Andrew Celano

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Accounting Officer

Andrew Celano is the Founding Chief Executive Officer of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust.  He has served as a Senior Leader in schools for almost 20 years.  Before establishing the Trust he was Headteacher of St Mary's Catholic School, Bishop's Stortford, from 2014/15 to 2021/22, where he delivered exceptional pupil achievement, Outstanding inspection outcomes, significant school growth, and led the redevelopment of much of the school.
  
He holds a Master’s in Education from The University of Cambridge, and completed his CEO Development Programme in 2023.  He is also a serving OFSTED Inspector, and provides consultancy and advice to other Trusts and educational organisations.

Barbara O'Connor

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Barbara O'Connor is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust. She joined the executive team in early 2025, having held executive leadership roles within the Trust since 2023, where she has been central to primary school improvement across its schools. Before that she was Executive Headteacher of St Joseph's, Waltham Cross, which secured outstanding outcomes in both its Ofsted and Section 48 inspections under her leadership.

With eighteen years of senior leadership experience, Barbara has served as SENCo, Deputy Headteacher, Headteacher and Executive Headteacher in schools across London, Wales, and Hertfordshire, supporting school improvement across many settings and local authorities. Inclusion and high-quality provision remain at the heart of her leadership and of the strategic development of the Trust.

Andrew Howard

Chief Finance Officer

Andy was initially appointed as the Finance Manager at St Mary's Catholic School, Bishop's Stortford. He was appointed as the Trust CFO in September 2021 and brings with him a wealth of experience in the Academy sector, primarily as a fully qualified Chartered Accountant working with commercial companies auditing within the Academy sector.

Michelle Keating

Primary School Improvement Executive Head

Michelle is Executive Headteacher at Sacred Heart, Ware. She also works directly for the Trust as part of the Executive on our School Improvement priorities and leads Health and Safety across the Trust.

Emma Overett

SEND Executive Lead

Emma Overett is responsible for the strategic leadership of SEND across all schools within the Trust. She leads the development and implementation of the Trust's SEND policy, ensuring it aligns with legal requirements and reflects best practices.