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In April 2025, Women in Football published an advertisement seeking passionate, knowledgeable and experienced Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) professionals to join a vital new group.

The WIF EEDI Advisory Group will guide and challenge the organisation to become more inclusive, representative and impactful in the football industry. After an extensive recruitment process, ten members were appointed who will contribute lived experience, professional expertise and insight to shape and support WIF’s internal and external strategies.

We spoke to each of the members to learn more about their background and why they wanted to join the group. Here, we introduce you to the first four.

 

Kirsty Clarke, CEO at Northamptonshire FA

With over 20 years’ experience of working in sport development with a particular focus on driving inclusion and equity across the sector, I’m excited by the opportunity to contribute to the Women in Football EEDI group. I am currently the Chief Executive Officer of Northamptonshire Football Association, having previously held senior roles at Activity Alliance, Stonewall, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and Sport England.

What is your background connection to football?

Having played football from the age of 16, it has been integral to my identity, and it is now an absolute honour to be leading a county FA. 

Why did you want to join the advisory group and what are you hoping to bring? 

First and foremost, I want to make a difference. I acknowledge the ways in which my lived experience influences my decision-making, particularly my experiences as a female leader in sport. Reflecting upon this while applying my professional expertise, I hope that I can support WIF in maximising impact in its EEDI ambitions. 

How have you benefitted most from being a WIF member? 

Being part of an active and dynamic network that supports, celebrates and promotes women working in football is incredibly important, particularly as we acknowledge while things have changed, women continue to face challenges in the sector and there is still so much to do.  

Where can we find you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-clarke-93897348/

 

Jamie Dapaah, EDI practitioner

I’m an experienced EDI practitioner with just over seven years in the inclusion space, dedicated to fostering equitable and inclusive environments across sport. My work has focused on integrating inclusive practices, advocating for male allyship, and delivering impactful EDI education across football. 

I have held roles at Fulham Football Club and the Football Association and previously served as a National Council board member for the Football Supporters’ Association. 

Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, I bring a strong insight into the challenges and opportunities that exist within the sport. 

What is your background connection to football?

Football has been central to both my personal and professional journey. Working in EDI capacities across multiple organisations within the sport, I’ve contributed to shaping inclusive strategies, influencing policy, and helping drive positive cultural change across the football ecosystem.

Why did you want to join the advisory group and what are you hoping to bring?

I joined the advisory group to accelerate meaningful and sustainable change in football. My aim is to elevate equity, cultivate male allyship, and support inclusive education that empowers stakeholders at every level of the game. I hope to help deliver tangible progress that supports future generations of diverse talent, both on and off the pitch.

How have you benefitted most from being a WIF member?

My WIF membership has offered a strong, supportive network of professionals who are equally committed to inclusion. It’s provided a space for shared learning, professional development, and collaboration on impactful initiatives. The community has deepened my understanding of intersectionality and reinforced the power of collective action in creating a more inclusive football landscape.

Where can we find you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-dapaah-22282a17b/ 

 

James Swanson, Senior Marketing Manager at World Rugby 

I am an EEDI practitioner and brand marketer whose work has bridged many sports, including my current role which sees me overseeing promotion of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

Previous roles include a stint at Arsenal, where I integrated British Sign Language into the matchday experience and chaired the LGBTQ+ staff network, and Harlequins, where I created the league’s first fixture in celebration of Black History Month, and formed the sport’s first LGBTQ+ supporters’ association, Quins Pride.

Outside of work, I am a founding member and chair of Pride in Tennis, the LGBTQ+ network for tennis in Great Britain, co-chair of Premiership Rugby’s LGBTQ+ Steering Group, and I sit on the EEDI Advisory Board for Brentford, Tennis Black List and Basketball England.

What is your background connection to football?

Without a familial connection to the game, I didn’t think I’d ever build a connection to football, but that all changed when I joined Arsenal in 2022 and I’ve been a Gooner ever since!

From capturing content with players and being pitch side, to overseas tours and being part of the project group responsible for the commercial growth of Arsenal Women, my time in N5 was a very formative chapter in my career.

Why did you want to join the advisory and what are you hoping to bring?

As a long-time advocate and ally for women in sport, this opportunity perfectly aligns with my values and mirrors what I am trying to accomplish through the vehicle of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. 

I hope to use my experience to support WIF’s commitment to driving holistic representation across all areas and levels in football and positively influence measures that foster intersectional access for all communities. I also hope to use this role to ensure WIF remains boldly committed to supporting all female identities in what is an increasingly turbulent and divisive EDI ecosystem.

How have you benefitted most from being a WIF member?

Having access to several educationally enriching events and conferences where I gained knowledge from the people I connected with, as well as the content I had the opportunity to listen to.

Where can we find you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdgswanson/

 

Kajol Desai, Senior Community Engagement Officer at Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Foundation

I am someone who has always been drawn to spaces where identity, purpose and community meet, and sport has been one of the most powerful places for that in my life.

Growing up in a South Asian Hindu household and taking on caring responsibilities from a young age, football gave me experiences of freedom, confidence and connection. Those experiences shaped how I work, building inclusion that’s not just about access, but about people feeling truly seen, understood and valued, and deeply connecting to the idea of life being a lila, a sacred play, within which joy and the unlocking of potential can be found, for everyone.

I lead on diverse community engagement at Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Foundation and have worked across sport, youth leadership and social impact, including with GirlDreamer, Circl, Sporting Equals and NHSF (UK), learning how deep community work translates into long-term sustainable change.

What is your background connection to football?

Football has always been the space where I feel most myself. From starting at Kettering Town to coaching and supporting at grassroots level, it’s where I’ve grown, not just as a player, but as a person. The pitch has always felt like a sacred space: a place to bring your full self, serve your team, and unlock something greater than the individual.

It was through football that I first felt confident, especially as someone who didn’t often see people like me reflected in the system. Sharing these experiences with my younger brother also helped me reflect on how being a woman shaped those moments.

Today, I support my local club and contribute nationally through the FA’s Inclusion efforts, working to ensure football holds space for all communities.

Why did you want to join the advisory group and what are you hoping to bring?

I applied to help Women in Football build with courage and create space for less-heard perspectives. I hope to support that journey by offering insight into nuanced equity dynamics within communities. I'm interested in how traditions and sports like kabaddi and rugby can help us reimagine trust, access and inclusion.

How have you benefitted most from being a WIF member?

WIF has helped me feel part of a wider movement. It’s shown me that leadership takes many forms, and the community empowers others to learn, grow and contribute.

Where can we find you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kajoldee/ 

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