Our Senior Leadership Team
- Ali Oliver MBE – Chief Executive Officer
Working here for over 15 years, Ali played a central role in forming the national School Sport Partnership (SSP) network in her former role. Ali was previously a PE teacher, Head of PE and Deputy Director of Sport at a university. In 2020 Ali was awarded an MBE for her services to sport.
Listen to Ali on the Working it Out podcast with Alex Darbon-Cole. Released August 2024.
- Nicola Boon - Chief Brand Officer
Nicola has over 20 years experience in Branding and Marketing. Nicola’s passion for purpose was ignited when leading on the Co-operative Bank brand partnership with national homeless charity Centrepoint which led to her previous role at national environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. Nicola has seen first hand the transformative power of sport through her involvement at her local community boxing gym and she is driven by the opportunity to level-up access across the UK.
- Helen Vost - Managing Director - Youth Sport Trust International
With over 25 years’ experience in the voluntary sector, Helen supported our founders to establish the Youth Sport Trust as a charity in 1995. She is responsible for delivering EU Erasmus+ Sport funded projects with European partners and the delivery of the sport strand of the British Council’s Next Generation Gulf Programme.
- Surinder Sihra - Director of Finance and Governance
Surinder is responsible for the YST financial and treasury strategies as well as ensuring that business plans and development programmes are effectively resourced and funded.
- Lisa McHendry - Director of Innovation and Insight
Having worked at YST for over 20 years, Lisa is responsible for overseeing our thought leadership work. She ensures that we develop innovative programmes that support schools and organisations to maximise the impact of PE, school sport and health-related activity.
- Kay Batkin - Network Director
Kay has worked for YST for over 11 years and is responsible for growing and developing our relationship with schools and the networks that support them. Having joined Youth Sport Trust from Sharnbrook Upper School in Bedfordshire, Kay has a long history of working within the Education sector. In previous roles Kay has lead on the delivery of major national programmes such as the School Games. Recently Kay has been supporting the development and growth of the Well School Movement as well as supporting our member schools.
- Emily Reynolds - National Programmes Director
Emily has worked for YST for 8 years and has responsibility for the development and delivery of our national level programmes. Throughout her time at the YST Emily, has led the introduction of YST Leadership Framework and overseen the approach to Reframe competition. Passionate about ensuring Young People are given a platform to be heard and empowered to take action.
- Amanda Vernalls - Head of Research and Insight
Amanda is responsible for overseeing our research and insight team, who identify, strengthen and share evidence that champions the impact of PE, play and sport on yong people’s wellbeing, life skills and achievement.