The board
The National Skills Academy board meets on a regular basis and is fundamental to determining the strategy and direction of the Academy. The board is comprised of the following members:
Martin Havenhand - Chair of the National Skills Academy for Sport & Active Leisure
Martin was responsible for establishing the National Skills Academy and ensuring delivery of the business plan. In addition to his role as Chair, Martin is Executive Chair of the Yorkshire Committee for the 2012 Games. Also the former Chief Executive of the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, Martin has decades of experience having worked in local government for more than 20 years. He has also held national lead roles for the English Regions including HM Treasury.
Mark Sesnan - Managing Director of Greenwich Leisure Limited
Mark is Managing Director of Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) which is the pioneering worker owned, not for profit leisure social enterprise that took over the operation of Greenwich Council's leisure centres in 1993. Back in the early 90s, GLL employed 150 people and operated seven leisure centres in one London Borough. Today, GLL employs around 3,000 people and operates 65 leisure centres in 14 Boroughs.
Mark is also Secretary of the Sports and Recreation Trusts Association (SpoRTA); Chair of Social Enterprise London; Member of the board of the Social Enterprise Coalition; Chair of ProActive Central London (Sport England) and member of the SkillsActive Employers Board.
Sue Fagg - Partner/owner of the Dog And Duck
Sue has been involved in the caravan park industry since 1972, making a contribution on many levels. As an active partner of the Dog and Duck Leisure Park in Kent, she has been a leading figure in the growth of the business that began as a small family run operation.
Having previously been national chairman of the British Homes and Holiday Parks Association and Chairman of CITO, she is currently vice chair of SkillsActive, Chair of their employer council, and on the board of the National Skills Academy.
Yuri Matischen - Managing Director of MLS Ltd
Yuri is Managing Director of MLS Ltd based in Sheffield, one of the UK's leading sports and event consultants. MLS are also the owners and operators of the Sheffield Sharks professional basketball franchise, of which Yuri is founder and the present Chairman. He is also a long serving Director of the British Basketball League Ltd.
With a first class honours business degree from Loughborough University, Yuri became the youngest ever General Secretary of the British Universities Sports Federation (1989) and attended three World University Games whilst involved with student sport. He is the Junior Vice-President of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and a founding director of SportsPulse, a Yorkshire based consortium growing the region's world-class sports industry.
Richard Barker - Communications Director for Westminster City Council
Richard Barker is the principal sports and leisure services manager for Westminster City Council. He is the lead officer for all sport and leisure services in Westminster and is leading on the development of 'Active Westminster' - a pioneering scheme to increase the sport and leisure opportunities for all those who live, work and study within the City of Westminster.
The London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will see four events located within the Westminster boundaries. Richard is also playing a leading role in the planning, development and legacy outcomes of the Games.
Nick Smith - Consultant
During his career Nick has created, developed and applied innovative product and service solutions that have benefited health club members all over the world. Alongside his club work, Nick has consulted for leading manufacturers of health and fitness equipment, and written numerous articles for both trade and consumer press.
Whilst maintaining his primary focus in Health and Fitness, Nick has held positions on the Executive Board of Fitness First UK, the Fitness Industry Association Board of Directors and SAFE (Sport and Fitness Employers) committee, a fitness industry forum lead by SkillsActive.
Spencer Moore - Head of Workforce Development for British Swimming
Spencer is Head of Workforce Development for British Swimming. He works closely with the home country national governing bodies for Swimming and has overall responsibility for workforce development strategy, standards, partner relationships, product and service development and monitoring.
More recently, Spencer has worked closely with Sports Coach UK on the development of a high level coach development strategy with an integrated delivery system across all four home countries. In 2008 British swimming were awarded NGB of the year for Coach Development.
Spencer is also vice-chairman of the UK Coaching Advisory group which is an NGB elected group who work with key agencies on the development of coaching. Prior to working with British Swimming, Spencer worked at a large FE/HE college for seven years where he was Head of Department for Sport and Leisure, Fitness and Outdoor Activities.
Mark Whyman, Chief Executive, Sencio Community Leisure
Mark Whyman has been the Chief Executive of Sencio Community Leisure since its original outset in 2004. Prior to that, Mark was involved at Director level in both leisure and corporate management. Sencio Community Leisure today operates seven facilities across West Kent and in East Anglia, employing 400 staff. Sencio also operates an award winning community outreach programme which provides specialist services for adults and children with learning disabilities.
In addition to the main leisure operations, Sencio community services also have divisions now that provide a grounds maintenance service and HR support with payroll. Mark Whyman is committed to social enterprise and to community interaction, this is supported by Mark's work as Chairman of the local housing association and the work which he does as regional and national board member of the National Skills Academy.
Stephen Studd - Group Chief Executive Officer, SkillsActive
Stephen has worked closely with the employers in the sector to establish SkillsActive as the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning. SkillsActive is now in its fifth year of operation and is the parent organisation of the National Skills Academy.
Stephen is also President of The European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) which gathers sector-specific labour market information from across Europe and is the driving force behind the emerging European Qualifications Framework.