Our Team

Here at Sport Wales we are passionate about sport.

Our dedicated and highly skilled staff share their knowledge and expertise with key partners to provide increased sporting opportunities for everybody in Wales.

"We don't always appreciate sport's wider contribution - how sport can foster national pride and a feel good factor or bring about social cohesion to communities" Professor Laura McAllister, Chair, Sport Wales

Chair

Professor Laura McAllister was appointed Chair of Sport Wales in February 2010, after previously being Vice-Chair, and immediately set out her hopes for the future.

No stranger to success, Laura is a former international footballer and has a strong background in education, sport and politics:

  • Professor of Governance at the University of Liverpool's School of Management
  • Graduate of the London School of Economics and Cardiff University where she completed a PhD in politics
  • Member of the Richard Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements for the National Assembly for Wales
  • Visiting Professor at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia and the China National School of Administration, Beijing
  • Political analyst for BBC Wales and is a commentator on Welsh and British elections.
  • Board Member of UK Sport between 2002-05
  • Board Member and Trustee of the Welsh Footbal Trust
  • Member of the judging panel for the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
  • Published author including Plaid Cymru, The Emergence of a Political Party (2001), Women and Constitutional Politics in Wales (2007) and a biography of Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, Presiding Officer at the National Assembly (2010)

High levels of experience

The Chair is supported by 12 board members who bring a vast amount of experience. Sport Wales has a 6 strong Senior Management Team:

  • Chief Executive - Dr Huw Jones
  • Corporate Director  - Chris James
  • Corporate Director   - Sian Thomas
  • Corporate Director  - Sarah Powell
  • Corporate Director  - Mark Frost