Chaired by Phoebe Schecter, with Heather Smith as the representative for BAFA, the committee will report to the Board of Directors and will cover a wide range of diversity issues including gender, ethnicity, disability, and socio-economic diversity.
So who is on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee?
Phoebe Schecter
Phoebe Schecter is the first British female and one of the first three females to hold a season long internship with an NFL team. Phoebe was with the Buffalo Bills for the 2018 season and previous two training camps. Prior to being named to the Bills Coaching Staff, Schecter interned at Stanford University, Bryant University and University of La Verne.
Phoebe is currently a coach for the GB U19s, a coach educator and Women’s Development Officer for the British American Football Coaches Association (BAFCA), and Athlete Representative for the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Representing Great Britain for the women’s contact American football team and serving as the Team Captain for the past six years, Phoebe’s passion for American football completely encompasses her life. A member of the GB women’s flag football team and England Kabaddi Captain, Phoebe has earned over 20 International caps among her sports.
Before American football, Phoebe studied Equine Business Management at Post University in the US before moving to the UK to work for the current coach of the Dutch Olympic Team in 3-Day Eventing managing his barns in the UK. Phoebe is also managing director of The UK Dukes, where she implements long term business strategies to develop and grow American football outside of the US. She is also a lecturer at University College of Birmingham in Coach Development and speaker for companies such as Visa, Women in Sport and UK Coaching.
Jake Paul
Originally a law graduate, Jake started his career working in law, then banking, before pursuing a career as a self-taught graphic designer. Initially working in e-commerce, Jake then started working in sports marketing, working with rights holders in golf, esports, football and Formula 1. Jake then went on to become a senior graphic designer in e-commerce before returning back to sport and has been working at Formula 1 in the commercial partnerships team, since April 2019. Jake also holds a position in Formula 1’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Formerly a player of the Essex Blades university team and then later the Essex Spartans and East Essex Sabres adult contact teams, Jake now helps coach at the Essex Blades.
Lucie Vickers
Lucie's professional experience comes from almost a decade of working in the third sector, primarily working in youth action and social inclusion. Lucie currently leads the youth voice and volunteering work at StreetGames, a sport for development charity, and thrives on developing others. Lucie is an all-round sports fanatic, foodie and world-traveller and once “starred” in an advert, filmed in Bollywood for the launch of Coca Cola in Kazakhstan.
Heather Smith
Heather Smith has been at Women in Sport since 2015. Her current role as Associate Head of Innovation involves overseeing the development and management of new projects and relationships, as well as ensuring the long-term sustainability of the charity’s work through grant fundraising. Heather is a current member of the Sport for Development Coalition’s (SFDC) Board, representing a network of organisations committed to changing lives through the power of sport. She has been instrumental in writing the SFDC’s new four-year business plan and securing continuation funding for the organisation.
Before joining Women in Sport, Heather worked in the development team’s at British University and Colleges Sport (BUCS), the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League. She graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2007 with a degree in Sport Science and Heather was part of the Sport Industry Group’s NextGen Leaders in 2017. In 2016, Heather launched Half Backs, a fun and engaging rugby-themed activity business for young children ages two to six. She has since sold Half Backs but is still actively involved in rugby union, having retired from a 20-year playing career is now the current chair of Teddington Rugby Club’s women’s team.
Dionne Johnson
Dionne is the Equality & Inclusion officer at Staffordshire Police working within HR. Originally from Nottingham, she moved to Cheshire to study. Once she graduated from university she started a career in telecoms.
She always had the desire and motivation to help others and help those who feel disempowered, so she left the world of sales and started working for Cheshire police in 2008 as a PCSO.
Throughout her life Dionne has experienced discrimination, whether it was as at school or her third day at work as a PCSO. These experiences have made her somewhat resilient and help her deal with many things in life.
She moved into the field of HR and positive action in 2015 and started her role at Staffordshire police in January 2019, at this point she was already on the executive cabinet of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), where she is now Vice President. Within the NBPA they look to support officers and staff who are Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic - BAME and raise awareness of issues and topics that may affect BAME officers, staff and the BAME communities.