Jeanette Bain-Burnett is Executive Director for Policy and Integrity at Sport England. She’s a passionate advocate for Equity, Inclusion and Community Wellbeing. Jeanette’s 20-year leadership career spans dance theatre, community arts, cultural strategy, regional government and social policy. Former roles include Director of Participation at the Trussell Trust and Assistant Director, Communities and Social Policy at the Greater London Authority. Jeanette has held numerous non-executive roles and currently holds advisory roles for NetballHER, Intelligent Health and the IWG Women in Sport secretariat.

Donna Fraser is a 4x Olympian and former 400m sprinter for Great Britain, with a successful athletics career which spanned over 20 years and has a host of European, Commonwealth and World medals. Donna, unfortunately, retired in 2009 due to being diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She was recognised with the Freedom of the Borough of Croydon in 2018 for services to sport and continues to be enthused to help inspire a generation through education by ‘giving back’ and sharing her knowledge and experience with young people aspiring to achieve their goals.

Donna has become a leader in equality diversity and inclusion with over 10 years of corporate experience within business, sport, leadership, well-being and PMA for both start-ups and established companies. In 2021 she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and has served as a Trustee, advisor and Board member for multiple organisations, such as the London Marathon Charitable Trust, Women’s Sports Trust, British Athletes Commission, International Women’s Group and Her Spirit to name a few.

Viveen joined Sport England in 2018 as Strategic Lead for low socio-economic groups and became Director for Equality Diversity Inclusion at the beginning of 2021.

Through strong leadership Viveen is actively influencing change, working with partners to build a sporting landscape which redresses the deep-rooted issues of exclusion and discrimination.

With a strong belief that we are all accountable for the change we must see, Viveen is committed to creating spaces that are welcoming, affordable, inclusive and accessible; especially to audiences who often feel marginalised and excluded.

“My objective is always to ensure wherever people, are they can experience the true benefits of being active through sport and physical activity. In my position of influence, I will do everything I can to create an environment where all communities feel valued and included.”

Viveen Taylor

Ralph is an accomplished and rounded Strategic HR Business Leader. Having worked in an executive and non-executive capacity across a variety of sectors. Some of the organisations he has worked with are UK Athletics, England Athletics, Rugby Football Union, Roll-Royce plc, Bristol Bears, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

He played elite rugby union across the amateur and professional era. During this time, he turned down the chance, to be the first black male rugby player to be capped by England in the last century, when he was selected for the 1984 England rugby union tour of South Africa, as he was opposed to the apartheid regime. Also, at the same time Nelson Mandela was incarcerated in the Robben Island prison.

During his sporting and commercial career, Ralph has had a particular focus on leading and motivating teams as well as building strong working relationships. With extensive experience across a range of HR generalist functions including the design, development and implementation of strategies to meet the evolving business needs for training and employee development, talent management, workforce planning, organisational design, reward and recognition, employee relations, diversity and inclusion.

Jessica is the Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Manager at UK Coaching. She works collaboratively with everyone to ensure that EEDI is embedded as a golden thread in everything UK Coaching do from both an internal and external perspective. Jessica has led on the creation of the UK Coaching EEDI Strategy; Diversity and Inclusion action plan (DIAP); the formation of an internal EEDI working group; the external Diversity Expert group and more…

Jessica is passionate about EEDI and the positive impact and difference that Sport can make to lives. She has a  background in Community Sport and is a representative on the CIMSPA Community Sport committee. Jessica has experience of working for a National Governing Body of Sport and enjoys supporting others to fulfil their potential in her roles as a Coach, tutor, assessor and Internal Verifier.

Spencer Moore is the Chief Strategy Officer of CIMSPA.  

He has over 25 years of experience working across the sector including as head of curriculum in further education and multiple roles at British Swimming. 

In his role, Spencer weaves together complex elements of the organisation’s work to ensure that its strategy’s whole-system approach is delivered effectively. He spends much of his time gaining foresight into the sector. 

Spencer is motivated by a drive to create positive change in the sector. Looking forward, he is keen for recognition of the sector’s power in terms of its ability to contribute to national health, social and economic priorities. 

