Our People
Our President
As we enter 2023, The Change Foundation is very excited to announce that Theo Sergiou is our charity’s newly elected President.
When cricket legend Phil Tufnell stepped down from the role as our charity president after an incredible innings, we knew that we needed someone special to take his place. Given that young people are at the heart of our work, it seemed fitting that a young person from our programmes should fly the flag for us going forward.
100% OF OUR COACH MENTORS HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCEs with THE ISSUES WE ARE TACKLING.
2023 Young Ambassadors Coming Soon...
The Young Ambassadors Group is a representative group aged 18–25 from across The Change Foundation programmes.
Young Ambassadors give back to the charity by adding their skills, experiences and opinions to find new and innovative ways to create change through sport. They contribute to updating the charity’s strategy and programmes for the benefit of future young people.
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Meet Our Team
Our team has expertise in coaching, corporate businesses, design, administration and journalism.
Andy is one of the co-founders of the charity, after running our first housing estates programme in 1981, following the Brixton Riots.
He has set up and run development programmes in thirty-one of the thirty-nine countries we have operated in and is still coaching cricket and rugby.
Andy is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to lead happy and fulfilling lives, irrespective of the circumstances they face growing up.
Navjeet joined The Change Foundation in 2010 as a volunteer after being inspired by the charities incredible coaches. Since joining The Change Foundation, Navjeet has evolved the charities brand, transformed the charities impact measurement approach and is a multi-award-winning creative in designing sport for social change programmes. Navjeet is a netball and cricket coach and a graduate of the Women in Sport Leadership Academy (2016). She is passionate about engaging marginalised girls and young women through the power of sport, helping them discover their fearless bravery to become women of the future.
Ross joined the charity full time in December 2016 after mentoring young people from Hammersmith and Fulham on the charity’s multi-award winning Street Elite programme. Ross is a highly qualified youth worker with 14 years of experience working with young people across London. This is something he is extremely passionate about, as it is vital that all young people have access to good opportunities and support during a crucial time in their development as young people, regardless of their socioeconomic status or background.
Shedaine was introduced to The Change Foundation through her Pupil Referral Unit when she was 15. She then went on the join our Rugby 4 Change programme.
Her specialism is connecting with young people, long term mentoring and finding exciting new opportunities for these young people.
Shedaine is passionate about giving back with all the knowledge and experience The Change Foundation taught her from a young age.
Daniel joined the charity when he was 16, taking part in our disability programme, Hit The Top. Daniel went on to join our apprenticeship programme and then became a full-time member of staff as the charity’s Impact and Insight officer. He specialises in working with those with learning disabilities and those with ASD. He also specialises in impact measurement and creation.
Daniel is passionate about working with young people with ASD, like himself, and helping them to fulfil their potential. Alongside this, he is passionate about Esports and the power that gaming has to teach life lessons.
James joined the charity as a young person on one of our cricket programmes, back in 2004. His specialisms include: reinforcing our young people’s journeys and helping them with positive pathways, teaching them a strong mindset for their future, and giving them a voice to be heard in all aspects of their life. He is passionate about working with the young people of today.
Elle joined the charity at the end of 2019, with the overwhelming desire to create change through the power of sport. Her specialisms within sport are netball, rugby, athletics, and adapted sport.
She is passionate about discovering, engaging, educating, and delivering with other like-minded individuals in the sport for development world. Her passion motivates her to help others grow, and become the best version of themselves.
Dan joined the charity in 2016, as a participant on our apprenticeship course. After thoroughly enjoying this course, he then went on to become a full-time coach mentor for The Change Foundation.
Over the years he has worked on several programmes such as: Street Elite, Refugee Cricket Project, Rugby 4 Change and VI Rugby. Dan is not the type to shy away from any challenges and enjoys trying out new sports.
Dan is passionate about helping people better themselves in life, he often goes above and beyond to support those who need it.
Dean came to work for The Change Foundation after hearing of a job opening through an old colleague, who had been working with The Change Foundation for several years.
Dean has a youthwork background and is also a qualified football coach. He has experience of playing at a high level for teams such as Dulwich Hamlet, Spurs and West Ham at youth level.
