Keynote speaker - Karen Dobres, Lewes FC

We are thrilled to introduce Karen Dobres, Director at Lewes FC as our first keynote. Watch her talk below to hear about the groundbreaking work taking place at the club.

Karen had a unique voice on the Lewes FC Board as she had no interest in football before encountering the club’s equality initiative in 2017. Since then she regularly gives talks at business and sports conferences on equality in football and its effect on driving gender equality in the wider world.

Karen also created the club’s SisterShips programme which is building a network of women’s organisations keen to support the club in solidarity with its equality stance, whilst the club promotes the member organisations’ work in return.

Karen is a writer and trained counseling therapist, including creating and managing an internal counseling service for PolyGram Records (now Universal). Prior to this Karen has also worked as a fashion model. A co-owner of the Club since 2010, Karen led on the board for its ‘Impact on the World’.

Fund out more about the work of Lewes FC here.

Lewes Football Club

Sussex based Lewes FC is groundbreaking in its work in equality and ambition. As their Captain Leanne Cleverly says,

Purpose is the feeling that you are part of something bigger than yourself, that you are needed, appreciated and that you have something better ahead to work for. Purpose is what creates true happiness. Purpose is what Lewes FC is all about.

Find out more about their work in the documentary: Lewes FC – A Different Ball Game