Jessica is the Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Manager at UK Coaching. She works collaboratively with everyone to ensure that EEDI is embedded as a golden thread in everything UK Coaching do from both an internal and external perspective. Jessica has led on the creation of the UK Coaching EEDI Strategy; Diversity and Inclusion action plan (DIAP); the formation of an internal EEDI working group; the external Diversity Expert group and more…

Jessica is passionate about EEDI and the positive impact and difference that Sport can make to lives. She has a  background in Community Sport and is a representative on the CIMSPA Community Sport committee. Jessica has experience of working for a National Governing Body of Sport and enjoys supporting others to fulfil their potential in her roles as a Coach, tutor, assessor and Internal Verifier.

Dr Seema Patel is Associate Professor in Sports Law at Nottingham Trent University, England, UK. She is an international expert on discrimination and the regulatory balance between inclusion and exclusion in sport, with publications and global media contributions on the legal implications of gender eligibility rules. Seema has influenced sport gender policy and government consultation on participation in sport. She advises on equality, diversity and inclusion matters for sport organisations, clubs and universities. Seema is a member of the Cricket Disciplinary Commission and acted as a judge in the case of ECB v YCCC & Others 2023. Seema is also a member of The FA South Asians in Football Working Group.

Dr Alex Culvin is the Director of Global Policy and Strategic Relations Women’s Football at FIFPRO, the global players’ union. She is also a senior research fellow at Leeds Beckett University. Alex’s PhD was the first to examine football as work for women in England. She was also a former professional footballer, playing in both England and Europe.

Elisabet Spina was born in Pietrasanta, Italy, to a Swedish mother and an Italian father. From the age of 10, she played football and had an impressive 12-year career in the Italian Serie A. Elisabet pursued her academic studies alongside her football career, earning degrees in Motor Sciences, Master degrees in Preventive, Compensatory, and Adaptive Motor Activities, and another Master degrees in Sport Science and Techniques.

At 28, she retired from professional football and transitioned into a career in sports management. She worked for 10 years in youth male football before becoming the Head of Women at AC Milan in the 2018/2019 season. Elisabet holds federal qualifications as a professional coach and sports director, and completed a course in Executive Management of Football. Currently, she is the Sporting Director of AC Milan Women and teaches in federal courses for coaches and managers.

In June 2025, she was elected to the National Council of the Italian National Olympic Committee and the Sports Managers Commission of the Italian Football Federation. Elisabet aims to promote gender equity in sports, particularly in football.

Heidi Lockyer is Head of Charity at The Pony Club, a national youth charity at the heart of equestrian sport, and former Chief Operating Officer at the Birmingham County Football Association. With over 20 years of experience across the sport sector; including roles in National Governing Bodies, local authorities, and charitable organisations; Heidi brings a deep commitment to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion from grassroots to elite levels.

At The Pony Club, she leads on strategy to grow participation and deepen the charity’s social impact, championing the emerging “horses for all” ethos to make equestrianism more accessible and inclusive. Her work focuses on breaking down long-standing barriers and ensuring that the transformational connection between horses and humans is open to all; regardless of background or circumstance.

Yashmin Harun BEM is a pioneering, multi-award-winning leader in sport, best known as the founder and Chair of the Muslimah Sports Association (MSA). Since launching MSA in 2014, she has transformed it into a nationally recognised charity offering over 15 grassroots activities tailored for ethnically diverse Muslim women and girls. Her work has broken significant barriers in the industry, making her the first Bangladeshi woman to serve as an Independent Director at British Fencing and Vice Chair of the London FA Board. She is also Chair of Frenfords & MSA Women’s Football Club. Her influence extends across several key roles, including the FA Council, Inclusion Advisory Group, and as a Trustee at London Sport. Passionate about inclusive access to sport, she has designed coaching pathways for Muslim women and regularly engages with over 200 participants a week from diverse communities.

Yashmin’s outstanding contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the FA For All Award, Bangladeshi Who’s Who Award, and a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year Honours. She was named Asian Women of Achievement in Sport in 2023 and recognised among the Top 50 Most Influential Muslims. With over 20 years of experience in banking, she brings strong commercial acumen and governance expertise to her leadership roles, and she currently works at the Japanese bank: SMBC BI. Yashmin serves as a Non-Executive Director at Charity Bank, sits on the Sport England South Asian Muslim Women’s advisory panel, and was appointed to the Islamophobia Task Force led by Baroness Warsi. She is also the presenter of the EmpowerHer Play podcast, continuing to amplify voices and stories of Muslim women in sport.