His passion is sports and he enjoys playing and teaching through sports as it played a massive role in his own personal development. Dean believes it is a great tool that can benefit others as it did for him.
Rae started as the charity’s administrator in February 2019 as a temp and became permanent from the spring 2019. She took a degree in education as she is enthusiastic about children being educated, and is a firm believer in people making the most of their life. She is passionate about, and enjoys seeing, our young people make substantial changes to their lives.
Caine joined the charity in early 2022, starting on the governments ‘kickstart’ scheme, since then he has become a full time member of staff. Caine works in HQ working the phones and emails, but also helping out with a mix of other things and working with a mix of staff.
Caine has a passion and knowledge of all things creative and technical so has been helping with things spanning from the in house blog, podcast, photo taking and general IT help.
Not only does the things he does he enjoys, but also enjoys what the charity stands for and the people they work with.
Simon joined The Change Foundation in 2010 as a volunteer with the Refugee Cricket Project, shortly after deciding to leave the world of investment banking. He worked as a development coach and programme manager across almost every programme before moving to South America in 2015. Now living back in Europe, he consults for the charity in the areas of fundraising, impact, and communications, but is always keen to turn his hand to whatever is needed. He is passionate about listening to as many people as possible, and learning how to lead a good life, setting a good example for others.
Nick Ames is a journalist who has worked in news, sport and features for more than 40 years for national media in the UK and global business publications, along with speaking, moderating and hosting panel
discussions in the USA, Singapore, Spain, the UAE and South Africa. He has experience of working alongside the Change Foundation, and its forerunners, including reporting on blind cricket in India and Barbados, programmes in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, as well as projects in the UK.
Andy is one of the co-founders of the charity, after running our first housing estates programme in 1981, following the Brixton Riots.
He has set up and run development programmes in thirty-one of the thirty-nine countries we have operated in and is still coaching cricket and rugby.
Andy is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to lead happy and fulfilling lives, irrespective of the circumstances they face growing up.
Ryan joined The Change Foundation as an employee in November 2015 but has been part of the charity since 2004 having been a graduate of our disability cricket programme.
Ryan is one of our Programme Managers and manages our London Futures employability programme for young adults with a disability, as well as our StepIn2Tech programme and is also involved with developing our Walking Sports programme and our new initiative called The Agency where we support in sourcing and helping young people on our programme to access work opportunities.
Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife, travelling, reading, watching any sports and spending time with his family and friends.
I joined The Change Foundation through the Street Elite programme in 2022. After I graduated from the programme I had the opportunity to go to Salou to receive training as a Coach Mentor which was really fun and was a amazing opportunity that I am proud to say that I was apart of. In 2023 I was offered a job as an Assistant Coach Mentor with The Change Foundation where I now deliver Street Elite sessions to cohorts that I was apart of last year. My role involves mentoring young people throughout the week supporting them with education and employment for the future, implementing that I am there for them when most needed. I absolutely love the team that I work with as I feel so included and welcomed with everyone that I have met, there is always such a positive attitude when speaking with my colleagues which transpires to me making me want to do even better. I am extremely passionate about being able to make a change with young people so they can have hopes and dreams, being apart of The Change Foundation is a great way to succeed.
Yvette Santana is an Afro-Latin female born and raised in the South Bronx NYC. She developed her passion for sport around the age of eleven and has never looked back.
Yvette began her career at the age of 18 when she used sport as a tool to help mentor, guide, and coach young people in her community. Her passion for helping people aligned with her passion for poetry which then led to the development of the I AM NOT CRAZY MOVEMENT, which aims to raise awareness of mental health in United States communities.
Every skill Yvette has developed throughout her life and early career allows her to excel in her current role as a Senior Coach Mentor at The Change Foundation.
I was previously on the Street Elite programme. When I graduated Ross gave me the opportunity to join The Change Foundation as an Assistant Coach Mentor. My role is to support the head coach in various aspects of coaching, including strategy development, game planning, player development, and overall player management. I am passionate about achieving a positive impact on the wider community within my role. As an assistant coach I am also passionate about helping the young men and boys that I support achieve their full potential, both on and off the pitch. I love seeing the progress they make over time, and the impact that we as coaches can have on their lives.
