Our board is a group of accomplished leaders whose strategic guidance and collective expertise help steer, check and challenge Leap.
Sue is particularly passionate about all children and young people having opportunities to achieve the very best outcomes. The importance of the very early years of childhood and the development of our young people’s emotional intelligence and resilience are areas of specific interest. Sue is also a champion of the importance of physical activity and sport in young people’s physical and emotional development.
Sue Chairs Leap’s Nominations Committee.
Sports sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
A member of the Board of Leap for several years Sue has increased her knowledge of the sector from working with experts in the field, both at board level and with staff members. Sue is also a national board member of the Active Partnerships Network.
Health sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
In her professional career Sue spent many years working very closely with with a number of different areas of the local health sector including public health and clinical commissioning groups and across both physical and mental health.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 9/10
Sue started her professional career as a teacher before working for several years in education administration in a local authority. Working for the Department for Education for a period of time, Sue went back into the local authority as Director of Education and then Director of Children’s Services. She has worked very closely with headteachers and governors in both primary and secondary schools.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Throughout her career Sue has had experience of developing and delivering significant messages on a range of issues, to a wide range of audiences. Speaking at local and national events, Sue also has experience of working with colleagues in various aspects of the media sector.
Ability to affect change – 9/10
Sue has led and delivered several significant change programmes in the children’s services area. Representing colleagues on national fora with government ministers and sitting with a range of experts on various working groups.
Commercial experience – 7/10
As vice chair of an educational trust Sue has been involved in developing the strategy and business plan for moving the organisation forward, based on a range of services traded locally, nationally and internationally.
Alistair has worked with Children as an Athlete mentor for many years representing the Youth Sports Trust and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. As a former elite athlete, he is passionate in giving back through the experiences an active lifestyle and sport gave him.
Sports sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
Alistair has participated in sport (Football) at an elite level and wishes to understand more of its governance within society.
Health sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Alistair only has knowledge of the health sector through his own experience as a patient for various procedures.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
Alistair’s time working in the Education sector as an Athlete mentor has allowed him to work closely with P.E departments to understand how its delivery can benefit across the school experience.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
From an early career as a professional footballer to training as a Quantity Surveyor communication has been high on Alistair’s agenda. Acting as an athlete mentor he specialises in delivering team building and communication workshops to develop the individual as well as group. has experience of working with colleagues in various aspects of the media sector.
Ability to affect change – 9/10
Alistair has worked on various initiatives to help others make change or better their environment through adjustments to their ordinary routine. Some of this had led to an increase in participation and increase in number of girls playing football. It has also helped young people move into employment.
Commercial experience – 6/10
Alistair acts as an ambassador for various groups/bodies from the anti-discrimination group Kick It Out to the recently Launched Footballers Global where his role is to increase the take up and exposure of Footballers with a disability and the Para Football movement.
A creative and enthusiastic team player, determined to ensure that her experience and connections benefit Leap’s objectives and aspirations. Through her 30 years career as a branding specialist and as founding Director of Yellow Yoyo, an established futures, strategy and design business, she has been responsible for shaping and steering large national and international businesses both strategically and creatively.
Sport Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
GB U20 fencer in her youth and more recently an avid supporter, motivator, kit washer and taxi to both her rugby/football obsessed children, through school and now university.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Engagement as Founder member of Willen Hospice Business Club, which she instigated and nurtured the growth of. Formerly member of Hospice of St Francis Corporate Partner Network.
Education Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Former Chair of Buckinghamshire primary school PTA and very active committee member of two Aylesbury grammar schools’ PTAs. Visiting ‘real world’ graphics project tutor at MK College.
Communication skills and experience – 10/10
A qualified Practitioner in Neuro linguistic programming and as a business owner, Amanda has 30 years’ experience in communicating with, interpreting the needs of, presenting and delivering projects to countless organisations.
Ability to affect change – 10/10
Through her 30 years career as a branding specialist and as founding Director of Yellow Yoyo, 20 year old MK based futures, strategy and design business, she has been responsible for shaping and steering large national and international businesses both strategically and creatively.
