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Trust Counsellor and Senior Mental Health Lead
Our Trust Counsellor and Senior Mental Health Lead brings experience, empathy and warmth to their role. Karen’s professional journey in education started in 2003 and has included working as a senior therapist across several Essex primary and secondary schools, including specialist SEND settings. This has shaped a compassionate, down-to-earth approach that looks beyond the individual to support the whole family. Karen is passionate about helping children, families, and staff feel heard, understood, and supported through life’s challenges.
Having previously worked as a teacher, Karen understands the everyday realities of school life and the importance of supporting not just pupils, but the whole school community. A strong advocate for early intervention, Karen believes that the right support, at the right time, can make a lasting difference. Her work centres on listening and understanding, nurturing positive relationships, and creating school environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and lead fulfilling, emotionally healthy lives. As well as talking therapy Karen also works creatively using art and play, understanding that for children play is their language.
At the heart of everything Karen does is a deep commitment to wellbeing and a belief that mental health matters—for everyone!
Outside of work, Karen has raised three sons and is the proud owner of a wonderfully chaotic springer spaniel. To look after her own mental health Karen loves getting outdoors for a run or a long hike—embracing fresh air, muddy paths, and the joy of appreciating nature.
Karen is an accredited member of the BACP and has been a counsellor for over 10 years her professional qualifications include a BScHons, HEDip and PGCE.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Executive Headteacher
Louise has over twenty years of dedicated service at HEARTS Academy Trust, her career encompasses teaching, headship, and executive leadership. Her work within small‑school settings has been particularly influential, with her vision and steady guidance building a culture of excellence and long‑standing recognition for high‑quality provision and sustained, strong pupil outcomes.
Over 25 years’ experience across infant, primary, faith-based, and international settings brings a broad, informed perspective on effective education and the needs of diverse communities. She has expertise in organisational and HR matters, ranging from policy development and investigations to governance and trust‑wide systems. This knowledge has been central to enhancing consistency and strengthening structures across the trust. This contribution has supported the establishment of clear strategic direction, coherent central‑team working and frameworks that enable schools to thrive.
A key hallmark of Louise’s leadership is her unwavering commitment to developing others and investing in the future strength of the organisation. She places succession planning at the heart of sustainable school improvement, ensuring that emerging leaders are nurtured and empowered. Her approach ensures that leadership capacity is continually strengthened across the trust, securing long‑term stability, resilience, and excellence for the communities HEARTS serves.
Chief Executive Officer
Don has over 18 years’ experience in education, spanning both primary and secondary phases and roles from class teacher to Headteacher and Executive Headteacher. He has worked extensively across the South of England, leading schools in diverse contexts – from inner-city London to rural and urban communities across Essex – many of which serve high levels of deprivation, disadvantage, and pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL).
Driven by a deep commitment to improving life chances for all children, Don believes in the power of high expectations, inclusive practice, and strong community engagement. He views schools as transformative anchors within their communities and champions the role of education in changing lives. His leadership is underpinned by a strong track record of raising standards, improving struggling schools, and strengthening curriculum design, teaching, and assessment.
A firm believer in the value of partnership and evidence-informed practice, Don serves as an Evidence Lead in Education (ELE) for the Essex Research School, working in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to support schools in applying high-quality research to improve teaching and learning. He is committed to system-level collaboration as a driver of excellence and equity and contributes to wider educational improvement through his roles on the Anglia Ruskin University Partnership Advisory Group and the Essex Schools Forum, advocating for coherent and collaborative approaches to school improvement and leadership development.
Don holds the NPQSL and NPQEL qualifications and is currently working towards Chartered Teacher (Leadership) status through the Chartered College of Teaching.
Director of Curriculum & Executive Headteacher
Danny has over 18 years’ experience in education across multiple phases and leadership roles. He is currently an Executive Headteacher and Director of Curriculum, Learning and Assessment, as well as a serving Ofsted Inspector. A qualified teacher, Danny previously gained extensive senior leadership experience as Head of School, where he successfully led improvements in teaching, learning and outcomes. He has also held a senior system leadership role within a multi-academy trust as Director of Curriculum, Learning and Assessment, overseeing the design and implementation of curriculum frameworks, assessment approaches and high-quality professional development across a family of schools.
Danny has a strong track record in curriculum development and school improvement, driven by a deep commitment to raising standards and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. He is particularly passionate about empowering middle and senior leaders to lead with confidence and impact, believing that sustainable improvement is achieved through distributed leadership and collaborative professional culture. His work has included extensive outreach in struggling schools, where he has supported leadership teams to strengthen their practice, develop their curriculum offer and secure better outcomes for pupils.
A dedicated advocate for professional learning, Danny leads and delivers extensive CPD at school, trust and system level, with a focus on evidence-informed pedagogy, curriculum coherence and effective assessment. He has also served as a lead for a specialist subject hub, working regionally to build capacity, share expertise and improve subject leadership. Danny holds both the NPQH and NPQEL qualifications, reflecting his commitment to high-quality leadership and system improvement.
Deputy Director of Curriculum
With over 16 years’ experience in education, Laura has taught across all year groups in the primary phase, including EYFS, and brings a deep understanding of curriculum, pedagogy and inclusive practice. Her career spans a wide range of diverse contexts, from inner-city settings with high levels of EAL to faith schools, as well as working with schools facing significant deprivation and pupil mobility. These experiences have shaped her commitment to ensuring every child receives a rich and ambitious education, regardless of background or starting point.
She has held a variety of leadership roles including assistant head of school and lead practitioner, alongside her work as an NPQLT and NPQH facilitator for the Church of England. She has extensive outreach experience both within the Trust and across Essex, supporting school improvement and empowering leaders at different stages of their development. Central to her approach is the belief in the power of coaching, enabling her to nurture teacher and leader growth through positive and supportive professional relationships.
In her current role as Deputy Director of Curriculum, Laura has been a driving force behind the HEARTS curriculum since its inception. She brings substantial expertise in curriculum design and provides schools with implementation support that prioritises clarity, coherence and long-term impact. Her role also includes delivering high-quality CPD across the Trust and leading teams of curriculum leads to drive consistency, ambition and sustained improvement. Her work focuses on equipping leaders to secure meaningful outcomes for all pupils and embedding sustainable practices that raise standards.
Executive Lead for Safeguarding, SEND and SEMH
As the Executive Lead for Safeguarding, SEND, and SEMH, Nicola oversees the Trust’s strategic approach to ensuring the safety, inclusion, and wellbeing of all pupils, staff, and wider stakeholders. She is responsible for driving high-quality provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, ensuring that every pupil receives the support they require to thrive.
In her role, Nicola has led the development and implementation of robust safeguarding, SEND, and SEMH strategies, policies, and training programmes. Her work has strengthened the consistency, quality, and impact of practice across all Trust schools. She has also established a collaborative network of SEND and SEMH specialists who provide expert guidance, targeted support, and professional development to schools and families, helping to improve outcomes and experiences for pupils with diverse needs.
Nicola is deeply committed to empowering pupils, staff, and families, and to fostering a culture rooted in respect, inclusion, and high aspiration. She works closely with a range of partners—including local authorities, health services, and charitable organisations—to ensure that the Trust’s approach aligns with national expectations and sector-leading practice.
Nicola is currently leading the Trust’s Disadvantaged Strategy, which outlines the Trust’s commitment to improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. This strategy is available on our website.
Chief Operating Officer
Louise brings extensive cross‑sector experience to her role as Chief Operating Officer (COO), with a career spanning retail banking, compliance, finance, HR and recruitment. She began her professional journey at NatWest Bank, gaining FPC qualifications and building strong foundations in client relationships, financial management, and mortgages.
Her career progressed into senior executive assistant roles supporting CEOs, before moving into the recruitment sector, where she spent more than a decade leading agency operations. During this time, she held responsibility for profit and loss performance, business compliance, client relationships and the full recruitment lifecycle.
Thirteen years ago, Louise transitioned into the education sector, managing a large secondary school office with accountability for student services and wider operational leadership. Moving to HEARTS Academy Trust as COO five years ago. Louise supports strategic aims through effective operational leadership, project management, workforce planning and relations across the trust.
At HEARTS, Louise’s role within the Executive Leadership Team, is to help shape the Trust’s strategic direction, ensuring operational excellence, and contributing to the delivery of high‑quality education across all HEARTS schools.
Louise is deeply passionate about ensuring every child receives the highest‑quality education that enables them to realise their full potential. She is committed to delivering exceptional non‑pupil‑facing services that enable schools to thrive, always ensuring that children remain at the heart of every decision.
Chief Finance Officer
Matt brings nearly a decade of experience in education finance to the Trust’s executive team. Providing comprehensive financial oversight driven by a “pupils first” philosophy, ensuring that every budgetary decision is measured by its positive impact on our pupils’ learning while supporting schools through the ever-evolving education financial landscape. Starting his Trust journey as an AAT Level 4 accounting apprentice, he is now working on completing the CIPFA-ISBL Diploma in School Financial and Operational Leadership.
Beyond the balance sheet, Matt possesses extensive expertise in estates management and the strategic delivery of capital projects, ensuring the best use of grant funds available to keep our schools safe, sustainable and conducive to learning.
A champion of digital innovation, Matt spearheads the use of integrated IT systems not just within finance, but across all operational technology. By modernizing systems and streamlining operations, Matt ensures that the Trust’s resources remain focused where they matter most: on redefining the possibilities of our pupils.
Estates & Facilities Lead
Ian brings over 15 years’ experience in facilities and estates management. He is responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of buildings across multiple premises, ensuring that all environments are safe, compliant, well maintained, and fully supportive of high‑quality education.
He has a strong track record in overseeing building and school development projects, including bespoke provision, from concept through to completion. This includes preparing and submitting CIF bids, managing funding applications, and providing effective project oversight to ensure delivery on time, within budget, and to the highest standards. Ian has extensive knowledge of health and safety compliance and statutory requirements and works closely with finance teams to ensure best value, efficiency, and long‑term sustainability across the Trust’s estate.
Alongside his core facilities expertise, Ian brings experience in agriculture and landscape management, including involvement in high‑profile projects such as the Chelsea Flower Show arrangements for Southend Council. He leads and develops facilities teams to maintain buildings and grounds across multiple sites, taking a practical, solution‑focused approach to ensure the Trust’s environments remain safe, functional, and fit for purpose now and in the future.
Governance Lead
With over 25 years of experience in finance, management, and compliance, Rebecca has built a career defined by leadership, precision, and strategic insight. She began her professional journey in a local chartered accountancy firm before moving to Blick Rothenberg, a London based chartered accountancy firm, where she progressed into a managerial position overseeing client portfolios, supervising teams, and ensuring rigorous adherence to industry standards.
Rebecca later advanced into the role of Financial Controller for a medium-sized international company. In this position, she led financial operations, managed complex reporting structures, strengthened internal controls, and contributed to organisational growth through sound financial planning and compliance oversight.
During her time at HEARTS Rebecca has gained her Level 4 Diploma in School Business Management and her Certificate in Academy Governance.
Her core strengths include exceptional numeracy and broad business knowledge. She is known for her organisational capability, clear communication, critical analysis, and commitment to robust compliance and control frameworks. Rebecca’s leadership style is grounded in integrity, collaboration, and a focus on continuous improvement, making her a trusted and respected professional across every environment she works in.
Trust Counsellor
Our Clinical Placement Programme is led by Kerry Westbrook, who serves as the Trust Counsellor and Senior Mental Health Lead at HEARTS Academy Trust. Kerry qualified as a counsellor in 2007, obtaining a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, and has brought nearly two decades of expertise to her role. Since 2020, she has dedicated her work solely to HEARTS, becoming an integral part of our approach to mental health, wellbeing, and inclusive support.
Kerry has developed an exceptional clinical placement model that supports pupils, families, and staff across the Trust. Under her leadership, the programme has become a cornerstone of our HEARTS approach—prioritising early intervention, trauma‑informed practice, and high-quality pastoral care. Her work ensures that trainee counsellors joining the Trust receive robust supervision, safeguarding oversight, and practical experience that aligns with our values and high standards.
Known for her calm, compassionate presence and deep professional knowledge, Kerry plays a vital role in shaping the Trust’s mental health and wellbeing strategy. She provides direct therapeutic support, leads staff training, and works closely with school leaders to cultivate emotionally safe, supportive environments in which every child can thrive.