I joined TCF when I was scouted by my Coach Mentor Ross in Peckham in summer 2017. My role includes scouting youths in the community, assisting them on their career paths and helping them be productive day to day.
What I love about my role is the joy I get when I see people develop. Especially the ones that thought they couldn’t.
I’m very passionate about continuously helping more and more people, whether it’s young people or adults. Just seeing people progress onto bigger and better things brings me joy.
Danielle joined our team in August 2023, having graduated from our Street Elite programme.
As an Assistant Coach Mentor, Danielle brings her lived experiences to our programmes, building trusted relationships with young people she mentors.
In her role you can find her delivering our Netball 4 Change, Fencing 4 Change, Work Hard, Play Hard and Street Elite programme sessions.
Outside of work you can find Danielle playing with her daughter, singing, dancing and cooking new dishes.
Pending…
Contact our Team
James joined the charity as a young person on one of our cricket programmes, back in 2004. His specialisms include: reinforcing our young people’s journeys and helping them with positive pathways, teaching them a strong mindset for their future, and giving them a voice to be heard in all aspects of their life. He is passionate about working with the young people of today.
Meet Our Trustees
Our dedicated Board of Trustees oversee the audit and governance of our charity.
To contact our Trustees please get in touch with Andy Sellins.
Vicky has over 12 years’ experience working in the sport and sport for development sector. Having trained as a PE teacher, she spent a number of years coaching PE in schools and sports clubs before moving to Saracens Rugby Club. Following a Masters degree in Sports Management, Vicky spent five years at Barclays Bank managing the global CSR initiative ‘Spaces for Sports’. Rugby and all sports are her passion and she spends her own time slowly running marathons, triathlons, and any other challenge that comes along. Vicky is currently Head of Development at Laureus Sport for Good, a global sport for development charity working in over 35 countries, and manages a number of funding relationships and corporate partners.
Helen is a solicitor with 30 years experience in a City law firm. Originally Helen’s background is in Commercial Litigation. Helen became a partner of Norton Rose Fulbright and moved to the role of General Counsel for the EMEA region. Helen became involved in the business side of a large international law firm. In particular in relation to areas of insurance, compliance and risk. Helen was a trustee and director of Kingston Grammar School. Helen sat on their finance and general purposes committee and also their risk committee. Helen was also a director and trustee of Rowan Preparatory School, which was a charity. Helen became the Vice Chair of the Board and sat on the finance committee and the main board. Helen is a mother of 3 daughters aged 22, 20 and 18.
Rachel has over 25 years’ experience working in leadership roles in the voluntary sector. For almost 18 years she has run her own business, Causeworks, providing fundraising and marketing services including Interim Director cover, for charity clients. She has recently taken on the role of Chief Executive at Wessex Cancer Trust.
Rachel is a keen netballer; she founded Midhurst Netball Club and now coaches the juniors as well as playing herself.
Daniel is a Chartered Accountant with wide-ranging professional experience gained during in-house finance roles within leading PLC groups. Most recently these have centred on improving business performance, planning capabilities and management decision-making, as well as involving responsibilities across governance, investments and technology developments.
Asha’s professional experience has spanned leadership positions in technology, marketing, talent acquisition and sales. Asha has supported a number of charities on crafting their digital strategies to help accelerate fundraising growth and improve marketing communication.
Luke is Managing Director of Oaks Consultancy, a leading global agency in the sport for development sector. A specialist in strategy, income generation and sustainability, he has supported organisations such as Sport England, Laureus Sport for Good, International Table Tennis Federation Foundation, Special Olympics International, UEFA and World Rugby to harness the power of sport to change lives around the world.
Sport is Luke’s professional and personal passion, and can regularly be found clinging onto his (long-since-faded) footballing dreams on five-a-side pitches around the country.
Steve is a recently retired PwC audit partner after 38 years auditing, 28 as Partner. He started his career in London working predominately with FTSE 350 listed Companies. For the last 16 years of his career Steve was in charge of PwC’s Uxbridge and then Gatwick offices. Steve’s clients in those offices were a mixture of listed companies, private equity backed companies and private companies including charities. Steve has attended over 200 Audit Committees of those clients where most of the meetings are focused on Risk and Governance.