Commercial expertise and experience – 10/10
BA Hons Graphic design. Amanda has not only run Yellow Yoyo for 20 years but has also held senior positions and managed teams within many of the UK’s top creative agencies, with clients ranging from SMEs and Blue Chip to Public Sector, both nationally and globally.
Colin is a Retired Accountant and has advised businesses, charities and individuals over the last 37 years of professional life. He has broad experience gained from nearly 40 years as a professional practicing accountant serving owner managed businesses and their owners. Strong negotiation and mediation skills both in informal and formal (mediation and arbitration) settings. While on the Board of his practice Colin has at various times been responsible for the Marketing , IT and Finance functions.
Colin Chairs Leap’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
Sport sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
He is an enthusiastic sportsman having played rugby, hockey , cricket and table tennis to a reasonable level and his current passion is as a 10 handicap golfer. Will also happily watch most sports when allowed! A firm belief that activity and sport are essential to physical and mental well being.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Limited exposure to the Health sector through work . His firm has clients supplying services to NHS Hospital Trusts and the firm is AISMA accredited supplying specialist accounting services to GPs and dentists but Colin is not directly involved in these specialisms.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
He has mostly personal knowledge in this area through having put 2 children through state schools and university. His firm has a specialist department advising and auditing Academy schools but Colin is not directly involved in this specialism.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Colin is a good face to face communicator preferring consensus to conflict. He has also presented regularly to technical seminars and workgroups. A good sense of humour which can assist in difficult situations!
Ability to affect change – 9/10
Colin was managing partner of his accountancy practice for 8 years and a Board member prior to that. During that time he both initiated and managed several change management programs (some more successful than others) .
Commercial expertise and experience – 9/10
Broad experience gained from nearly 40 years as a professional practicing accountant serving owner managed businesses and their owners. Strong negotiation and mediation skills both in informal and formal (mediation and arbitration) settings. While on the Board of his practice Colin has at various times been responsible for the Marketing , IT and Finance functions.
Jules is a long-term Bucks resident, amateur sportswoman and Mum to 4 boys. Her career in HR and global biotechnology has reinforced her strong believe in equality of opportunity, removing barriers and making health initiatives accessible to our entire community.
Sports sector knowledge and experience – 3/10
No industry experience but as a sports enthusiast, Jules is Jack of all trades, running, cycling, swimming, rowing and pilates – none of which she does well, but it’s the taking part that counts apparently!
Health sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
Having held a Senior Director Role for the last 5+ years in the HR Function of a Silicon Valley Biotechnology company with 17,000 employees, she supports a global team in the capacity of major programme management, strategy, and operations. Prior to that she worked in the pharmaceutical and FMCG sector.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
Whilst at GSK Jules worked as a STEM Ambassador promoting science in schools in partnership with scientists and held a role as a Trustee for The Misbourne School from 2016-2019.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Having worked in Human Resources for 13 years, Jules has experienced the ‘hard’ style communications such as influencing legal, compliance and risk matters as well as a softer emotional intelligence, skills based, coaching approach.
Ability to affect change – 9/10
In the final year of a part-time MSc in Major Programme Management at Oxford University, Jules was awarded a scholarship to study the academic aspects of transformation and change having led a vast range of large and small-scale programmes over the last 10 years.
Commercial experience – 8/10
The first half of Jules career was in recruitment and executive search entailing extensive sales and relationship management. More recently equity, diversity and inclusion has been a prominent focus included training, development of inclusive culture , diverse sourcing strategies, creating diverse partnerships, diversity metrics and reporting and branding campaigns.
Martin is a Paralympian who competed in wheelchair basketball for Great Britain in the 1984 Paralympic Games at Stoke Mandeville.
Martin has been involved in wheelchair sport for over 30 years including voluntary roles within wheelchair tennis at national and international level, local sport within Buckinghamshire as well as his professional life as Chief Executive of WheelPower at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.
Martin was honoured to be a London 2012 Paralympic Torch Bearer and in 2013 received the prestigious Brad Parks Award for services to international wheelchair tennis. In the New Year’s Honours list 2020, Martin was awarded an OBE for his services to sport.
Sport sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
Extensive knowledge of the voluntary sports sector in particular disability sport
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 7/10
Links with health sector through disability sport and Spinal Units
Education sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
Actively involved in supporting programmes for disabled children to access sport for over 30 years
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Wide local, national and international media and presentation experience (over 250 interviews in 2012)
Ability to affect change – 8/10
Managed national charity for 15 years including redevelopment of £10.2 million redevelopment of Stoke Mandeville Stadium
Commercial expertise – 7/10
Worked with a range of partners from voluntary sector to multi-national corporates through sponsorship and fundraising programmes for sport.
Professor Paul Morgan is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) at Buckinghamshire New University.
Paul initiated programmes such as physiotherapy, paramedicine, sports therapy, and sports coaching science. He also designed and delivered programmes in partnership with organisations such as The Football Association and sports performance partnerships with Reading Rockets Basketball, and developed a successful bid for BNU to become one of five new Swim England accredited National Performance Centres for Swimming in partnership with Wycombe Swimming. He’s enjoyed coaching tennis in the UK and overseas and still managed to play competitively for Buckinghamshire. He has enjoyed working with LEAP for many years as one of the university’s key strategic partners.
He is a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society) and served as the CPD Lead for the British Psychological Society’s Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology including the National Conference Organising Committee. Paul’s research interests include team resilience in elite sport and he has been invited to discuss his findings with a range of Olympic, professional, international, and amateur sports organisations including The Netherlands Olympic Committee, the British Psychological Society, Reading Women’s FC Academy, Royal Army Physical Training Corps, and the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. He’s also presented his research at international conferences such as the International Society of Sport Psychology, Association of Applied Sport Psychology, American Psychological Association, and FEPSAC (European Federation of Sport Psychology).
Sophie is Director of Culture, Sport and Leisure for Buckinghamshire Council.
Sophie has 25 years’ experience in communications and stakeholder engagement, organisational change, customer experience and digital transformation. Prior to joining local government, Sophie held senior roles within the Government Communication Service, working across diverse issues including public health campaigns, NHS reform, pensions and benefits, consumer protection and crisis communications. She has also worked at an international PR agency, an internet start-up and the European Commission.
Sophie is a Member of Leap’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
Tom has worked in sports for most of his life across the globe, although not at the moment! He fully understands the power of sport to inspire and bring people together to help them change their lives. He is particularly interested in creating public and private partnerships to help people and communities make this change.
Sport sector knowledge and experience – 9/10
He has worked in all areas of sport in the UK and around the world for 30 years and in the grassroots and communities of sport for 15 of those years.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
Part of a team aiming to launch PBT – Physical Behavioural Therapy into the marketplace which allows exercise to help manage different mental health disorders.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
School Governor for 6 years, ran a company that delivered PE lessons and after school clubs into primary schools to 8,000 children a week and married to PE Teacher!
Communication skills and experience – 6/10
Founded and run different companies, Tom lives with his wife and four daughters very happily and is currently in a team refining his followership skills.
Ability to affect change – 8/10
Affecting social change is Tom’s professional passion. He has created lots of social change programmes using sport the most successful of which is GOAL a women’s empowerment programme inspired by netball in the slums of Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai which now has 12,000 12-18 year old girls enrolled.
Commercial expertise and experience – 8/10
Most of his career has been spent selling sport and community sport to brands and local and national Government to support.
Head of Housing Delivery, Milton Keynes Council and Board Member for Leap.
Yvette is a secondary school teacher with Further Education and Headship experience spanning 34 years, in the UK and abroad. In her current role Yvette supports schools across the County as School Improvement and Traded Delivery Manager: her team provides advice and guidance to schools and monitors the educational attainment of all pupils and students in Bucks.
