Senior Management Team

The day to day running of the charity is delegated by the Board of Trustees to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is supported by the Senior Management Team in the delivery of our 5 year strategy.

Tracie Coultas-Pitman – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

BSc. Hons; Dip. Conductive Ed; QTS; NPQH; MBA

Tracie has a wealth of leadership and management experience within the field of special educational needs and disability; she worked for Scope for over 20 years, where she held two headships and ultimately rose to the position of Regional Director for the South of England. More recently Tracie was Executive Head of the Autism Schools Trust where she led on setting up a Free School. Tracie has experience of developing early year’s provision, establishing outreach and training services, providing strategic leadership to schools and developing Post 19 and adult services.

Garreth Griffith – Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Garreth brings more than 20 years of operational senior leadership experience to BeyondAutism, primarily in the tech sector (fintech and ecommerce) and as a board member of not-for-profit Get Safe Online. He has led multiple facets of operations, including customer support, training & development, supplier procurement and management, facilities, finance, risk and regulation, human resources, sustainability and more, in C-Suite, Director and Head of Department capacities. Garreth believes in people-centric leadership, developing, mentoring, and supporting team members to be their best selves and to drive loyalty and passion in our product or service. He has worked with multiple stakeholders, across government, law enforcement and the private sector, to align resources and objectives and deliver meaningful goals.

Stuart Jaenicke – Head of Finance

Stuart brings over 20 years of executive finance and commercial leadership experience across the charity, education, and public sectors. He has led multi-entity operations, capital project delivery, and major financial systems transformation, with a consistent focus on strengthening financial resilience and organisational sustainability.

His previous roles have spanned international expansion, risk and governance oversight, and strategic partnerships — ensuring robust compliance while enabling innovation and growth. Stuart has also served as a Non-Executive Director at the Port of Dover, contributing to strategic infrastructure planning, regeneration initiatives, and community impact.

Stuart is passionate about the role strong financial stewardship plays in enabling mission-led organisations to thrive. He believes that clarity, data-driven insight, and empowered people are key to delivering meaningful outcomes for the children, young adults, and families BeyondAutism supports every day.

Candice O’Sullivan – Head of HR

MA, MBA, Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Candice joined BeyondAutism as the Head of HR in March 2024, bringing with her nearly two decades of multifunctional leadership experience in the Education and Special Education sectors. Her expertise spans strategic leadership, organisational development, training, and transformative HR practices. Candice’s proficiency in driving strategic HR initiatives, steering high-performing teams, combined with her adeptness in managing multi-location operations positions her as an ideal leader for the HR department. Candice looks forward to leveraging her comprehensive experience to enrich the organisational dynamics and harness the full potential of human resources at BeyondAutism.

Phaedra Charlton – Head of Marketing, Communications, and Fundraising

Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations

Phaedra brings a wealth of experience to her role as Head of Marketing, Communications and Fundraising at BeyondAutism. A highly skilled communications professional, she excels at creating impactful messaging and delivering strategic campaigns that engage diverse audiences. With a background spanning the charity, public and private sectors, Phaedra has a proven ability to build strong stakeholder relationships, develop innovative branding strategies and manage complex projects. Now leading BeyondAutism’s integrated marketing and fundraising function, she is committed to amplifying the charity’s mission and ensuring its work resonates across all platforms.

Matt Malone – Head of Outreach

Matt joined BeyondAutism in January 2025 as the Head of Outreach, from a long and varied career in education. Working across mainstream, specialist and local authority provision, Matt has applied his extensive experience in behavioural support to transform educational environments to be more inclusive.

As a manager of teams supporting schools on behalf of local authorities, Matt utilised data analysis and evidence-based practice to drive down the number of educational days lost to exclusion for young people with additional needs whilst also supporting schools and Multi-Academy Trusts to expand and refine their use of alternative provision.

As both a father of 2 and someone who has spent most of his career enabling learners with SEND, Matt is excited to bring his specific skills and experience to BeyondAutism’s Outreach programme and support the team to broaden the scope of our impact.

Hannah Smith – Head of Beyond Autism Fast Responder®

BCBA, UKBA (cert)

Hannah is a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and UK-BA, and has worked with and supported autistic children and young people and their families for over 10 years. She has worked across a variety of settings including, an autistic school, on early intervention home programmes, SEN & mainstream schools, and most recently worked for a specialist NHS CAMHS team (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service).

Hannah joined BeyondAutism in January 2022 as the Fast Responder before becoming Head of Fast Responder in July 2023. Hannah is passionate about preventing placement breakdown, whether that may be at home or within education, and doing so by working collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team around the child or young person, whilst keeping the views and needs of the individual and their families at the forefront.

Photo of Hannah Smith - Head of Fast Responder

Marta Zelazko – Head of Facilities

Marta has a wealth of experience in facilities management across various sectors, including non-profit organisations. With a strong background in overseeing operational efficiency and building management, she brings a strategic approach to ensuring optimal functionality.

