Carolyn Norfolk Expand Carolyn has been a dedicated member of Acorn’s Board of Trustees since 2017 and was appointed Vice Chair in 2022. As a former Acorn parent, she brings a personal understanding of the positive impact the nursery has on children and families. Professionally, Carolyn is a Chartered Tax Advisor and a Partner at EY LLP, with over 20 years’ experience advising both corporate and charitable organisations. Her extensive expertise in taxation and governance has been invaluable in supporting the Board of Trustees, CEO, and Senior Leadership Team as Acorn continues to grow and develop. Carolyn’s background working with entrepreneurial and not-for-profit clients adds a vital perspective to the strategic leadership of the nursery.
Denise Bragg Expand Denise joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees as a parent trustee in February 2026 and currently has a child in our Shenley nursery. She is a communications expert with over a decade’s experience shaping strategy, reputation and stakeholder engagement for global companies. She currently works in strategic communications for a management consultancy and has deep expertise in reputation management, communications strategy and public engagement. As a parent, Denise understands personally the importance of high-quality early years experiences in fostering children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Denise is passionate about championing equitable access to early learning, advocating for evidence-based approaches that put children, families and practitioners at the heart of decision-making.
Dr Narendra Laljani - Chair of Trustees Expand Narendra brings over 30 years of experience in leadership development, organisational strategy, and executive coaching. As an Executive Professor at Henley Business School, he supports leaders and teams in becoming more effective and purpose-driven. He holds a doctorate in management from Cranfield University and has studied both economics and management. Before moving into academia in 1995, Narendra spent 15 years in an international career with ICI. His extensive experience in education and business offers valuable insights into the intersection of academic theory and real-world practice, enabling him to navigate complex challenges with clarity, purpose, and strategic foresight. Narendra became a trustee in July 2018 and served in that capacity until July 2024. He was appointed as Chair in June 2025, continuing his commitment to impactful leadership and governance.
Emma Cox Expand Emma joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees as a parent trustee in November 2024. She currently has a child at our Stony Stratford nursery, and her eldest previously attended our Castlethorpe setting, giving her a strong personal connection to the Acorn community. Emma has spent much of her career as a senior leader in local secondary schools, with a particular focus on safeguarding and supporting early career teachers. She now works within the Mathematical Outreach team at the University of Oxford. Emma holds a Master’s degree in Education and is an active member of the Mathematics Association. Her background in education and safeguarding brings valuable insight to the Board’s work.
Giles Chilton Expand Giles joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees with extensive experience in project management and a strong interest in evaluating social impact and creating shared value. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Engineering and a postgraduate certificate in Business Leadership. For the past 16 years, Giles has worked in the rail industry and now leads complex IT projects focused on railway operations. His background in managing large-scale initiatives and his analytical approach bring valuable expertise to Acorn’s strategic development. Giles is also one of Acorn’s Vice Chairs
Hannah Cheetham-Joshi Expand Hannah joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees in 2025 as a parent trustee, with a child currently attending our Shenley nursery. She has a long-standing connection to Acorn, with her two older children also having been part of the nursery community. Hannah has a strong background in education, having spent ten years in a senior leadership role at an education charity. There, she led the design and delivery of professional development for teachers and school leaders, and oversaw work to evaluate the charity’s impact. Prior to this, she taught in London secondary schools, where she held roles as a Geography teacher, Head of Department, and Assistant Head. She holds a Masters in Education and is deeply committed to creating an education system in which every child can thrive, regardless of their background.
Joslyn Hooper Expand Joslyn joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees as a parent trustee in February 2026 and has a child attending the Acorn Nursery - Barton Latimer setting. She is a Policy Advisor in the UK Civil Service with over five years’ experience developing and implementing government policy. Throughout her career, she has worked on shaping evidence-based policy, engaging stakeholders across sectors, and supporting effective delivery to achieve meaningful outcomes for communities. Her expertise includes policy design, impact assessment, stakeholder engagement and translating complex issues into clear, actionable strategy. As both a parent and policymaker, Joslyn understands the vital role high-quality early years provision plays in supporting children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. She is passionate about ensuring that nursery settings remain inclusive, evidence-led and responsive to the needs of families, and is committed to contributing her policy expertise to support strong governance and positive outcomes for children.
Katy Pillai Expand Katy joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees in early 2023. She is a parent of two young children who have both attended Acorn nurseries and holiday clubs, giving her a strong personal connection to the organisation. With a background in strategic finance, Katy brings 20 years of experience advising and investing in companies across the UK and internationally. Over the past decade, she has focused on businesses with strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) credentials, and in her current role, she invests in clean energy companies and projects. Katy also has experience working with social enterprises, particularly those supporting young people, and is passionate about ensuring all children have access to high-quality, affordable early years education. Katy currently chairs Acorn’s Strategy & Impact working group
Michelle Sogga Expand Michelle has been a trustee since October 2025. She is a qualified teacher and has spent the majority of her career in senior leadership roles within early years education, including as a former headteacher of a maintained nursery school with 0-5 childcare provision. She also has experience as a senior leader within a special school and was a Designated Safeguarding Lead within schools for 10 years. Since 2016 Michelle has been a senior tutor at the University of Bedfordshire, teaching across a range of courses with a focus on early years education, including those leading to Early Years Teacher Status and Qualified Teacher Status qualifications. She is also a qualified Forest School Leader and leads on the forest school provision at the university.
Nicholas Ireland Expand Nicholas joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees in 2026. He is a project controls and governance professional at Northrop Grumman, supporting major UK defence and infrastructure programmes through financial oversight, schedule management and risk analysis. He is passionate about helping organisations navigate complexity, make informed decisions and deliver successful outcomes.Alongside his professional role, Nicholas serves as an Associate Board Member for both Sound Connections and Ascent Academies, supporting initiatives focused on youth development, education and community impact. His previous experience includes roles in education, technology and youth sport provision, as well as time spent living in the United States, which helped shape his commitment to creating opportunities for others. Outside of work, he enjoys travelling, sport and technology, and contributes to finance, AI and leadership events.
Olivia White Expand Olivia brings 25 years of experience as a teacher and senior leader, with an international career spanning Singapore, Romania, and the UAE. She specialises in early childhood pedagogy and has developed and delivered teacher training programmes focused on professional growth and development. Olivia’s passion lies in her role as a pedagogical coach and mentor, where she supports both teachers and children within their learning environments. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in social impact initiatives and now works full-time in the charity sector. Her deep expertise and commitment to education make her a valuable member of the Acorn Board of Trustees. Olivia currently chairs Acorn’s Childcare, Learning & Development committee.
Robert Prosser Expand Robert, a parent of two young boys, joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees in February 2021. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the British Computer Society. With over 25 years of experience in finance and operational management, Robert brings valuable expertise to the organisation. He currently serves as Chair of Acorn’s Finance, Audit & Risk Committee, playing a key role in overseeing the nursery’s financial governance and risk management.
Suzie Dawes Expand Suzie joined Acorn’s Board of Trustees in February 2024, bringing extensive experience in human resources and organisational development. As a parent of two young children, Suzie has a firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing families today. Through her role at Acorn and her personal experience, she is dedicated to supporting the wellbeing and development of children and families in our community. Suzie is currently Head of People and Culture at caba, holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources, and has over 10 years of professional experience in her field. Suzie currently chairs Acorn’s Governance & HR Committee, guiding the organisation’s leadership and governance practices