Athlead is a not-for-profit consultancy specialising in sport and social impact.
Athlead’s team marries world-class expertise with diverse, multidisciplinary perspectives. This enables us to approach problems with creativity, empathy, and innovation, and consistently deliver meaningful change for our partners.
Read more about our team below.
Kat is an award-winning human rights lawyer and the founder and CEO of Athlead. She advises athletes, federations, and global bodies on systemic reform. She played a pivotal role in evacuating Afghanistan’s women’s national football team, earning the Integrity & Impact Award at the Sport Industry Awards. In 2023, she received the Celia Brackenridge Award for Services to Safe Sport, recognising her sustained efforts to combat interpersonal violence in sport. Her publications include reports for FIFPRO, UN Women, and the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, offering practical solutions to tackle discrimination and abuse. Kat continues to play a leading role in shaping systemic reform across the international sporting landscape.
Beyond the desk:
Kat has a black belt in kung fu and, during a recent trip to Japan, came back with samurai skills in her back pocket!
Nick is a leading expert in Social and Emotional learning through sport, having designed programming for War Child, Socrates Football project and Giovanni Van Bronckhorst Foundation. Nick has worked with numerous National and International sport-for-development organisations and has been key in helping build and develop sporting clubs and teams, with a strong focus on people culture. In addition, Nick is a UEFA B-qualified football coach with over 20 years of experience coaching football at all levels of the game.
Beyond the desk:
Nick has a knack for hunting down cool vintage football boots – and always manages to turn heads with them.
With over a decade of experience in youth, community and sport development, Joel has built a career dedicated to empowering young people through the vehicle of sport. Beginning as a youth worker, he’s developed expertise in mentoring, programme delivery, consultancy and workshop planning. His journey has since spanned roles across schools, charities and various football organisations, where he drives inclusion, leadership, and opportunity whilst always bringing an infectious energy and thought-provoking questions. Passionate about creating safe, inspiring spaces, he uses sport as a tool to unlock potential, strengthen communities, and widen access for the next generation.
Beyond the desk:
Joel has a sweet spot for adventure! Whether it’s trying out a wild new recipe or plotting his next spontaneous trip, he’s always got a story up his sleeve.
Jasmine is a Junior Consultant at Athlead, passionate about driving positive change at the intersection of human rights and sport. With experience in project administration and delivery, she has contributed to initiatives with major international federations and organisations, focusing on safeguarding, equity, and inclusion. Currently pursuing a BSc in Finance and Accounting, she brings a growing financial perspective that strengthens her strategic and operational insight. An ex-athlete, Jasmine is committed to dismantling barriers, advocating for inclusivity, and leveraging her lived sporting experience for wider impact. She has volunteered for over five years with young people through the Premier League Kicks Programme and served on the #iwill Fund advisory board, sharpening her leadership skills and deepening her understanding of sport’s power to foster social change.
Beyond the desk:
Jasmine has a secret love for physics and even gave a TEDx Talk on the possibilities of quantum computers.
Alison is an independent consultant, facilitator, researcher and coach who works with community organisations, international NGOs and foundations to support gender equality/equity, inclusion, and to build learning systems to better understand and amplify work for social change. Alison has specialised in gender equality/equity and inclusion in sport for development (SFD) and has accompanied SFD organisations around the world to build sport programs that provide inclusive and empowering spaces for people of all genders, in particular girls and women. She also specialises in creating inclusive learning spaces and spaces for shared and collaborative learning, such as learning communities or co-designed and collaborative MEL.
Beyond the desk:
Alison has played football since the age of 5 and still plays football with a lovely team of fellow “veteran” players in a small town in Catalonia, Spain.
Aisha Al-Qatani is a Research Associate at Athlead, dedicated to advancing human rights, social change, and athlete-centred development within the sporting ecosystem. Through her work, she supports evidence-based research, programme design, and strategic insight that strengthen Athlead’s impact across safeguarding, equity, and ESG initiatives. Aisha plays a key role in shaping the organisation’s analytical foundation—translating complex data and global policy trends into actionable recommendations that empower federations, clubs, and stakeholders. Her commitment to ethical sport and high-performance environments drives her to explore innovative approaches to inclusion and athlete wellbeing. As an integral member of the Athlead team, Aisha brings a thoughtful, rigorous perspective that enriches our projects and reinforces our mission to build a more inclusive and responsible future for sport.
Beyond the desk:
Aisha is a serial hobby starter, rotating between pottery, pilates, and perfecting sourdough.
We are proud to work with the fan-owned football club Camden & Islington United, our community partner, who benefit from ongoing in-kind and financial support.
Learn more about Camden & Islington United here.
