Key contacts
Key members of the Optimus Education team.

Steph Reynolds
Director of Optimus Education
Steph contributes to all areas of the business, ensuring that Optimus focuses on good outcomes for pupils and improving work life balance of school staff.

Denise Thomas
Customer Service Manager
Customer service lead, Denise has previously worked for a large FE and HE college as a PA to a senior manager before joining the Optimus Education team.

Jen Delderfield
Events Business Development Manager
Jen began her career within employment and skills event project management 16 years ago and is passionate about creating inspirational events to change lives.

Liz Worthen
Head of Content
Liz began her career as a secondary school English teacher and has since worked in education resource development, CPD programme management and digital publishing.

Michelle Britton
Finance Business Partner
Michelle is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant and has spent most of her working life in the public sector.

Phillip Rolt
Head of Consultancy and Training
Philip worked across the City of Plymouth as a teacher and manager before gaining his NPQH. He spent 14 years leading British Schools in Spain before joining Optimus Education.

Rachel Grant
Head of Digital Publishing
Rachel has worked in education for over 25 years as publisher, writer and teacher of English.

Victoria Baxter
Head of Business Development
Victoria is the Head of Business Development at Optimus Education.
Our consultants
Leading specialists who can create bespoke solutions based on your needs.
Our experts
Our hand-picked experts who support us in delivering our services.

Aldaine Wynter
Assistant headteacher
Wetherby Senior School
Aldaine is an ISA Diversity and Inclusion committee member, which gives the opportunity to connect and share best practices with passionate educators and DEI leaders.

Andrea Wilkinson-Quinn
LPPA advisor
Independent consultant
Andrea spent 22 years working within a local authority where she set up and managed their Parent Support Adviser project and has experience in liaising with government agencies.

Dai Durbridge
Partner
Browne Jacobson
Dai provides advice and training to teachers and other education professionals on relevant legal and practical issues, with a focus on safeguarding issues, information sharing, handling allegations against staff, vetting and barring scheme and the GDP

Dr Maureen Nash
Education trainer and consultant
Independent consultant
Maureen has over 20 years’ experience in primary schools as a teacher and SENCo and is the SEND governor in her local school. She is the author and Lead Adviser of the Best Practice with Teaching Assistants Award, Lead Adviser for SENDIA and adviser for the Leading Parent Partnership Award.

Elizabeth Holmes
Writer and researcher
Independent consultant
Elizabeth is a writer and researcher in education. She has taught in secondary schools and written books, including The NQT Handbook, FAQs for NQTs, Teacher Well-being: Looking after yourself and your career in the classroom, and FAQs for TAs.

Ella Savell-Boss
Safeguarding Consultant
Safeguarding Training & Consultancy
Ella’s passion is to work with professionals in education to support and safeguard vulnerable children and families and achieve more positive outcomes for all.

Fiona Stagg
Expert trainer for governance
Independent consultant
Fee has been a governor since 2004 and was a National Leader of Governance between 2015 and 2022. Currently Fee is a Vice-Chair of Trustees and is an experienced chair and clerk.

Gareth Morewood
Education advisor
Studio 3
Gareth has 25 years’ experience working in schools, the last 17 of which were as SENCO in a large, inclusive secondary school. Gareth has extensive ‘front-line’ experience supporting schools and families and working directly with young people.

Mark Blois
Partner
Browne Jacobson
National head of Browne Jacobson’s education team, Mark is a leading expert in education law and governance, with over 20 years’ experience as a serving governor.

Mark Jennett
Trainer, consultant and writer
Independent consultant
Mark Jennett is a trainer and writer specializing in emotional wellbeing and mental health, pupil development, equality and diversity and PSHE. He is also the lead adviser for the Wellbeing Award for Schools.

Natalie Packer
Education Consultant
Independent consultant
Natalie specialises in school improvement, SEN and outstanding teaching. She delivers a wide range of professional development packages for primary and secondary schools and supports initial teacher trainees.

Nicola Harvey
Wellbeing consultant
Harvey Heals
A former senior teacher and pastoral lead with a specialism in special educational needs and mental health. She is a published author, with over 15 years’ experience working with teachers, parents, and students.