This team of nine covers three main areas:
- Supporting funded partner organisations so they can continually improve, helping them achieve their potential and make a lasting impact on sport in Wales.
- Ensure that Sport Wales is investing public money appropriately and has confidence in the organisations it works with to deliver our strategies and ambitions.
- Work with partners to build their financial resilience, efficiency and collaboration, helping them achieve excellence across governance, people and cultures, legal compliance and safeguarding.
James Owens - Head of Sport System, Governance, People & Ethics
Tell us about your role? I lead the strategic direction of the team and link with UK partners to join up on work and resources where possible.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? Building cultures and behaviours into the new Arwain Cymru framework, which are 5 minimum standards that should be met by funded partners. This framework underpins everything governance-related for our partners and isn't widely known about.
What's something staff might not know about you? I have toured around quite a bit of Europe on a motorbike (loved it).
Clare Skidmore - Senior Governance Officer
Tell us about your role? I focus on safeguarding and equality, working with funded partners to create safe and inclusive environments across Welsh Sport. I also work closely with our team, using data and insight to develop support for partners in relation to the Arwain Cymru Framework.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? The equality hub, Moving to Inclusion – a framework which provides resources and support to embed equality, diversity and inclusion in organisations. We have 27 partners engaged in so far.
What's something staff might not know about you? I have played beach volleyball for Wales and continue to compete on the UKBeachTour finishing 9th in this years Grandslam event.
Donna Bullivant-Evans - Senior People Development Officer
Tell us about your role? I lead on people development, focusing on senior leaders, Chairs and Board members.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? Our 'Leading with Impact' programme, which has given a great opportunity for Sport Wales to 'Learn Together' and train directly with leaders from NGBs, National Partners & Regional Sport Partnership.
A recent overnight residential for the programme took place in my hometown in Wrexham with a focus on storytelling and systems leadership. We were joined by Award Winning and Sunday Times bestseller Dan Kieran to focus our attention on the power of stories, and Dr Balissa Greene who talked about her experiences of starting and navigating change in complex systems.
What's something staff might not know about you? When not in work I am either at a gig, the theatre or talking about/playing with silkie chickens.
Ellen Todd - Senior Governance Officer
Tell us about your role? My role primarily involves coordinating governance support for our partners and analysing the information they submit each year, including their key focus areas and how they assess themselves against our Arwain Cymru framework.
This could include training for boards, or reactive support following challenges they may have had. I also lead the 'recognition process', which enables the Sports Councils to formally recognise new sports and governing bodies.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? Not too recent, but I’m proud of the work launching Arwain Cymru and everything that has followed. This includes developing support for partners, arranging training, or day-to-day advice or signposting around governance support.
What's something staff might not know about you? I was involved in a biomechanics study to support the men’s Welsh rugby team before the world cup in 2019.
Jonathan Roberts - Governance and Culture Lead - System Development
Tell us about your role?
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of?
What's something staff might not know about you?
Katherine O’Brien - Administrator
Tell us about your role? My main role is managing the investment process for our 51 funded partners.
Between all partners in 2026/27, over fourteen million pounds will be invested - this is a mix of Welsh Government and National Lottery funding across five different budget lines.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? I'm proud of meeting the deadline where all the partner investment offer letters are ready to send by 1 April each year. The process involves a lot of people and there are many parts to complete and sign off. It's always a challenge and a huge relief to have all the letters done and sent by the end of the day.
What's something staff might not know about you? A long time ago I got a provisional motorcycle license, it was ages ago now, but at the time it was a huge achievement for me and a big surprise for everyone as I kept it a secret in case I failed!
Laura Jones - Sector Resilience Lead
Tell us about your role? I lead Sport Wales’ Sector Resilience Programme, working with funded partners across the sport sector to explore ways of strengthening how they operate and collaboration opportunities. Read more about this project in my interview here!
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? Leading the Sector Resilience Advisory Group, who have helped shape four innovative pilots we're currently testing with funded partners as part of the Sector Resilience Programme.
What's something staff might not know about you? Alongside my cat, Dora, and dog, Oz, I have a rescue ferret named Señor Monty. I took him in thinking he only had about 3 months to live. That was 3 years ago...
Neil Emberton - Governance, Ethics and Integrity Lead
Tell us about your role? My role primarily focuses on promoting good governance and positive inclusive cultures to support partners, helping them continuously improve and to make sure Sport Wales has confidence when investing public money in them.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? The Arwain Cymru framework. It’s the result of great collaborations with colleagues from Sport Wales and partner organisations, and from implementing sector learnings from other countries across the world.
What's something staff might not know about you? I’m learning French... it’s going to take a very long time!!
Tom Jolly - Governance and Sector Resilience Support Officer
Tell us about your role? My role is to support all areas of governance and sector resilience.
What's something you've worked on recently that you're proud of? The continual development of the Moving to Inclusion Framework to ensure all partners get the most out of the programme.
What's something staff might not know about you? When not in work, you’ll find me on a mountain either walking my dog or riding my bike.