Board of Directors  

Sport for Confidence is supported by a talented Board of Directors who each bring a wealth of experience, talent and skills. 
 
Meet our talented Board below. 
Lyndsey Barrett 
Co-CEO and Lead Occupational Therapist 
Lyndsey has 20 years’ experience as an active Occupational Therapist working with people with learning disabilities, Aspergers and mental heath issues. It was her love for sport that planted the idea of sport as a tool for assessment and developing life and social skills with her clients. Lyndsey has grown Sport for Confidence from just one participant to where it is today. But she won’t stop there, Lyndsey is committed to seeing an OT in every leisure centre in the country. 
Steve Mitchell 
Co-Founder & Chair 
 
 
Dan Black 
Co-Founder  
 
Jake Turner 
Co-CEO 
Jake has a FdSc in Analysis & Intervention in Intellectual Disabilities after studying at The Tizard Centre, Kent University. Jake has gained many years of experience working with people with learning disabilities, mental health conditions & physical disabilities across a range of different challenging settings. Jake joined Sport for Confidence as a Practitioner over 4 years ago and has recently progressed to Director of Operations. Jake is a keen sports enthusiast and aims to deliver therapeutic interventions for individuals through physical activity ensuring anyone's first visit to a leisure centre is a positive experience. 
Jamie Hooper 
Non Executive Director 
During his 10 years working in the physical activity sector, Jamie has established himself as a leading specialist in creating inclusive cultures and driving behaviour change. Through his Diversity and Inclusion work with key organisations including Swim England and Sport England, Jamie has consistently driven a person-centred approach to decision making, helping extend opportunities to be active to all segments of the community. 
 
In 2019 Jamie founded Inclusive Cultures to work with stakeholders and organisations to drive a culture of equality, inclusion and diversity in physical activity and sport. He also sits on the board for the Federation of Gay Games and the Black Swimming Association. 
Carol Slade 
Non Executive Director 
Carol joined the Board in August 2024 and is currently a semi retired self employed IT consultant working with a range of businesses migrating systems. 
 
Carol's working career has been varied, with a number of years within the third sector of a large disability charity, and understands the environment and the challenges it faces. Carol spent a number of years in different roles working closely with the CEO and acting as Board Secretary, Company Secretary and lead on Board governance. Prior to this, her experience was primarily in the commercial sector.  
At heart Carol is an entrepreneur, thinking strategically and innovatively. She uses this range of skills in whatever she feels passionate about. Carol can certainly say she feels passionate about the ethos and mission of Sport for Confidence and its vision into the future. 
 
As a disabled person, Carol views from a lived experience perspective, and the difference support and socialisation can change individual’s lives. Carol believes innovative approaches; removing barriers; offering choice; and empowering people provides inclusion to all those who would otherwise be ignored or forgotten. 
Ben Beevers 
Non Executive Director 
Ben joined the Board in August 2024. He has worked in the leisure / health and fitness for over 30 years, starting as a lifeguard and progressing to the position of Group Development Director for Everyone Active, one of the UK’s largest and most reputable leisure operators. During that time, Ben has built vast knowledge of the leisure sector and understanding of its unique challenges. 
 
Ben is passionate about activity and the benefits it can bring to everyone. On a personal level activity played a key role in Ben's recovery from cancer and he remains active, regularly playing a number of sports and undertaking endurance events. 
 
Ian Moss 
Non Executive Director 
Ian joined the Board in August 2024 and has worked as a lawyer and negotiator in the music, film and TV industries for more than 30 years. 
He currently works for an independent music company where he has responsibility for everything legal, commercial and HR related. 
Ian is also a qualified mediator, Portsmouth FC season ticket holder and pickleball addict. 
Scott Baker 
Non Executive Director 
Scott joined the Board in August 2024. After obtaining a degree in Sports Science, evaluating leadership styles of sports coaches, his early career involved working in the sports and leisure industry. While this fulfilled his passion for exercise, he then became a qualified physiotherapist and has worked in the field of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy in the NHS, private sector and elite sport. Scott has held several clinical and managerial roles within the NHS where he was the MSK Clinical Lead for NHS East of England. He was one of the early Physiotherapy pioneers in obtaining qualifications in injection therapy and independent prescribing. 
 
Scott has always had a passion for collaborative leadership and the impact on patient care and experience which has seen him complete a master’s in leadership. He then become the first ever recipient of the FMLM’s Collaborative Fellowship award to accredit non-medical practitioners for their healthcare leadership and management experience. 
 
Scott currently is the Clinical Director for Allied Health Professionals and Leadership for Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Broad. He is passionate about enabling everyone to achieve their potential and reducing health inequalities while challenging social barriers by promoting equality of opportunities. 
 
Janet Hotz 
Non Executive Director 
Janet joined the Board in early 2026. She holds a Master's in Business Administration (MBA), a Master's in Arts (MA), French, as well as a Coaching accreditation. She is a seasoned and versatile Chief Operating Officer and Global Head of Strategy and Delivery who has worked across three industries and held a number of senior leadership positions. Her background includes transforming organizations to meet strategic, financial, and delivery objectives. Janet's approach to developing and delivering change is both heart-led and outcome-oriented. 
 
Janet is passionate about sport and the benefits of physical activity, especially as a means to balancing and unlocking mental and physical resilience. 
Ross Perriam 
Non Executive Director 
Ross brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in the sports and fitness sector, including 15 years operating at C-suite level. He currently serves as CEO of The RAF Central Fund, a grant-giving charity dedicated to improving access to sport, physical activity, and wellbeing opportunities for RAF personnel. 
 
Previously, Ross was Chief Executive Officer of EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise and fitness, where he played a key role in shaping standards, policy, and workforce development across the sector. 
 
Ross began his career as a personal trainer and he has used his strategic knowledge and practitioner level understanding of the industry to underpin his lifelong passion for ensuring people from all backgrounds can access the physical, mental, and social benefits of health and fitness 
Beth Smithson 
Non Executive Director 
We welcomed Beth as a Non Executive Director in early 2026. Beth is an occupational therapist with over two decades of experience across health, education and social care in the United Kingdom and internationally. She has worked clinically and in service leadership roles always with a focus on participation, inclusion and improving quality of life. 
 
Beth is passionate about sport and movement as meaningful occupation. A swimming teacher for over 20 years, she brings a practical understanding of how physical activity can build confidence, connection and wellbeing, while also recognising the barriers that prevent many people from taking part. Her approach is grounded in best practice occupational therapy, with intervention delivered in the communities and everyday places where people live, learn, work and enjoy their occupations. 
 
Beth is currently Director for Lifelong Learning at Sensory Integration Education, where she develops and curates' education and continuing professional development programmes and mentors clinicians. She is committed to widening access to evidence informed practice, reducing health inequalities, and ensuring that inclusion is built through relationships, environments and meaningful activity. 
Gethin Harries 
Non Executive Director 
Gethin joined our Board in early 2026, he is a senior health and wellbeing leader, qualified Physiotherapist and Anatomical Scientist, with a strong belief in co-production. In his NHS role, he leads integrated rehabilitation services that bring people, professions and communities together to support recovery, confidence and quality of life. 
 
He brings clinical credibility alongside programme leadership and values-led practice, and co-authored the All-Wales Rehabilitation Framework (2022), contributing nationally to a consistent, strengths-based approach to rehabilitation across the country. 
 
Activity and vocation have been a constant thread throughout Gethin’s life and career. He has worked in sport-based physiotherapy from amateur to professional levels across rugby, rugby league and football in South Wales, and remains an active coach and player, with international and club-level experience in touch rugby. He sees activity as a powerful tool for confidence, connection and belonging. 
 
As a Non-Executive Director at Sport for Confidence, Gethin brings a people-first, mission-led approach to governance and impact, supporting inclusive activity that helps people move, connect and thrive.