Who we are.
We are health professionals, academics, teachers, coaches, parents, Paralympians and communicators passionate about sharing information we didn’t have growing up.
We pool our expertise, knowledge and experience to improve conditions in sport, and empower girls and women to reach their personal and sporting potential.
We work across all sports - netball, swimming, athletics, hockey, cricket, rugby, football, gymnastics, martial arts, dance, tennis, diving - to keep girls and women safe, healthy and able to reach their potential.
Special thanks to our funders.
Our advisory council
Our Advisory Council review and endorse all reference material and public facing information prior to external delivery.
They are our quality control. And we are grateful to them for the time they dedicate to ensure that our information is robust, accessible, practical and of highest quality.
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General Practitioner
With an undergraduate degree in psychology and biology, Rebecca qualified as a doctor in 2009 and is currently a local GP with a specialist interest in women’s and child health. She has always enjoyed exercise, tennis, running, paddle boarding and cycling. She joined Leatherhead Swimming Club at the age of 9, swam competitively throughout her teens, and currently trains with Farnham Swimming Club.
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Personal Trainer
Lou qualified as a personal trainer in 2013 with time spent in a chiropractor's clinic specialising in the rehabilitation of injuries and injury prevention. Louise has completed an Ironman, marathons and ultras and has dabbled in hiking, boxing and kayaking. She is a competitive runner with Farnham Runners and trains men and women to become stronger and more resilient versions of themselves.
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Paralympian
Possibly the most inspirational woman we know, Rachel Morris won her second Paralympic Games gold medal at Rio 2016, her first in rowing, having only taken up the sport in 2013, after a successful career as a hand-cyclist, winning time trial gold at Beijing 2008 and a bronze medal in the road race at London 2012. Rachel holds an MBE and is a passionate advocate for all young people in sport and in life.
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Head of PE at Weydon School
Lucy is passionate about helping young girls overcome barriers to their personal and sporting potential. A graduate of University of Bath, Lucy played professionally for Southampton Football Club and was a youth level coach for several WSL Football clubs including Southampton, Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur.
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World Champion Natural Bodybuilder and Executive Search Consultant
Monique advises FTSE250 boards and C-suites on diversity in leadership, championing women and underrepresented groups in high impact roles across finance and tech. A mother of two daughters and boy/girl twins, Monique’s journey from postnatal disordered eating to elite sporting success gives her unique insight into gender gap in sport and health. Her work blends performance and inclusion, aiding conversations about what women need to thrive in sport, leadership, and life.
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BA, MA, MB, BChir (Cantab), MRCP
Honorary Clinical Lecturer at University College London, Medical Advisor to Scottish Ballet, author of “Hormones, Health and Human Potential”, Nicky’s clinical endocrine work with dancers and athletes focuses on relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs) and women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
Nicky actively supports Optimise by delivering talks to local sports clubs, alongside expert medical consultation and advice for our female athletes.
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Commercial Design
Originally from Rio De Janeiro, and now London based, Luiza has worked across some of the world’s largest sports organisations including FIFA, UEFA and Formula 1. Her work has spanned global tournaments from the Olympic Games to the World Cup, giving her a front row understanding of how sport can shape culture, create opportunity and shift representation. Luiza brings Optimise a creative clarity, commercial thinking and deep sports industry experience.
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Performance Specialist, Strength & Conditioning Coach
Shivani has worked with athletes at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games and more. She focuses on holistic development and reducing injury incidence to promote longevity in sport, with a strong focus on rehab and return to play training for all levels. Shivani is passionate about supporting female health and well-being. She supports women suffering conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, and adenomyosis, and provides pre- and post-natal coaching.
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Director-Level Strategist, Risk & Governance Specialist and Sports Industry Leader
Tammi brings more than 30 years of experience to advise and guide Optimise on business and resource development. A member of the UK National Anti-Doping Panel and Business Women Scotland Top 100, Tammi runs TG International Consulting, offering advisory services to the legal, corporate and not-for-profit sectors.
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Design and Branding Expert
An avid climber, hiker and swimmer, Eleen Craig is the design and branding expert behind the magic you see here. Eleen runs her own agency in Farnham, Surrey and channelled her time and passion into positioning Optimise to best reach and engage girls and women over the coming months. Eleen shares lived experience as a mother of two daughters to help inform our mission and values.
Our trustees
Optimise Foundation is governed by Jo Chisholm, Sam Gold and Daniel Reynolds.
Their professional acumen and expertise guides our strategic growth and development. Their lived experience keeps our values and charitable aims at the heart of what we do.
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Jo runs the hugely successful kitchen company Chisholm Design, along with her husband Rob and growing team. A former Army officer and qualified engineer, Jo is passionate about health, nutrition and wellness. A mother of two teenagers, Jo spends her free time running, cycling and training in the gym, as well as walking their dog Inca.
Somewhat ironically, Optimise was founded around Jo's kitchen table.
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Prior to retraining as a Clinical Nutritionist and Women's Health Specialist, Sam oversaw event management at Breast Cancer Now, the UK's largest breast cancer charity. An inspiring public speaker, and mother of three sporty daughters, Sam is passionate about women's health and the importance of sharing education on nutrition, gut health and how hormone fluctuations impact the female body, through all life stages from puberty to menopause.
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Dan is an Investment Director with Aberdeen Asset Management, father of a sporty daughter and coach to the mighty Under 8 rugby team. A brilliant strategist and innovative thinker with a ruthless eye for detail, Dan brings a wealth of experience to Optimise, ensuring our finances, structures and resources are best placed to achieve sustainable operational reach and future growth.
Ambassadors
Our ambassadors guide and advise us in our mission.
Their passion and determination sets the example we aspire to follow.
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Ambassador
A campaigner, advisor and ultra-athlete famous for her endurance feats, Sophie’s passion, determination and commitment has given rise to SheRaces - a global network of race accreditation designed to increase participation, improve race experience and value female competition equally.
I support Optimise because all women and girls should be empowered to fully understand our bodies, so we can engage in sport and perform at our best throughout our lives.
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Ambassador
Pippa is an English Schools and British Universities Champion, a former GB athlete, and now a Positive Psychology Coach (MSc) and Athlete Mentor. Over a decade of competing in international athletics while studying in the UK and USA, Pippa experienced her fair share of highs and lows, including REDs. Several years after overcoming the condition, Pippa established Project RED-S with the aim of providing the resources she needed at the start of her struggle.
I support Optimise because they are giving young athletes the incredible gift of all the tools they need to thrive, both in sport and in life.”
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Ambassador
A native of Farnham Surrey, former European U23 Cross Country champion, and bronze medallist at the World Junior Athletics Championships, Emma switched to triathlon following knee injuries in 2012. Emma has since become a highly decorated multisport competitor, with world titles in both duathlon and aquathlon, and more than a dozen wins at major Ironman 70.3 events.
'As an elite athlete, I understand the importance of training around my physiology. For Optimise to champion and communicate this at a grassroots level is innovative and progressive - empowering local clubs, schools, coaches and female athletes of all ages to avoid injury, improve health and performance outcomes. All elites come from grassroots sports, so the work Optimise is doing here in our community will impact local sports performance for years to come'
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Ambassador
Dr Natalie Brown is a researcher based at Swansea University, working in collaboration with Sport Wales for the Welsh Institute of Performance Science. Her research focuses on athlete experiences of the menstrual cycle and openness of communication with coaches. Her findings have informed the creation of online resources to support coach and athlete education.
‘I support Optimise because I am passionate about translating research into practice to support coaches and athletes to understand and incorporate considerations of the menstrual cycle into training’
Our team
Optimise is run by a group of talented individuals who are leaders in their respective fields.
They generously give their time and expertise to drive real change for the benefit of others.
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Head of Programmes
From lacing up her first pair of running shoes to training as an athletics coach, movement and running have always been central to Emma’s life. At Optimise, she combines her extensive sports experience with her scientific background, including a PhD and expertise in medical writing, to create engaging, evidence-based educational materials. She is committed to helping every woman and girl thrive, whether that means achieving a new personal best, building confidence, or simply finding joy in movement.
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Head of Communications and Engagement
Chloe is a strategy specialist and thought leader in DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and organisational change. Her roles – across charity, emergency services and regulatory settings – have focused on designing and delivering initiatives that embed inclusive principles and cultural change. At Optimise, she will leverage this expertise to help ensure that our policies, procedures and communications embrace, embed and celebrate the power of diversity and inclusivity.
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Head of Operations
Anna holds a PhD in neuroscience/ mental health and has worked in a number of different roles, including as a programme manager at a medical research charity, a medical communications consultant for the pharmaceutical industry, and as a researcher at a company that provides quality certifications for health apps. At Optimise, she is acting as Head of Operations, which involves setting up systems and processes that lay a strong foundation for future scaling.
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Founder and Chief Executive Officer
A former international aid worker, Leza’s background is in human and minority rights and gender equality. In the UK, she has worked with the British Red Cross, Westminster Foundation for Democracy and human rights charity Reprieve. Leza gave up competitive swimming aged 15 not realising that it would be at least 2 decades before she played competitive sport again. Leza started Optimise to tackle inequity in sport and empower girls and women to make informed decisions about their bodies, training and long term health. She is passionate about bridging the gap between elite science and everyday life, sharing information she didn't have growing up, to keep girls healthy and in sport.