Yvette leads on Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination in education: delivering training to teaching staff and professionals working with children and young people.
For her work on anti-racism Yvette was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Show Racism the Red Card in 2016.
Sport Sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
All round sports enthusiast in her youth and a huge football supporter attending matches at WWFC and Chelsea whenever possible.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
Works in partnership with Public Health colleagues on children’s health and well-being agenda.
Education Sector knowledge and experience – 10/10
A Secondary teacher by profession with FE and Headship experience spanning 34 years, Yvette has worked abroad as well as in the UK. Yvette was seconded to work with UNESCO as an Associated Schools Project Coordinator and supported schools across the Caribbean to form links and work on UNESCO themed projects together.
She has worked as a School Improvement Advisor and supported schools on a range of improvement issues over the past 19 years.
In her current role Yvette is supporting schools across the County as School Improvement and Traded Delivery Manager along with her team she provides advice and guidance to schools as well as monitoring the educational attainment of all pupils and students in Bucks, she leads on aspects of Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination work with schools, delivering training to teaching staff and professionals working with children and young people. For her work on anti-racism Yvette was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Show Racism the Red Card in 2016.
Former Governor at a local FE College.
Communication skills and experience – 10/10
Yvette is an experienced Education and Equalities Trainer delivering training to professionals across the County and beyond. She has successfully written and won several Erasmus + bid applications working on a range of projects in partnership with schools and partner agencies in Bucks as well as across Europe. Being a successful communicator is part of her everyday role at work, identifying needs and then delivering successful outcomes for schools.
Ability to affect change – 10/10
The ability to work with a range of partner agencies and professionals in an ever-changing education field has been pivotal to the success that Yvette has achieved over the years. Identifying opportunities and motivating others to see the potential within change wherever possible.
Commercial expertise and experience – 7/10
Yvette has recently led on the development and implementation of a traded service for schools in the County. This has broadened her knowledge and understanding of commercial opportunities and the rigorous process required to set up such an entity.
Sue is particularly passionate about all children and young people having opportunities to achieve the very best outcomes. The importance of the very early years of childhood and the development of our young people’s emotional intelligence and resilience are areas of specific interest. Sue is also a champion of the importance of physical activity and sport in young people’s physical and emotional development.
Sue Chairs Leap’s Nominations Committee.
Sports sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
A member of the Board of Leap for several years Sue has increased her knowledge of the sector from working with experts in the field, both at board level and with staff members. Sue is also a national board member of the Active Partnerships Network.
Health sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
In her professional career Sue spent many years working very closely with with a number of different areas of the local health sector including public health and clinical commissioning groups and across both physical and mental health.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 9/10
Sue started her professional career as a teacher before working for several years in education administration in a local authority. Working for the Department for Education for a period of time, Sue went back into the local authority as Director of Education and then Director of Children’s Services. She has worked very closely with headteachers and governors in both primary and secondary schools.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Throughout her career Sue has had experience of developing and delivering significant messages on a range of issues, to a wide range of audiences. Speaking at local and national events, Sue also has experience of working with colleagues in various aspects of the media sector.
Ability to affect change – 9/10
Sue has led and delivered several significant change programmes in the children’s services area. Representing colleagues on national fora with government ministers and sitting with a range of experts on various working groups.
Commercial experience – 7/10
As vice chair of an educational trust Sue has been involved in developing the strategy and business plan for moving the organisation forward, based on a range of services traded locally, nationally and internationally.
Alistair has worked with Children as an Athlete mentor for many years representing the Youth Sports Trust and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. As a former elite athlete, he is passionate in giving back through the experiences an active lifestyle and sport gave him.
Sports sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
Alistair has participated in sport (Football) at an elite level and wishes to understand more of its governance within society.
Health sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Alistair only has knowledge of the health sector through his own experience as a patient for various procedures.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
Alistair’s time working in the Education sector as an Athlete mentor has allowed him to work closely with P.E departments to understand how its delivery can benefit across the school experience.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
From an early career as a professional footballer to training as a Quantity Surveyor communication has been high on Alistair’s agenda. Acting as an athlete mentor he specialises in delivering team building and communication workshops to develop the individual as well as group. has experience of working with colleagues in various aspects of the media sector.
