Conference speakers

Donna Fraser OBE OLY

is a former sprinter representing Great Britain at 4x Olympic Games. She is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Lead for British Athletics and Vice Chair for the British Athletes Commission. She is a breast cancer survivor and Breast Cancer Now Ambassador. 

Prof Ed Laskowski MD

is Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Mayo Clinic, the former Co-Director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine and former member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, serving under Presidents Bush and Obama.

Prof Adam Hawkey FBASES

is Associate Professor of Sport Science & Human Performance at Solent University Southampton and Professor of Sports Science at Saveetha (SIMATS) University, India. He is also an Honorary Lecturer in the School of Medicine, University of Dundee and a former Deputy Chair of BASES.

Derek Redmond OLY
is a former Olympic athlete and British, European, Commonwealth and World Champion. Completing his 400m semi-final in the 1992 Games, despite a torn hamstring, is regarded as one of the Olympics' most inspirational moments, and even referenced by Barack Obama in a presidential speech.

Willie Cruz CSCS RSS
is the Director of Strength and Conditioning at the Houston Rockets in the NBA. A former Division 1 player himself with Eastern Kentucky University, he has also previously worked in a performance capacity for the NBA team Oklahoma City Thunder and Fordham University.

Dr Shawna Pandya MD

is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, physician, aquanaut, speaker, martial artist, advanced diver, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies and Fellow of the Explorers’ Club.

Aaron Phipps

is a member of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team, competing at the Paralympic Games, European and World Championships. He was the first British disabled person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a challenge he undertook to raise awareness of Meningitis. 

Prof Greg Whyte OBE FBASES
is Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University and Director of Performance at the Centre for Health and Human Performance. He has been awarded an OBE for his services to sport, sport science and charity. 

Miles Henson

is co-founder and Director of The People Academy. He currently advises the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (Team USA) and the USA women’s soccer team on techniques to enhance performance, communication and leadership.

Micky Yule

is a Great Britain powerlifter who has competed at Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth Championships. A former Staff Sergeant in the British Army's Royal Engineers, Micky won gold at the 2016 Invictus Games in London.

Troy Townsend

is Head of Development at Kick It Out, English Football’s equality and inclusion organisation. He is responsible for addressing gaps in representation across all areas of the game and regularly delivers workshops on equality and diversity to the English Football League scholars. 

Leon McKenzie
is a former Premier League footballer for Norwich City FC and a champion boxer. He is now a talkSPORT co-host, a Life After Professional Sport (LAPS) Ambassador, and an international mental health speaker.

Prof Mike Tipton MBE

is Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at University of Portsmouth, awarded an MBE for services to physiological research in extreme environments. He is Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Physiology and a Fellow of The Physiological Society.

Prof Charlie Foster OBE

is Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health at the University of Bristol. He is the Chair of Chief Medical Officer’s Committee for Physical Activity and has been awarded an OBE in recognition of his work to promote physical activity. 

Dr Pradeep Singh Chahar

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education at Banaras Hindu University in India. He was Chair of the Organising Committee for an International Webinar “Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Sciences in Context to Covid-19”. 

Dr Andy Smith MBE FBASES

is the lead author of the BASES Expert Statement on Covid-19 and both the Association’s Position Stand and Reflective Statement on Reopening Sport and Exercise Science after lockdown. Andy is a former Chair of BASES.

Ali Jawad

is a British Powerlifter, Paralympic silver medallist, and former world record holder. He is also the founder of Accessercise, a project and app set up to make exercise more accessible for people of disability.

Helene Raynsford
is a Paralympic and World Champion Rower. She has worked in public health for many years, addressing inequalities in local communities and has roles in sports governance domestically and internationally. She is currently Chair of the Athlete Commission for Paralympics GB.

Michelle Carney

is Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics Great Britain, who with the support of her team and the Board of Trustees is working to transform the lives of those with an intellectual disability. 

Alaina MacGregor

is Chief Executive Officer of British Blind Sport where she is responsible for leading initiatives to help blind and partially sighted people to get active and play sport. 

Dr Phil Carvil 

is the HealthTec Cluster Manager for the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for UK Research and Innovation. He is Head of the Executive Committee of the UK Space Life and Biomedical Science Association.

Prof Adam Hawkey FBASES

is Associate Professor of Sport Science & Human Performance at Solent University Southampton and Professor at Saveetha (SIMATS) University. He is a former researcher at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Scientific Advisor for The Physiological Society’s Mission to Mars animation.

Dr Elisa Raffaella Ferre
is a Cognitive Neuroscientist and a Senior Lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research focuses on how the human brain represents gravity and uses it to shape behaviour.

Prof Nick Caplan 
is Professor of Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation, Head of Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria University. He also leads the Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory.

