Zoe Raven - CEO

Zoe

 

The oldest member of the team, and the longest serving! Zoe started Acorn in 1989 when she opened the first nursery in Castlethorpe and lived upstairs with her family.  She is passionate about retaining a personal touch in the organisation, and for Acorn to lead the sector in being a learning organisation and a model of ethical practice.

Alongside her role as CEO Zoe completed her doctoral studies in 2023 and has published a book based on her thesis: A Care Manifesto for the Early Years – The Need for an Ethic of Care in Childcare Policy and Practice.  She has also co-written a guide to sustainability for early years educators, published in May 2026.