Ability to affect change – 9/10
Alistair has worked on various initiatives to help others make change or better their environment through adjustments to their ordinary routine. Some of this had led to an increase in participation and increase in number of girls playing football. It has also helped young people move into employment.
Commercial experience – 6/10
Alistair acts as an ambassador for various groups/bodies from the anti-discrimination group Kick It Out to the recently Launched Footballers Global where his role is to increase the take up and exposure of Footballers with a disability and the Para Football movement.
A creative and enthusiastic team player, determined to ensure that her experience and connections benefit Leap’s objectives and aspirations. Through her 30 years career as a branding specialist and as founding Director of Yellow Yoyo, an established futures, strategy and design business, she has been responsible for shaping and steering large national and international businesses both strategically and creatively.
Sport Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
GB U20 fencer in her youth and more recently an avid supporter, motivator, kit washer and taxi to both her rugby/football obsessed children, through school and now university.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Engagement as Founder member of Willen Hospice Business Club, which she instigated and nurtured the growth of. Formerly member of Hospice of St Francis Corporate Partner Network.
Education Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Former Chair of Buckinghamshire primary school PTA and very active committee member of two Aylesbury grammar schools’ PTAs. Visiting ‘real world’ graphics project tutor at MK College.
Communication skills and experience – 10/10
A qualified Practitioner in Neuro linguistic programming and as a business owner, Amanda has 30 years’ experience in communicating with, interpreting the needs of, presenting and delivering projects to countless organisations.
Ability to affect change – 10/10
Through her 30 years career as a branding specialist and as founding Director of Yellow Yoyo, 20 year old MK based futures, strategy and design business, she has been responsible for shaping and steering large national and international businesses both strategically and creatively.
Commercial expertise and experience – 10/10
BA Hons Graphic design. Amanda has not only run Yellow Yoyo for 20 years but has also held senior positions and managed teams within many of the UK’s top creative agencies, with clients ranging from SMEs and Blue Chip to Public Sector, both nationally and globally.
Colin is a Retired Accountant and has advised businesses, charities and individuals over the last 37 years of professional life. He has broad experience gained from nearly 40 years as a professional practicing accountant serving owner managed businesses and their owners. Strong negotiation and mediation skills both in informal and formal (mediation and arbitration) settings. While on the Board of his practice Colin has at various times been responsible for the Marketing , IT and Finance functions.
Colin Chairs Leap’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
Sport sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
He is an enthusiastic sportsman having played rugby, hockey , cricket and table tennis to a reasonable level and his current passion is as a 10 handicap golfer. Will also happily watch most sports when allowed! A firm belief that activity and sport are essential to physical and mental well being.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 4/10
Limited exposure to the Health sector through work . His firm has clients supplying services to NHS Hospital Trusts and the firm is AISMA accredited supplying specialist accounting services to GPs and dentists but Colin is not directly involved in these specialisms.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
He has mostly personal knowledge in this area through having put 2 children through state schools and university. His firm has a specialist department advising and auditing Academy schools but Colin is not directly involved in this specialism.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Colin is a good face to face communicator preferring consensus to conflict. He has also presented regularly to technical seminars and workgroups. A good sense of humour which can assist in difficult situations!
Ability to affect change – 9/10
Colin was managing partner of his accountancy practice for 8 years and a Board member prior to that. During that time he both initiated and managed several change management programs (some more successful than others) .
Commercial expertise and experience – 9/10
Broad experience gained from nearly 40 years as a professional practicing accountant serving owner managed businesses and their owners. Strong negotiation and mediation skills both in informal and formal (mediation and arbitration) settings. While on the Board of his practice Colin has at various times been responsible for the Marketing , IT and Finance functions.