David Hardman is an accomplished equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) leader with a passion for creating inclusive cultures and driving meaningful change across sport and wider society. As an experienced EDI strategy lead at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), David has played a pivotal role in embedding EDI into the heart of tennis in Britain – shaping national frameworks, developing inclusive policies, and delivering targeted interventions that open up the sport to everyone. He is also a board trustee at Living Sport, the Active Partnership for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, as well as EDI board advisor for Crystal Palace Football Club and Badminton England.

With a background spanning national governing bodies, local government, and the education sector, David brings a unique perspective on how to connect policy with people and purpose. He is the architect behind a number of strategic initiatives including the LTA’s newest EDI strategic plan “Belonging in Tennis”, which drives progress across underrepresented communities through inclusive leadership, partnerships, workforce development, and community engagement.

With over a decade of experience in project and relationship management, Tim has worked with leading charities and sports organisations to champion diversity, equality, and inclusion within the sector.

The breadth of Tim’s impact spans grassroots organisations, workshop facilitation, and his role as part of the coaching staff for the 2019 Special Olympics Games.

As National Partnership Manager at Sporting Equals, Tim oversees partnerships with key stakeholders and corporate partners while developing new initiatives to enhance engagement with system partners and the wider sector.

Jill is Head of Social Impact at ParalympicsGB and is responsible for the organisation’s social impact strategy and programmes. Leading the development of the organisation’s ‘Championing Change – Creating Social Impact’ Jill is responsible for delivering on ParalympicGB’s ambition to use the positive power of sport and ParalympicsGB to drive positive change for disabled people in sport and society.

Jill has been at ParalympicsGB since February 2022. Jill brings a wealth of experience and an unwavering passion for making sport and physical activity truly inclusive for all.

Charles, diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia at the age of six, is now aware of other neurodivergent traits he possesses. Although not an elite athlete, sport has played a central role in his life, providing confidence and a sense of purpose from local tennis tournaments in his youth to using sport as a mental health regulator today. He gained transferable skills during university by running sports clubs, which have informed his career. His diverse professional background includes roles in tourism consultancy, higher education, local government, and Sport England, where he played a pivotal role in forming the federation of disability sport and managing regional education and training initiatives.

In 2009, Charles transitioned to being the founding Executive Director of Culture Southeast, where he worked to incorporate the interests of the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport into regional economic and spatial planning policy. After the closure of regional cultural consortia, he continued his work as Quality Place Manager for South Hampshire. For the past 12 years, he has worked as a freelance consultant, specialising in sport, art, heritage, and the creative industries. A passionate neurodiversity advocate, Charles co-led a network for dyslexic and neurodivergent entrepreneurs and professionals and helped establish Ravensbourne University’s SEEDS entrepreneurship programme for neurodivergent individuals. He holds an Honorary Doctorate in Media from Solent University for his contributions to creative industry development and neurodiversity. Charles also serves as a director for various neurodivergent-focused organisations, including Neurodiverse Sport, and continues to work on projects related to the creative economy, cultural planning, and employability, alongside playing veteran tennis.

With a proven 24-year track record in Director and C-suite development, Dean partners with individuals and teams, including Boards, to elevate performance and achieve their ambitions, and provides dedicated career coaching for those aiming for C-Suite and Director level roles.

His extensive experience spans private, public, and third sectors across Europe, America, The Middle East, Africa, and Asia, encompassing over 5,000 one to-one coaching sessions with senior executives. Dean has been recognised as a ‘TOP 20’ Executive Coach in London (Influence Digest, 2020) and ‘One-to-One Executive Coach of the Year (UK)’ (Corporate Excellence Awards, 2024).

He is the author of three influential books: ‘Voice’, ‘Thrive’, and ‘Creating Grade A Business Relationships’, and a regular voice in business media. Dean serves as Chairperson of The Wheelchair Football Association (appointed in August 2023) and was previously non-executive director at Welsh Gymnastics. He has also served on the Board of a leading international children’s charity and as Chairman of a non-league football club, based in Lincolnshire.

Jeanette Bain-Burnett is Executive Director for Policy and Integrity at Sport England. She’s a passionate advocate for Equity, Inclusion and Community Wellbeing. Jeanette’s 20-year leadership career spans dance theatre, community arts, cultural strategy, regional government and social policy. Former roles include Director of Participation at the Trussell Trust and Assistant Director, Communities and Social Policy at the Greater London Authority. Jeanette has held numerous non-executive roles and currently holds advisory roles for NetballHER, Intelligent Health and the IWG Women in Sport secretariat.