Dr Julia Attias
focuses her research on understanding neuromuscular and cardiorespiratory adaptations to countermeasures that may attenuate physiological deconditioning resulting from microgravity, unloading and disuse.

Dr David Green
is European Astronaut Centre Education Coordinator and visiting Senior Lecturer of Aerospace Physiology at King's College London. He holds an exercise neuroscience PhD and leads R&D programmes on the ISS and ground-based analogues.

Dr Paul Dijkstra
is Director of Medical Education and consultant Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician at Aspetar. He is also Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar and DPhil Evidence Based Health Care candidate at the University of Oxford. 

Dr Juan Manuel Alonso
is a Spanish-trained Sports Medicine Physician. He has vast experience in Track and Field. He was Qatar Olympic Team Chief Medical Officer for Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Dr Alonso is the Medical Director of IAAF World Championships Doha 2019.

Dr Maria Carmen Adamuz
is a Spanish-trained Cardiologist with experience in both Clinical and Sports Cardiology. She has considerable experience in dealing with the common inherited and acquired cardiac pathologies that affect young athletes.

Dr Liesel Geertsema
is a specialist Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician, Acting Chief of Sports Medicine at Aspetar, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar. She has been FIFA Medical Officer since 2014 with a special interest in event medical services at major sports events.

Dr Yorck Olaf Schumacher
completed his medical studies in Germany and South Africa. His research interest ranges from Sports Science and Physiology to clinical Sports medicine, his focus during the last years was on Sports Hematology and the adaptation of the hematological system of the athlete to different environments.

Prof Marco Cardinale
is a Sports Scientist with extensive experience in various fields. Before moving to Qatar, he led the Sports Science activities for the preparation of Team GB (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) at the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

Dr Kirill Micallef Stafrace MD

is a Sport and Exercise Medicine Consultant Mater Dei Hospital, Medical Director of the Malta Football Association, Director of the Maltese Olympic Committee, and Chair of the Medical Commission of the Maltese Olympic Committee.

Dr Melita N Moore MD

is a physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at MedStar Health System in Washington, DC. She is a physician in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), National Basketball Association (NBA) G League and NBA 2K League.

Dr Joanne Donoghue

is an Associate Professor in the Department of Osteopathic Medicine and the Center for Esports Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology. 

Ismael Pedraza 
is a PhD candidate in the Institute of Psychology, Department of Performance Psychology, at the German Sport University Cologne. He is currently investigating the psychology and cognitive processes of ESports. 

Dr Emma Ross FBASES

is Director of Thrive Revolution, Co-Founder of The Well^HQ and the former Head of Physiology at the English Institute of Sport.

Dr Philippa Velija

is an Associate Professor in the Sociology of Sport and Head of Education and Sociology in the Faculty of Sport, Health and Social Sciences at Solent University Southampton, specialising in gender relations in sport and physical education.

Vilassini Sundar

is a multiple medal winner swimmer, professional surfer and stand-up paddle boarder, and sport and exercise scientist from Chennai India. 

Maurisa Gibson-Bailey

is a commonwealth Scholar, a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine and a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist. She hosts the segment “From Playground to Podium” on National Trinidad and Tobago Television. 

Andy Boyd
is Head of Athletic Development at Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) and is a Board Member for the UKSCA, where he is also Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Director.

Andy Bruce
is the Athletic Development and Physical Wellbeing Coach at Merchant Taylor's School, Northwood. He also leads the UKSCA Special Interest Group for Strength and Conditioning in Schools.

Tulshi Varsani
is a Strength and Conditioning Coach with extensive experience in an applied setting, including as the former Performance Manager for Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

Tim Stevenson
is an Athletic Performance Consultant currently leading the Strength and Conditioning Programme at British Para Swimming. He is also the co-founder and CEO at School of Calisthenics.

Rob Pacey
is a former professional footballer, turned strength and conditioning coach, and now podcast host. He hosts the Pacey Performance Podcast where he interviews some of the most recognised names in the industry.

Kim Mundy
is Safeguarding and Regulatory Manager at Southampton Football Club, responsible for strategic and operational safeguarding across all areas of the Club.

Lisa Carter
is Head of Safeguarding at Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. She is a JNC qualified youth and community worker with a master's in Safeguarding, specialising in child-in-care and corporate parenting.

Linda Medlicott
is Head of Safeguarding at Motorsport UK. She has worked in various safeguarding roles in education, and supporting families and young people on the edge of care. More recently, Linda has specialised in the sport and leisure industries, developing practice in grassroots rugby, army cadets and professional football.

Rachel Newnham
is Performance Lifestyle Lead at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), having previously held similar positions at the ECB and EIS. She is responsible for the welfare, wellbeing and personal development of British tennis players on the LTA's Performance Pathway.