Tarun qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte where he spent 7 years auditing manufacturing, building and financial services companies as well as undertaking various corporate finance due diligence projects.
He has spent the last 19 years in the Finance Division at Morgan Stanley, an investment bank in London and is currently the EMEA Head of Valuation Control for the Equity Division. Tarun has previously been a Trustee with Home-Start Haringey and as a LEAN advisor to Wallington High School for Girls. He enjoys football, gym and family days out in his spare time.
Rebecca (Becks) Martin has over 14 years’ experience in the brand, marketing and partnerships industry having worked for both fast-paced agencies, such as Fuse Sport and Entertainment and Pitch Marketing Group, as well as for blue-chip brands, such as Barclays and O2. Becks has been implementing marketing strategies across sport, entertainment and gaming during her career and is looking forward to working with The Change Foundation team on driving a new marketing strategy for 2023. Becks is also on the Board of the European Sponsorship Association and a judge for both the UK Sponsorship Awards and ESA Awards.
IN our RECENT survey the change foundation TEAM agreed THAT THE CHARITY IS PROACTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR WELLBEING.
Meet Our Ambassadors For Change
Our dedicated Ambassadors support our charity by growing our employment and fundraising networks.
To contact our Ambassadors please get in touch with Andy Sellins.
Chair of Ambassadors
Will Taborn is the founder and Managing Director of Taborns – a unique company in the ‘business of law’ who assist businesses and professional service providers by supplying access to the best legal advice and legally related services under one roof. Will wanted to join The Change Foundation as an Ambassador for a variety of factors – his love of sport, wanting to help those people in society that need a little extra hand in life, and to also support a local charity.
Siv is a New Business Director at Charles Square, a supplier of end-to-end IT infrastructure solutions. Referred to by many clients as providing “white glove service”, the supplier has predominantly worked with Hedge Fund, Private Equity and Family Office world networks for the last 20-years.
He is also a founding member of the Mayfair Collective, a ‘trusted circle of family office advisers’ which acts to provide expert knowledge, run events, and share industry contacts with clients within the family office and ultra-high net worth world.
Siv was most impressed by The Change Foundation’s drive to deliver social impact; whether or not it was them that delivered it, as well as their willingness to help other charities in need.
OUR AMBASSADORS HAVE TRANSFORMED OUR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES AND OUR EMPLOYMENT NETWORKS.
Sophie Harrison is Head of Communications for housebuilder Berkeley St Edward. She has worked with The Change Foundation for the last six years, helping deliver the award-winning Street Elite programme which supports young people on the edge of gangs and crime into work. Having seen the power of sport for change first hand, Sophie joined the Ambassador network in late 2018 and is now looking forward to delivering The Change Foundation’s first ever ‘Strictly 4 Change’ dancing fundraiser. Outside of work, Sophie is a keen boxer, cyclist and all round lover of the outdoors.
Terry Woods is the CEO of United Business Group, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of printing equipment and bespoke IT print audit systems. Outside of business, Terry is a keen artist and enjoys spending as much time with his wife, two children and friends as he can, especially as he has recently become a grandfather to two granddaughters.
Terry is a huge advocate of various charities and is passionate about arranging hugely successful charitable events which raise tens of thousands of pounds for worthy causes. Terry has a wealth of experience within the charitable sector and has a huge network of contacts with a likeminded approach to raising money. Terry feels that having been successful in business that it is vital to give back to those in need and has the right attributes to bring a new and exciting dynamic to The Change Foundation.
Pending…
Held in high regard for my sharp eye, depth of experience and customer care, I’m known for my ability to recognise a great diamond, give it the best setting for its unique beauty, and to make it available to you for a fraction of retail price, with our pieces are made in-house in our workshop to keep costs down.
I educate my clients about diamonds and the pricing structure and what to look for when buying diamond jewellery, the mission of Odendaal Diamonds is to provide first-class pieces of jewellery and service. I hope to use all of my experience to enhance opportunities for The Change Foundation’s participants as sport and long-lasting change is close to my heart.
