variety of organisations in multiple business sectors worldwide. She has a passion for technology, and a natural aptitude for problem solving and identifying effective solutions.
Claire Protheroe, Head of Contracts & Projects
Claire’s job is to lead all of PACEY Cymru’s work in Wales with Welsh Government and other key stakeholders as well as managing PACEY’s wider work with local authorities (LAs) in England and Wales. This includes managing contracts to deliver services and any grant funded projects PACEY run alongside maintaining relationships with childcare and early years leaders in local authorities in both nations. Claire has held a number of roles since joining PACEY in 2009 and before this Claire was a registered childminder for a number of years.
Ka Lai Brightley-Hodges, Head of Membership & Marketing
Ka Lai’s job is to lead on ensuring all our members make the most of the great benefits that PACEY offers and to encourage more childminders, nannies, nurseries, and pre-schools to join PACEY. Alongside this, Ka Lai ensures PACEY’s communication channels and key partners promote PACEY’s brand and its work. She also leads on the sale of products and services in PACEY’s shop. Before joining PACEY, Ka Lai was Senior Loyalty Manager at the Royal Academy of Arts where she worked on a range of activities that supported the recruitment and retention of their 97,000 members.
Victoria Epps-Wood, Head of Finance & Support
Victoria’s job is to lead on PACEY’s financial and people strategies. She ensures that PACEY’s plans are sustainable and that the funds the charity receives are managed properly. Victoria also ensures PACEY has the systems, processes, and advice it needs to support everyone working at PACEY. As part of this, the role is responsible for several compliance areas including company and charity law, employment law (including health and safety). Before joining PACEY, Victoria was Bursar, Head of Finance and Clerk to the Governors of Bethany School in Kent. There, alongside finance, Victoria was responsible for facilities, compliance, governance, and procurement.
The England Team
Angela Gamble
Information, Advice and Guidance Manager
Natalie Fitzgerald
Customer Services Manager
Jodie Sinclair
Marketing Executive
Rose Porter
Marketing Executive
Robyn Leckey
Commercial and Product Assistant
Catherine Barnes
Customer Services Officer
Ninthiya Sivarajalingam
Customer Services Officer
Zara Smith
PACEY Advisor
Pat Tomlinson
PACEY Advisor
Moses Lenga
Management Accountant
Leighan Hunt
Sales Ledger and Credit Controller
Kayliegh Fay
Finance Officer – Purchase Ledger
Ken Kehoe
Compliance and Governance Manager
Julian Protheroe
IT Support Analyst
Beth Davies
HR Services Advisor
Elaine Baker
Childminding Support and Development Officer for Intervention
Alison Mooney
Childminding Support and Development Officer – Cambridgeshire
Deborah Townsend
Childminder Support and Development Officer – Cambridgeshire
Carol Grange
Childminding Support & Development Officer – South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire
Caroline Maryon
Service Manager- Cambridgeshire
The Wales Team
PACEY Cymru Team. Tîm PACEY Cymru
Elinor Stafford
Regional Manager (South)
Rheolwr Rhanbarthol (De)
Joanne Morris
Regional Manager (North)
Rheolwr Rhanbarthol (Gogledd)
Shelley Rees
Project Manager
Rheolwr Prosiect
Kelly Alexandre
Project Manager
Rheolwr Prosiect
Lindsey Watkins
Development Coordinator
Cydlynydd Datblygiad
Stephanie Draper
Development Coordinator
Cydlynydd Datblygiad
Laura Griffiths
Development Coordinator
Cydlynydd Datblygiad
Braint Rees
Language and Communications Coordinator
Cydlynydd Iaith a Chyfathrebu
Rachel Smith
Administrator (Wales)
Gweinyddwr (Cymru)
Jessica Gallacher
Administration and Support Coordinator
Cydlynydd Gweinyddu a Chymorth
Emma Davies
Quality and Training Coordinator
Cydlynydd Ansawdd a Hyfforddiant
“I'm deeply invested and passionate about the early years and childcare sector and incredibly proud to work for an organisation dedicated to representing and being the voice of the sector.”
Angela Gamble, Information Advice & Guidance Manager
Latest News
Keep up to date with everything that's happening in the childcare sector
Ofsted data shows continued decline in early years providers in England
Today (20 November) Ofsted has published its latest data on early years and childcare providers in...