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Early in 2023 we spoke to Danetta Powell, who was working as the Academy Manager (Operations) at Birmingham City FC, for our Members in Focus series. Danetta’s story was an inspiring one. Her amazing talent, positivity, hard work and empathy combined with the knowledge and confidence she gained from the Women in Football Leadership Programme to open new horizons professionally.

Shortly afterwards Danetta took up a similar role in the Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur FC, where she continued to excel. More recently she took up a new opportunity outside the football industry, as Director of Operations with Birmingham Education Partnership – but she’s keen to stay in touch with the WIF community and retain the many friendships she’s developed there.

It seemed a good moment, then, to ask Danetta for her perspectives on Black History Month 2025 as a woman of mixed heritage, and to share some new reflections on her personal history at a point of transition in her career.

 

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As a woman of mixed heritage, with a father from the Windrush generation and a grandfather from Yemen, I am proud to celebrate all parts of my family and the rich tapestry of cultures that shape who I am. Black History Month is a time to honour resilience, achievement, and progress across the BAME community, and it reminds me of the responsibility I carry to open doors for the next generation.

My journey in leadership, from becoming one of the first female academy managers of a boys’ academy to now leading operations at Birmingham Education Partnership, has been guided by a commitment to representation, diversity, and inclusion. Every step I take is driven by generational change, by making my family proud, and by showing my daughters, and young women everywhere: glass ceilings are meant to be shattered!

 

What does Black History Month mean to you, and how does it connect with your personal and professional journey?

Black History Month is a powerful reminder of the resilience, strength, and achievements of Black people and the wider BAME community. For me, it’s deeply personal, my father’s journey as part of the Windrush generation, and my grandfather’s Yemeni heritage, give me a rich legacy to celebrate. Professionally, it’s about representation: being a woman of mixed heritage in football, I hoped to be a role model and then open doors and show the next generation that this industry is a space where we can thrive, lead, and create change.

 

Have you come across any content, events, or initiatives for Black History Month 2025 that have particularly resonated with you?

I’m inspired by initiatives that celebrate not only the achievements of Black professionals in football but also those that highlight the contributions of people from all BAME backgrounds. Events focusing on mentorship, leadership pathways, and storytelling resonate deeply with me, especially those that create tangible opportunities for young people to engage with the game. Representation matters, but access matters even more, and these initiatives help address both. The work of Ash Virdee (Senior Careers and Employability Planning Advisor at the University Campus of Football Business) always does exactly this; and Ash is sure to not just limit her work in this space to one month each year.

 

It’s only been two and a half years since we last spoke, yet your career has taken some incredible turns. Could you tell us about your move to Tottenham, what you learned there, and what led to your transition to Birmingham Education Partnership?

Joining Tottenham Hotspur as Head of Operations & Administration in the boys and men’s academy was an exciting challenge. I oversaw the academy’s operations, ensuring smooth administration and supporting coaches and players in an elite environment. It was a period of intense learning and leadership, reinforcing the importance of operational excellence in creating opportunities for talent to thrive.

Moving to Birmingham Education Partnership as Director of Operations allowed me to broaden my impact. I now lead multiple functions, from operations and finance to marketing and communications, working closely with the CEO to shape strategic growth. While football taught me resilience, structure, and people-focused leadership, my current role allows me to apply those skills in an educational and social impact context.

 

Which of the skills and knowledge you developed in the football industry, and on the Women in Football Leadership Programme, will be of greatest value to you in your new role?

Football taught me how to manage complex operations, co-ordinate multiple stakeholders, and lead high-performing teams under pressure. The Women in Football Leadership Programme added a deeper, more personal dimension: it helped me understand my natural leadership style and how to play to its strengths while learning when and how to flex. It highlighted the importance of telling my story, not only to better understand myself, but to inspire and encourage others.

Perhaps most importantly, it helped me recognise the imposter syndrome that had held me back for years and gave me the confidence to proudly take up space in places where I previously wondered if my voice belonged. These lessons are invaluable in my role at Birmingham Education Partnership, where I lead diverse teams, shape strategy, and create environments where others feel empowered to thrive.

 

The latest Women in Football survey shows that women from underrepresented cultural backgrounds are more likely to experience gender-based discrimination, and are less likely to feel that football is an environment where women can truly excel. What are your reflections on these findings?

These findings, while disappointing, sadly don’t come as a surprise. They reflect experiences that many women, particularly from underrepresented cultural backgrounds, continue to face across the game. Real change has to start from the top, and that means boards of football clubs must play a pivotal role. They need to hold up a mirror and ask whether they truly reflect the diversity of the communities they represent.

Diversity and inclusion can’t be driven solely through policy or grassroots programmes; it must be championed in boardrooms, where decisions are made and culture is set. When leadership teams are diverse, it signals that every voice belongs, and that makes a powerful difference across an organisation.

The data shows how far we still have to go. For example, while the FA’s latest Football Leadership Diversity Code report shows some progress, only around 7% of senior leaders across signatory clubs are from Black, Asian, or Mixed Heritage backgrounds. Many EFL clubs still have all-white, male-dominated boards, and there are very few Black or ethnic minority individuals in executive or non-executive board roles. Even though clubs are now required to publish workforce diversity data under FA Rule N, the early reports reveal that the top levels of the game remain far from representative.

It’s crucial that boards not only track diversity but act on it by embedding accountability, mentoring initiatives, and transparent recruitment processes that create genuine opportunity. Change at the top will inspire confidence across every level of football, helping to build an industry where women of all backgrounds can not only enter, but truly excel.

 

Looking back, how does the football industry you’re leaving compare to the one you entered ten years ago?

The football industry I joined a decade ago looked and felt very different. Back then, conversations about diversity, equality, and inclusion were happening, but quietly and on the fringes. Today, those conversations are woven into strategy and culture in ways that simply didn’t exist before.

We’ve seen real progress: more women stepping into senior positions, greater visibility for underrepresented voices, and a stronger understanding that inclusion isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential to the success and sustainability of the game. However, there are still spaces where change feels slow, and where opportunities for women and people from ethnically diverse backgrounds remain limited.

What stands out to me most is the growing confidence in this new generation. Young women, from all backgrounds, now come into the industry expecting to be heard, not just hoping to be. That shift in mindset is powerful. It gives me faith that the next ten years will be less about proving we belong, and more about leading unapologetically, shaping football into a space that truly reflects the society it serves.

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