James is a qualified goals-based financial planner and CEO of Castell Wealth Management, a sustainably led advisory firm. He is an entrepreneur, public speaker, company consultant and Times Top 100 Financial Adviser in the UK. Away from work, you will find James taking part in outdoor pursuits including cycling, travelling, skiing and more recently trying his hand at both golf and sailing.
James was inspired to become an ambassador for The Change Foundation having attended the 40-year anniversary celebrations. He has a desire to support the foundation through mentorship, work experience opportunities, hosting events and eventually organising a charity cycle
He is also a founding member of the Mayfair Collective, a ‘trusted circle of family office advisers’ which acts to provide expert knowledge, run events, and share industry contacts with clients within the family office and ultra-high net worth world.
Siv was most impressed by The Change Foundation’s drive to deliver social impact; whether or not it was them that delivered it, as well as their willingness to help other charities in need.
Introduced to The Change Foundation through being an Executive Assistant to one of our Trustees, Emily has been working with us for almost 10 years. Emily’s experience and expertise is with people and she prides herself on being able to help the charity by using her influence to encourage others to be part of The Change Foundation’s vision. Emily is thrilled to have been asked to be an Ambassador and is excited to work with Andy and the team.
Having delved into various entrepreneurial pursuits, Luke set up Best4Systems.co.uk twenty five years ago. As a telecoms and safety equipment fulfilment company, they now support a range of public bodies, including the NHS and Local Government, as well as private businesses. A keen ex amateur rugby player and now a member of Harlequins, he enters the occasional triathlon and enjoys the active side of life. With two sporty daughters, he also has the pleasure of watching netball and hockey with Andy! As a trainer at the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club, he imparts enthusiasm, learning and opportunity to those able and those less able, to enjoy learning lifeguarding and water safety skills for themselves.
Mike Richards is the Chairman of Capital City Media, a media independent in the City of London. Mike has a great love of sport (season ticket holder at Bayern Munich, life member at Kent CCC and darts medal won when only 12) and has three kids. Mike came to the charity wanting to put something back into the system to help others less fortunate than him and his kids. Little experience in the charity sector, unless working in a hospital shop for several years counts, where he learned how to add up if customers bought multiple Mar’s Bars. He hopes to spread the word about the charity given his connections in the City and in the media.
Bradley works within sports sponsorship at CSM, a worldly renowned marketing agency that works with major brands. Bradley graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University and after spending time understanding the sports marketing landscape in Australasia, India and Southern Africa, Bradley became even more passionate about the power of sport. Sport has always been a key part of Bradley’s life and has played a handful of first-class cricket games. Passionate about helping others and providing opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, Bradley believes that by combining the power of sport and education, there’s no better combination for creating positive personal development, change and happiness. Bradley is a big advocate of the work of The Change Foundation and their ability to create transformational change in young people.
Adam co-founded the film and design Studio – Beagle – in 2011, and is one of the pioneers of digital content in the UK, transforming the global web presence of brands such as Vogue, Apple, Aviva, Amazon and Rolex. He was an Executive Producer for some of the most respected and dynamic TV production companies in the UK including Shine, Tiger Aspect, Darlow Smithson, IMG Media and ITN. He has won awards across Television, Digital Advertising and Branded content. Adam came across the Change Foundation via his client Berkeley Homes and the Berkeley Foundation, who are a donor. The MD of Berkeley South East London, Harry Lewis, kindly introduced Adam to the organisation and that was that! Adam offers communications and marketing advice and connects the Change Foundation with his network.
Michael Ferndale has a wealth of experience in helping board and management teams with leadership, assessment and executive search working extensively across the private, government, sports, not-for-profit and wider public sectors.
As a headhunter he established the Board Practice at Harvey Nash and chaired the Harvey Nash Group Advisory Board. He has also worked for Korn/Ferry International and Whitehead Mann where he was a member of the board, consumer/retail and public sector practices.
He was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and The University of Dundee where he graduated in Scots Law (LLB).He has previously served on the Commercial Committee of the Lord’s Taverners and also sat on the Museum of London’s Development Board.
In 2016 he completed the 257 km Marathon des Sables (the MdS takes place in the Sahara desert and is known as the toughest foot race in the world) to raise money to give young disadvantaged people a sporting chance. He completed the 2017 London Marathon running/shuffling backwards for the same charity. In 2021 he completed 150 km in reverse in the five capital cities of the United Kingdom and Ireland to raise money for the first Annual Schools Reverse Day.
Matt is a corporate lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) and lifelong cricket fan. Having been introduced to the Change Foundation through its blind cricket programmes which were supported by NRF’s “Together for Sport” charity initiative, Matt has been a supporter of the charity for more than 5 years and has taken part in a sponsored triathlon and cycling events to raise funds for the Change Foundation. Matt believes whole-heartedly in the power of sport and exercise to improve everyone’s lives and is regularly amazed by the incredible positive changes achieved by the young people participating in Change Foundation programmes.
Ronald currently works in finance at Westminster Wealth Management. However, he originally pursued a career as a clinical biochemist, which he explains, gave him a work methodology which looked towards achieving solutions to challenges using research and practical applications.
As someone who believes in synergy and the creation of collaborations, Ronald was impressed as to how TCF had used the multi-layered power of sport to bring people together to change young people lives, and as someone who has been volunteering all his adult life, he knew he quickly wanted to get involved.
Sometimes described as ‘the world’s greatest armchair sports fan’, Ronald is a Liverpool FC supporter, despite being technically a Cockney ‘born within the sound of bow bells’. He draws inspiration from his club’s anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ with its theme of togetherness and collective inspiration to achieve great things.
Chloe works in External Communications at Vodafone UK, a leading telecommunications company, where she focuses on sport sponsorship and strategic campaign comms.
Chloe has always held a strong love of sport, playing netball for over a decade and now a keen golfer, often competing with her husband on the weekends. She’s an advocate for women’s football and a big fan of both Arsenal’s men’s and women’s team.
Chloe joined The Change Foundation in 2023 with the ambition to join the efforts to use the power of sport to inspire, unite and change the lives of young people. She is passionate about making a difference and brings her communications experience and fundraising support.
Adam has spent over 14 years in the nonprofit/development/event space across the globe. Many of Adam’s achievements are deeply rooted in sports for social change, with grassroots initiatives and fundraising development projects taking place in countries including Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, and more. Adam has partnered with global organizations such as UNICEF, ESPN, major sports leagues in the United States, the UK government, and more to push sports agendas further to impact the world positively. Adam is currently the Founder and CEO of AM Hall Consulting. A consultancy group based out of New York City supporting nonprofits with fundraising through events, strategy, and outreach. Adam has an Executive MBA from Temple University in Philadelphia and currently lives in New York City with his wife, Monique, son, Ellis, and their puppy, Maze!
Nick is Managing Director of Henham Strategy and former Chief of Staff to Rt Hon Savid Javid. He has been a close friend of The Change Foundation since he first encountered them whilst working on sports policy for the UK Government. Nick is a strong advocate of the power of sport for good and is a keen sportsman, playing a number of sports for a number of sides, including the parliamentary cricket and rugby teams. Nick has supported The Change Foundation to develop VI rugby around the world and helped us develop our international networks, introducing us to ambassadors and key government officials around the globe and securing their support.
Pending…
Pending…
Henry works in Cyber Security for Bytes, a leading provider of world-class IT solutions & Services. Henry is passionate about sport and creating opportunities for young people that haven’t had the same chances in life as those more fortunate. He believes everyone in life should have the opportunity to shine and show their ability and uniqueness, regardless of their circumstance. A keen sportsman who cite’s sport as “the greatest education I ever had”.
Anna Switalska became an Ambassador for Change in July 2023. As a talented Risk Analyst working for Ardian, a private equity firm based in Mayfair, her networking skills have allowed her to build relationships with a global network of investment and asset management specialists. Anna continues to introduce her network to The Change Foundation in support of our programmes. The 2023 Mayfair Collective Christmas Ball was certainly an event for the Ardian team to remember! In her spare time, you can find Anna cooking up a storm at home, rowing along the Thames or enjoying a run around Alexandra Palace.
Our Celebrity Supporters
