Head of Evidence Mobilisation
Stuart Mathers
Stu leads the EEF’s Evidence Mobilisation team
Education Endowment Foundation:Sara Vanatta
Sara Vanatta
Senior Early Years Evidence Mobilisation Manager
•She/HerSara oversees EEF’s growing work to mobilise evidence within the early years sector.
Sara joined the EEF in 2024 to provide maternity leave cover for the Early Years Lead role. As Senior Early Years Evidence Mobilisation Manager she leads a team dedicated to enabling the early years system in England to promote and understand effective evidence use.
Prior to joining the EEF, Sara was Senior Early Years Adviser for Save the Children, providing expertise to inform early years projects and programmes across the UK. Previously, she spent nearly a decade leading family engagement and health activity for Acelero Learning, a large Head Start provider in the US.
Sara holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia. She is based in Glasgow and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the charity Children in Scotland.
National Delivery Manager
Lizzie Swaffield
She/HerLizzie is currently seconded from the regional team to lead our work in Wales and support evidence mobilisation in the post-16 sector.
National Delivery Manager
Lorwyn Randall
Lorwyn leads on the delivery of EEF’s System Support offer and co-leads our work across regions in England.
National Delivery Manager (Partnerships)
Phoebe Rudgard
Phoebe is National Delivery Manager (Partnerships), covering the role while Lizzie Swaffield focuses on supporting the EEF partnership with the Welsh Government.
Early Years Lead
Sarah Tillotson
Sarah leads the EEF’s work on the Early Years and Stronger Practice Hubs.
Senior Early Years Evidence Mobilisation Manager
Sara Vanatta
She/HerSara oversees EEF’s growing work to mobilise evidence within the early years sector.
Regional Delivery Lead (East Midlands and the East of England)
Siobhan Keddie
She/HerSiobhan supports Research Schools to mobilise evidence through communication, local partnerships, and bespoke projects.
Regional Delivery Lead (North West of England)
Anna Kirk
She/HerAnna supports Research Schools to mobilise evidence through communication, local partnerships, and bespoke projects.
Regional Delivery Lead (North of England)
Kate Horton
She/HerKate supports Research Schools to mobilise evidence through communication, local partnerships, and bespoke projects.
Regional Delivery Lead – London and the South East
Sarah Mullins
Sarah supports the delivery of the EEF regional strategy and helps to build understanding and engagement around our partnership approach in London and the South East.
Regional Delivery Lead – Yorkshire
Vanessa Hopkinson
Vanessa is one of the EEF’s Regional Delivery Leads for Yorkshire.
Regional Delivery Lead – South West and South Coast
Charlotte Orpin-Wright
Charlotte is the EEF’s Regional Delivery Lead for the South West and South Coast of England.
Regional Project Manager
Matt George
He/HimMatt oversees the running of the Research Schools Network with a particular focus on managing governance, events and systems.
Early Years and Stronger Practice Hubs Project Manager
Sandra Creixell
She/HerSandra facilitates cross-team efforts for our early years work and our role as evidence partner to the Stronger Practice Hubs programme.
Regional Projects Officer
Zuleika Frost
Zuleika supports the running of the Research Schools Network, its governance and communications.
Regional Projects Administrator
Mara Schwarz
Mara supports the administration of the Research School Network and our regional projects
Senior Policy and System Support Manager
Kate Burls
She/HerKate leads on EEF’s early years policy work, alongside work to enable evidence-informed practice within the early years system.
16 – 19 Evidence Mobilisation Manager
Helen Urbanowicz
Helen’s role sits in the Evidence Mobilisation team as a 16 – 19 Evidence Mobilisation Manager.