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Staff team

  • Owain Davies

    Chief Executive
    Owain joined Level Playing Field in January 2017 initially as a Development Officer. In 2018 Owain became the Chief Executive of Level Playing Field. In his current role he will lead the charity in its core activities whilst also looking to develop new areas of work. As a part of his position he will liaise directly with key stakeholders to drive greater change within access and inclusion at sport stadia and other venues. Owain graduated from Bucks New University with a BA Honours in Sports Management and Rugby Studies. Since his time at Bucks he has gained experience working within the disability sport sector by heading up the Saracens Sports Foundation’s Disability and Inclusion. Owain is passionate about inclusion, having volunteered at Gateways Clubs from the age of 8 along with his parents. Sport is an important part of Owain’s life and he has been working within the sector from the age of 18. Owain is an avid rugby fan, supporting his hometown club of Bridgend and also Saracens. Away from rugby, Owain has supported Everton from an early age and enjoys watching cricket in the summer.

  • Ruth Hopkins

    NRAC Auditor - General Manager & Head of Access and Development
    Ruth joined Level Playing Field in April 2013 as our Access and Development Manager. She is an NRAC Access Auditor with a wide knowledge across a range of sectors and has experience as a first point of contact and lead on pan disability issues within large project teams. Ruth has worked closely with stakeholders, designers, construction teams, disability groups and HR and Equality managers on Health projects, the Prison Service, Sports and Leisure clubs, churches, pubs and restaurants. Ruth spent 16 years working in International Banking before taking a career break to raise her daughter. Her father was an architect who spent the last few years of his life as a wheelchair user and his experiences determined her choice of career when she returned to work. Trained by the Centre for Accessible Environments and gaining her experience and portfolio working with architects and design teams Ruth received accreditation from the National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) in 2006. Sport plays a big part in Ruth’s life. She is married to an ex professional cricketer with contacts at the ECB and the whole family involved with their local cricket club. They are keen rugby supporters – following Worcester Warriors and Wales - and Ruth has been an Aston Villa fan for years. “I am thrilled to be working with Level Playing Field. Everyone has the right to support their favourite sports team. Regardless of their disability, spectators have a right to be included and treated as equals. The “Working Together” project in football helps deliver these values and engages disabled supporters with their clubs. Hopefully this is a model that can be rolled out across other sports in the future” Ruth was promoted to the position of General Manager in February 2016.

  • Nicky Baker

    NRAC Auditor - Access and Development Officer
    Nicky joined Level Playing Field in August 2015 as an Access & Development Officer. Nicky initially trained as an access auditor on a trainee scheme at a local disability charity, where she also worked for many years as an Information Officer. She became a registered Access Auditor with the National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) in 2003. Nicky has previously worked on a range of accessibility projects including schools and large parks. Nicky has also delivered Disability Equality Training to a wide range of staff and organisations over the years, including Local Authorities. Nicky completed the Disability Rights Commission 'Train the Trainer' course and became one of their accredited trainers. Nicky plays Powerchair football and plays for Evergreen. She has previously coached and holds many coaching badges. Nicky supports Liverpool FC and Wigan Warriors RFL and is passionate about using her professional career to enable other disabled supporters access to sports stadia on equal terms as non-disabled supporters.

  • Liam Bird

    Fans Liaison Officer
    Liam joined Level Playing Field in November 2018 in the new role of Fans Liaison Officer. Liam has been involved in the sporting charity sector during his time with Comic Relief where he worked as 'Development Radio Producer' working hand-in-hand with sporting charities up and down the UK to create audio presentations to generate public funding for Comic Relief causes. Away from Comic Relief, Liam has had a successful radio career working as a producer and assistant producer on Absolute Radio Rock n' Roll Football show and BBC 5live as well as creating several BBC radio documentaries across a spectrum of subject matters. Liam's role as Fans Liaison Officer will see him working closely with Disabled Supporters Associations (DSAs) and partners in England and Wales to help bring change and equality to disabled fans. Liam is a lover of all sports but in particular football, supporting his hometown club Nottingham Forest and he has recently begun a love affair with the NFL after spending some time in New Orleans.

  • Daniel Townley

    Development Officer

    Daniel joined Level Playing Field in April 2019 as a Development Officer. As part of his role, he liaises with clubs across the Championship and League One, helping to provide a better matchday experience for disabled supporters. He also heads up Level Playing Field's disability awareness training, delivering to staff and volunteers, including Stewards Training and Disability and Inclusion Training. Daniel graduated from Exeter University with a maths degree in 2006 and has been involved both in charity work and training for many years since. He previously worked for a training consultancy firm, helping to develop training materials relating to Continuous Improvement, and also working part-time as a local church leader. Daniel believes strongly that everyone should be treated with value and dignity, and is passionate about inclusion - ensuring that all areas of life are open and accessible to all. He plays football regularly and is a proud Liverpool supporter, but also enjoys watching tennis, rugby, snooker, and most other sports really.

     

  • David Moffat

    Access Auditor

    Dave joined Level Playing Field as an Access Auditor in April 2022. His role involves undertaking Access Audits on Sports Stadiums throughout the country. He graduated from Northumbria University in 2019 with a degree in Building Surveying and is currently working towards his NRAC accreditation. He has been a Building Surveyor for over 20 years, specialising and training in Accessibility over the last 5 years. He is passionate about accessibility and sport. Dave enjoys all sports having participated in Football, Rugby, Cricket and Hockey amongst others and has recently taken up Walking Football, which he really enjoys. He has managed adult and junior football teams, including his sons football team from under 9’s through to under 19’s. He's a lifelong Newcastle United fan and follows all his local sports teams.

  • Mark Phillips

    Fan Engagement & Enquiry Officer

    Mark joined Level Playing Field in December 2023 in the new role of Fan Engagement & Enquiry Officer. This involves dealing with and responding to enquires that are sent into the charity, while liaising with the rest of the Level Playing Field team. Since graduating from Aberystwyth University with an LLM in Legal Practice, Mark has been passionate about promoting accessibility and inclusion while supporting other disabled people throughout his career. An avid football supporter and a lifelong Swansea City fan, Mark has been a member of the disabled supporters' association (DSA) in South Wales since its formation in 2013. In 2017, Mark became the club's first Disability Access Officer and with the support of Swans DSA introduced a number of new initiatives to improve accessibility for disabled fans at the stadium, including the introduction of a Sensory Room. While at Swansea City, Mark also worked with the academy as Player Care Manager, where he would support players with their mental health and wellbeing. Mark is passionate about disability sport and participation as a former Boccia player. He regularly attends live sport with both Swansea City and Cymru Football where he is also a member of the Equality Advisory Group.