Debbie has been at a leading figure in sports management and administration for over 30 years. She was the first female in Olympic history to be appointed as the Director of Sport for an Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and also the first female to be appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of a Rugby World Cup.
Debbie is Vice Chair for Sport England and leads its Workforce Committee which is responsible for overseeing the UK’s strategy for coaching, volunteering and careers in sport and is a Trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation (which was established by Prince Harry to organise international sports competitions for wounded, injured and sick service personnel).
Formerly a professional tennis player, Debbie represented her country and competed at all four Grand Slams before turning to an administrative career in the sporting arena becoming General Secretary of the International Tennis Federation where she developed the sport’s first anti-doping programme and oversaw the return of tennis as an Olympic sport.
Previously voted the most influential female in British sport, Debbie was awarded a CBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List in recognition for her services to sport and the London 2012 Games and was awarded the Olympic Order by the IOC in the same year.