Dr Laurie Patterson 

is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology within the School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University. She is currently developing an International Framework for Coach Anti-Doping Education (IFCADE).

Ali Jawad

is a British Powerlifter, Paralympic silver medallist, and former world record holder. An ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK, he is also a member of the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Athlete Commission and a passionate advocate of clean sport.

Irene Riach
is Head of Performance Nutrition at the sportscotland Institute of Sport, working across a broad range of Commonwealth and Olympic sports. She is a clinical dietitian, and a SENr registered performance nutritionist and board member.

Prof Rami Abboud

is Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Balamand. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal The Foot.

Prof Julie Greeves OBE
is the Principal Physiologist for the British Army, leading evidence-based defence physiology research for safe and effective through career employment of women in physically arduous roles

Prof Graeme Close FBASES
is a Professor of Human Physiology at Liverpool John Moores University, an expert nutrition consultant to England Rugby and Head of Performance Nutrition to The European Tour Golf and European Ryder Cup Team, and consults to several Premier League Football clubs and players.

Dr Neal Smith
is Field Leader in Biomechanics at the University of Chichester and a former Vice-President of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS).

Dr Zöe Wimshurst
is Senior Lecturer at AECC University College. A Chartered Psychologist, she helps Olympic and professional athletes' performance through improving their perceptual capabilities.

Dr Lindsay Bottoms FBASES
is a Reader in Exercise and Health Physiology at the University of Hertfordshire and is the Deputy Chair of the BASES Division for Physical Activity for Health. Her main research area is exercise for different health conditions with a primary focus on inflammatory bowel disease.

Prof Sue Backhouse FBASES 
is Professor of Sport Psychology and Behavioural Nutrition and Director of Research for Sport and Exercise Science, Leisure and Tourism at Leeds Beckett University. She co-founded and convenes the BASES Clean Sport Interest Group.

Dr Dobson Dominic MBBS M.D (Sports Medicine)
is Head of Sports Medicine in the Saveetha Insitute of Sports Medicine and Sports Science at Saveetha University, India; and the founding Vice-President of the Indian Society of Sports & Exercise Medicine (ISSEM).

Prof Craig Sale
is Professor of Human Physiology and Director of the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement Research Centre (SHAPE) at Nottingham Trent University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Editor-in-Chief of Nutrition and Health.

Dr William Murrell MD

is Director, Center of Excellence, Abu Dhabi Knee and Sports Medicine at Healthpoint Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He is the Co-Founding Editor and Co-Editor-in Chief of the Biologic Orthopedic Journal

John Kennett
is the Director of Physical Mind London, and the inventor of HIFIm (High Frequency Impulse for Micrgravity), the next generation of exercise countermeasure for astronauts on long duration human space exploration.

Vilassini Sundar
is a multiple-medal-winning swimmer, professional surfer and stand-up paddle boarder, and sport and exercise scientist from Chennai India.

Idai Makaya
is a fitness specialist, author, and endurance athlete who holds the 24-hour chin-up world record (an astonishing 5,340 reps) and the record for the longest recorded ride on an elliptical bike (1,720 miles). 

Kelly Simm
is a British gymnast who has won titles at English, British, and Commonwealth Championships and the World University Games. She has also medalled at the World Championships.  

Ali Jawad
is a British Powerlifter, Paralympic silver medallist, and former world record holder. He is an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK. He is also a member of the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Athlete Commission and a passionate advocate of clean sport. 

Alice Dearing
is the UK's number one marathon swimmer and co-founder of the Black Swimming Association. This summer she will attempt to become the first black woman to represent Team GB in a swimming event at the Olympic Games.

Adam Bundle and Stu Vince
are firefighters from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, currently preparing for an Atlantic rowing challenge in the boat Minds Matter to raise awareness of mental health and funds for Solent Mind and the Firefighters Charity.

Karen Shopland 
is the Education Partnership Officer for UK Anti-Doping (UKAD). 

Dr Steve Ingham FBASES 
is the Founder and Director of Sporting Champions and the former Director of Science at both the British Olympic Association and the English Institute of Sport.

 Andrew Cole
is a physiotherapist at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar. Originally from Malta, he has completed a master's degree in Sports Medicine, Exercise and Health at UCL.

Dr Rod Whiteley
is the Assistant Director of the Rehabilitation Department at Orthopaedic and Aspetar Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Sports Physiotherapy.

Dr James Wright
is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Science and Performance at Solent University. He is a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist and has experience of supervising and reviewing individuals through the BASES SE programme.

Dr Russell Discombe
is a Lecturer in Sports Psychology at Solent University. He is a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist.

Dr Emma Mosley
is a Lecturer in Sports Psychology at Solent University. She is a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist.