Steering Group

The Staff Team is supported by a Steering Group elected by the Coalition’s membership. Together they champion the voices of all those we represent and help to set the strategic direction of the Coalition. They are:

  • Catherine Mole, Dingley’s Promise

  • Neil Leitch, Early Years Alliance

  • Phoebe Sarjent, Federation of Small Businesses

  • Helen Donohoe, PACEY (Vice-Chair)

  • Meghan Meek-O’Connor, Save the Children UK

  • Nikki Pound, Trades Union Congress

  • Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Women’s Budget Group (Chair)

Centring lived experience

The Coalition’s research and campaign strategy is informed by the experience of those at the coalface. We regularly convene focus groups and speak directly to those working in the sector as well as to families struggling to access government support or the provision they need.

We are continuing to develop this into a lived experience advisory group. Please get in touch if you are interested in participating.

Sarah Ronan
Director

Sarah Ronan is Director of the Coalition with overall responsibility for delivery, strategy and impact. She led the development of the Coalition while working at the Women’s Budget Group (WBG).

Prior to joining WBG, Sarah worked at Pregnant Then Screwed where she led its award-winning pandemic response including campaigns on childcare and employment rights, as well as building its high-impact support services. Sarah has previously worked in policy, comms and campaigns for a range of organisations across parenting, early years, and employment rights. Sarah speaks and writes regularly in the media on the need to reform early education and support families.

She also sits on the board of Parental Pay Equality and the Baby Bank Alliance, and can usually be found climbing a hill in the Lake District or helping her son curate his collection of ‘perfect sticks’.

Staff Team

Lucie Stephens
Associate Director
(Research and Coproduction)

Lucie steers the Coalition’s research, supporting collaborations among member organisations. She was instrumental in the co-design of the Coalition during its development phase.

Lucie was previously head of co-production and core economy at the New Economics Foundation where she published the Childcare Infrastructure Fund report, a fully costed bailout plan designed to support the sector during lockdown. She has worked on co-produced childcare and early education provision since 2012, supporting parent-led nurseries. As the former director of a nursery, she has first-hand experience of the challenges facing providers.

Lucie is also a director of a consultancy that works with organisations focused on systems change and the application of research.

Frederika Warren
Senior Research and Engagement Officer

Frederika works across the coalitions GMCA Pilot and Lived Experience Programme, helping to shape further research and funding bids.

Frederika is a trained primary school teacher and has worked in numerous early years settings over 10 years, spanning England and Australia. In 2017, Frederika began working in education research for HundrED, a Finnish education organisation, focusing on innovation in education globally. Most recently she led a research spotlight with the International Baccalaureate, Oxford and Harvard University on Wellbeing in Schools. Frederika has also worked for Cafcass, coordinating the Pilot Pathfinder in Dorset.

Frederika is passionate about children’s rights and including youth voice in research. When she is not working, she can be found running after her two young children and exploring the Cheshire countryside.

Rosie Dutch
Campaign & Programme Manager

Rosie works to build out our networks and to generate key campaigning moments for the Coalition.

Previously, Rosie worked at the Renters’ Reform Coalition successfully campaigning to keep private renting reform a top priority across consecutive governments. She played a key role in growing the coalition’s network and coordinating its influencing - from manifesto commitments to the final stages of the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Rosie also worked as a researcher at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, where she produced reports to inform media and parliamentary campaigns. Her work included investigating the colonial legacy of Britain’s reproductive laws and examining how social narratives frame fertility both as a cause of and solution to societal issues.

Rosie is driven by reproductive justice principles and views social infrastructure - from early education and childcare to reproductive rights and housing - as essential to achieving this.

Dr Nathan Archer
Research and Policy Manager

Nathan manages our core research and policy function, responding to emerging early years policy, government consultations and shaping our own original research.

He has held several practice, policy and research roles over the last twenty-five years across settings, local government, national early childhood organisations and in Higher Education.

Nathan worked as an early educator before undertaking a doctorate at University of Sheffield focused on the early childhood workforce.

He is also an independent researcher engaged in several early childhood research projects.

Princess Green
Operations Support Officer

Princess supports the day-to-day operations of the Coalition, drawing on over a decade of experience in administration, HR, supporter relations and communications. She has held key operational roles at Cecily’s Fund and Open Doors International, where she was part of the People and Culture team.

Princess is a Director of Charter for Compassion UK CIC and plays an active role in local initiatives across Oxfordshire. She also supports Yasheni Homes in Zambia, raising funds and awareness to help provide food, education and secure accommodation for vulnerable children aged 3 to 17.

Princess is passionate about building compassionate systems that work for people and believes that strong operational foundations are key to meaningful impact. Outside of work, Princess enjoys spending time raising her two young children with her husband.

Lauren Fabianski
Head of Advocacy and Communications

Lauren leads on shaping the Coalition’s voice, campaigns and media strategy. She brings over 15 years of experience in senior communications roles across the private and third sectors.

Prior to joining the Coalition, Lauren played a pivotal role at Pregnant Then Screwed, where she led high-impact campaigns that brought national attention to the challenges facing families and the early education and childcare sector. Her work has included coordinating large-scale public demonstrations, advising policymakers both in the UK and internationally, and delivering award-winning creative campaigns that helped shift public discourse.

Lauren believes in the power of storytelling, data, and collective action to drive systemic change in early education and childcare.

When not working she can often be found dancing in a field at a music festival with her two young children.

Anna Eaton
Deputy Director
(Operations and Development)

Anna leads the Coalition’s operations and development, helping to ensure the smooth-running of our various projects. She has a background in politics, campaign management and operations and has previously worked in Westminster for MPs and on national campaigns covering music, politics, infrastructure and education. She has over 10 years’ experience of developing socially driven start-up organisations with a passion for community-building to help them grow.

Anna was a founding director of social consultancy, Ideas Alliance. When she’s not working to transform early education, she’s raising her two young children with her husband on the south coast.