Marta also holds a master’s degree in political science, which has enhanced her analytical and leadership skills, allowing her to navigate complex environments effectively

Sarah Larner – Head of Early Years

BCBA

Sarah joined BeyondAutism in September 2011 having worked in various capacities with autistic children prior to this. She joined as a Trainee ABA Tutor and worked her way through various roles across the schools, post-19 and outreach. In 2018 she joined the Early Years Team as the Behaviour Analyst before becoming Head of Early Years in June 2023.

Sarah completed a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis through Bangor University in September 2016 and became a BCBA in February 2018.

She is passionate about helping autistic children succeed through learning communication strategies and gaining access and understanding within their local communities. She loves seeing the progress that the children make and celebrating these successes with parents and staff. Whilst Sarah has extensive experience working with individuals from 15 months up to 25 years of age, she is particularly motivated working with young children and their parents, focusing on early intervention and consistency across all settings from a young age to empower children to grow and succeed.

Matthew Le Blanc – Head of Park House School

BSc QTS

Matthew Le Blanc commenced his career at BeyondAutism in 2013, following the completion of his undergraduate degree in Psychology with Neuroscience. He began as a Teaching and Learning Practitioner, where he quickly developed a strong commitment to Behaviour Analysis, inspired by its demonstrable impact on pupil outcomes. Over the years, Matthew progressed through several roles within the organisation, before pursuing formal teacher training.

He completed his teacher training at the Institute of Education and continued his professional journey at BeyondAutism as a Qualified Teacher, whilst studying Applied Behavioural Analysis MSC at the University of Belfast. In September 2022, he was appointed Head of Park House School.

Matthew is deeply committed to fostering pupil independence and ensuring that functional skills acquired in the classroom are effectively transferred to everyday life.

Corey Bulmer, Interim Head of Tram House School

BA (Hons), PGCE

With over 10 years of experience in both SEN and mainstream education, Corey began his career teaching Fashion & Textiles in further education before transitioning to SEN. Corey served as a Curriculum & Therapy Lead in a SEN college and recently as Head of Centre for a new SEMH provision, which he helped to establish.

Corey is dedicated to ensuring that all young people have access to an enriching curriculum that promotes independence and aligns with their future aspirations. He believes that education should be nurturing, inclusive of student voices, and tailored to individual needs. Upon joining BeyondAutism, he is most excited about collaborating with young people, their families, and other agencies to support their growth and success.

Jordana Smallwood, Head of Tram House Sixth Form

MSc BSc BCBA QTLS

Jordana’s dedicated career in behaviour analysis began with hands-on work in ABA home programs, leading her to BeyondAutism in 2012 after earning her Psychology degree. Starting as an ABA Tutor, she rapidly advanced through roles including Class Leader and ABA Supervisor, culminating in her current leadership position as Head of Tram House Sixth Form. In this role, she is deeply committed to preparing pupils for adulthood, focusing on holistic growth that equips them with the skills and confidence for life beyond school. A graduate of Bangor University with a Master’s in Applied Behaviour Analysis, Jordana became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2018 and has recently achieved Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. Her passion lies in creating engaging learning environments, where she thrives on witnessing pupils joyfully acquire new skills and develop the independence necessary for their futures.

Melissa Wise – Co-Head of P19 (Operations)

MEd MSc BCBA

Melissa has been working in the field of behaviour analysis since 2009 and became a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) in 2017. She has experience working across home programmes, clinical settings, and schools, supporting learners aged 2 to 25 with a wide range of skills and needs. Her current focus is using behaviour analysis to improve systems, support staff development, and create positive change within the Post-19 service. She is especially interested in designing evidence-based strategies that enhance workplace efficiency, foster collaboration, and create supportive, sustainable environments where both staff and students can thrive.

Sofia Rey – Co-Head of P19 (Consultant Behaviour Analyst)

Sofia has been working in the field of Behaviour Analysis since 2008. Her first experience was working at a Summer Camp in the USA. She was so impressed with the progress that could be achieved in only a week of consistent Behaviour Analysis, that on her return to the UK she decided to pursue a career within the field.

Sofia’s first job back in the UK was a Trainee Tutor at BeyondAutism in 2009. Since then, she has progressed to Co-Head of Post-19 (Consultant Behaviour Analyst), and during this time has completed a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis and gained her BCBA qualification.

Chloe Watkins – Head of Therapy Services

MSc

Chloe has a strong history with BeyondAutism, having first joined the charity in 2000, as an ABA Tutor. She completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Education before qualifying as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2004. Chloe has worked with children and young people, in a range of clinical, mainstream and specialist settings, specialising in Social Communication.

Chloe is excited to be Head of Therapy Services, working with an exceptional team. She is passionate about supporting individuals to develop the functional communication and independence skills, that enable them to confidently access and enjoy everyday activities.

Photo of Chloe Watkins - Head of Therapy Services