Tell ua a little about you?

Hi there! I’m Manni, a Sales and Marketing professional from the events sector.

A little bit about me professionally … I am currently Director of Sales for a leading provider of meeting and event space in the UK and US. I have been incredibly fortunate to work with both public and private sector organisations over the last 17 years, helping them to deliver first class events across Birmingham, London and more recently, New York City.

Outside of work … I’m originally from Bedfordshire and I love to travel! Whether it’s exploring the UK with my husband, family and friends or venturing across the globe, I love to visit new places, meet new people and try out new foods (so a bit of a foodie too I guess). I also enjoy hiking and have a passion for martial arts.

Why did you apply to join the Foundation Board?

My interest in joining the Board stems from my passion for sport at all levels. I took my first martial arts class at the age of 7 and successfully achieved a second degree black belt. I strongly believe that having the opportunity to participate in team sport from a young age empowered me to have the confidence and self-belief that I have today. I hope to share my positive experiences in sport with the volleyball community.

What skills do you bring to the organisation?

I’ve spent the last 17 years committed to building my career in sales and marketing and I look forward to leveraging my experience to add value to the Foundation.  This role is an exciting challenge and a great platform to raise awareness of volleyball as a sport and to support the Foundation’s strategic goals and objectives.

The skills I hope to bring will be focused on marketing, communication and programme delivery. This includes the preparation of marketing campaigns to help increase participation and to support event planning initiatives set by the Foundation.

As a newbie to volleyball, I look forward to improving my knowledge of the sport and becoming part of the Foundation’s growing success in years to come.

Where you would like the Foundation to be in 12 months and what will your contribution have been?

I would say I’m quite a results driven person so I would love to be able to look back in twelve months’ time knowing that every single objective has been achieved.  

Of course, if I were to leverage my professional experience and be a very small part of that success (in the first twelve months) that would be the icing on the cake for me!

I am a firm believer that participation in sport can help build a great foundation for young people and helps shape their success in the future. Benefits include everything from meeting people from different backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging, and building a healthy relationship with exercise…. the list really goes on and on!

I see this platform as a real opportunity to raise awareness and understanding of the health and mental benefits of sport for all communities …so joining your nearest volleyball club is a great place to start …. of course!