Jules is a long-term Bucks resident, amateur sportswoman and Mum to 4 boys. Her career in HR and global biotechnology has reinforced her strong believe in equality of opportunity, removing barriers and making health initiatives accessible to our entire community.
Sports sector knowledge and experience – 3/10
No industry experience but as a sports enthusiast, Jules is Jack of all trades, running, cycling, swimming, rowing and pilates – none of which she does well, but it’s the taking part that counts apparently!
Health sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
Having held a Senior Director Role for the last 5+ years in the HR Function of a Silicon Valley Biotechnology company with 17,000 employees, she supports a global team in the capacity of major programme management, strategy, and operations. Prior to that she worked in the pharmaceutical and FMCG sector.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
Whilst at GSK Jules worked as a STEM Ambassador promoting science in schools in partnership with scientists and held a role as a Trustee for The Misbourne School from 2016-2019.
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Having worked in Human Resources for 13 years, Jules has experienced the ‘hard’ style communications such as influencing legal, compliance and risk matters as well as a softer emotional intelligence, skills based, coaching approach.
Ability to affect change – 9/10
In the final year of a part-time MSc in Major Programme Management at Oxford University, Jules was awarded a scholarship to study the academic aspects of transformation and change having led a vast range of large and small-scale programmes over the last 10 years.
Commercial experience – 8/10
The first half of Jules career was in recruitment and executive search entailing extensive sales and relationship management. More recently equity, diversity and inclusion has been a prominent focus included training, development of inclusive culture , diverse sourcing strategies, creating diverse partnerships, diversity metrics and reporting and branding campaigns.
Martin is a Paralympian who competed in wheelchair basketball for Great Britain in the 1984 Paralympic Games at Stoke Mandeville.
Martin has been involved in wheelchair sport for over 30 years including voluntary roles within wheelchair tennis at national and international level, local sport within Buckinghamshire as well as his professional life as Chief Executive of WheelPower at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.
Martin was honoured to be a London 2012 Paralympic Torch Bearer and in 2013 received the prestigious Brad Parks Award for services to international wheelchair tennis. In the New Year’s Honours list 2020, Martin was awarded an OBE for his services to sport.
Sport sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
Extensive knowledge of the voluntary sports sector in particular disability sport
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 7/10
Links with health sector through disability sport and Spinal Units
Education sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
Actively involved in supporting programmes for disabled children to access sport for over 30 years
Communication skills and experience – 8/10
Wide local, national and international media and presentation experience (over 250 interviews in 2012)
Ability to affect change – 8/10
Managed national charity for 15 years including redevelopment of £10.2 million redevelopment of Stoke Mandeville Stadium
Commercial expertise – 7/10
Worked with a range of partners from voluntary sector to multi-national corporates through sponsorship and fundraising programmes for sport.
Professor Paul Morgan is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) at Buckinghamshire New University.
Paul initiated programmes such as physiotherapy, paramedicine, sports therapy, and sports coaching science. He also designed and delivered programmes in partnership with organisations such as The Football Association and sports performance partnerships with Reading Rockets Basketball, and developed a successful bid for BNU to become one of five new Swim England accredited National Performance Centres for Swimming in partnership with Wycombe Swimming. He’s enjoyed coaching tennis in the UK and overseas and still managed to play competitively for Buckinghamshire. He has enjoyed working with LEAP for many years as one of the university’s key strategic partners.
He is a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society) and served as the CPD Lead for the British Psychological Society’s Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology including the National Conference Organising Committee. Paul’s research interests include team resilience in elite sport and he has been invited to discuss his findings with a range of Olympic, professional, international, and amateur sports organisations including The Netherlands Olympic Committee, the British Psychological Society, Reading Women’s FC Academy, Royal Army Physical Training Corps, and the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. He’s also presented his research at international conferences such as the International Society of Sport Psychology, Association of Applied Sport Psychology, American Psychological Association, and FEPSAC (European Federation of Sport Psychology).
Sophie is Director of Culture, Sport and Leisure for Buckinghamshire Council.
Sophie has 25 years’ experience in communications and stakeholder engagement, organisational change, customer experience and digital transformation. Prior to joining local government, Sophie held senior roles within the Government Communication Service, working across diverse issues including public health campaigns, NHS reform, pensions and benefits, consumer protection and crisis communications. She has also worked at an international PR agency, an internet start-up and the European Commission.
Sophie is a Member of Leap’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
Tom has worked in sports for most of his life across the globe, although not at the moment! He fully understands the power of sport to inspire and bring people together to help them change their lives. He is particularly interested in creating public and private partnerships to help people and communities make this change.
Sport sector knowledge and experience – 9/10
He has worked in all areas of sport in the UK and around the world for 30 years and in the grassroots and communities of sport for 15 of those years.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
Part of a team aiming to launch PBT – Physical Behavioural Therapy into the marketplace which allows exercise to help manage different mental health disorders.
Education sector knowledge and experience – 8/10
School Governor for 6 years, ran a company that delivered PE lessons and after school clubs into primary schools to 8,000 children a week and married to PE Teacher!
Communication skills and experience – 6/10
Founded and run different companies, Tom lives with his wife and four daughters very happily and is currently in a team refining his followership skills.
Ability to affect change – 8/10
Affecting social change is Tom’s professional passion. He has created lots of social change programmes using sport the most successful of which is GOAL a women’s empowerment programme inspired by netball in the slums of Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai which now has 12,000 12-18 year old girls enrolled.
Commercial expertise and experience – 8/10
Most of his career has been spent selling sport and community sport to brands and local and national Government to support.
Head of Housing Delivery, Milton Keynes Council and Board Member for Leap.
Yvette is a secondary school teacher with Further Education and Headship experience spanning 34 years, in the UK and abroad. In her current role Yvette supports schools across the County as School Improvement and Traded Delivery Manager: her team provides advice and guidance to schools and monitors the educational attainment of all pupils and students in Bucks.
Yvette leads on Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination in education: delivering training to teaching staff and professionals working with children and young people.
For her work on anti-racism Yvette was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Show Racism the Red Card in 2016.
Sport Sector knowledge and experience – 5/10
All round sports enthusiast in her youth and a huge football supporter attending matches at WWFC and Chelsea whenever possible.
Health Sector knowledge and experience – 6/10
Works in partnership with Public Health colleagues on children’s health and well-being agenda.
Education Sector knowledge and experience – 10/10
A Secondary teacher by profession with FE and Headship experience spanning 34 years, Yvette has worked abroad as well as in the UK. Yvette was seconded to work with UNESCO as an Associated Schools Project Coordinator and supported schools across the Caribbean to form links and work on UNESCO themed projects together.
She has worked as a School Improvement Advisor and supported schools on a range of improvement issues over the past 19 years.
In her current role Yvette is supporting schools across the County as School Improvement and Traded Delivery Manager along with her team she provides advice and guidance to schools as well as monitoring the educational attainment of all pupils and students in Bucks, she leads on aspects of Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination work with schools, delivering training to teaching staff and professionals working with children and young people. For her work on anti-racism Yvette was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Show Racism the Red Card in 2016.
Former Governor at a local FE College.
Communication skills and experience – 10/10
Yvette is an experienced Education and Equalities Trainer delivering training to professionals across the County and beyond. She has successfully written and won several Erasmus + bid applications working on a range of projects in partnership with schools and partner agencies in Bucks as well as across Europe. Being a successful communicator is part of her everyday role at work, identifying needs and then delivering successful outcomes for schools.
Ability to affect change – 10/10
The ability to work with a range of partner agencies and professionals in an ever-changing education field has been pivotal to the success that Yvette has achieved over the years. Identifying opportunities and motivating others to see the potential within change wherever possible.
Commercial expertise and experience – 7/10
Yvette has recently led on the development and implementation of a traded service for schools in the County. This has broadened her knowledge and understanding of commercial opportunities and the rigorous process required to set up such an entity.
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