The Society of Sports Therapists: Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of The Society of Sports Therapists is appointed to act on behalf of the membership. Each Director on the Board has a legal responsibility to assist, to the best of their ability, in the running of the organisation and the governance of the Society membership.
There are currently 8 Directors:
Board Meetings are held 4 times a year with a minimum of 2 Strategy Meetings per year
Christopher is Head of Department Sport Management, Therapy and Exercise at the University of Worcester and has taught and examined in higher education since 2005. He has worked at several different institutes delivering Sports Therapy and Sports Science related course at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Christopher’s PhD focussed on chronic ankle instability within female athletes, and the development of practitioner knowledge and practice. He is an active researcher, presenting his work at international conferences and peer-reviewed journals, as well as supervising research students at postgraduate and doctoral level.
Christopher works with elite level Basketball including the newly formed British Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Premier League. He has extensive experience working as both a Sports Therapist and S&C Coach with elite and recreational athletes, as well as running successful Sports Therapy clinics.
Christopher is also a founder member of the Societies Network for Engagement in Equality, Diversity and Social-Structural Strategy (NEEDS) group which ensures that the SST has a clear culture that enables both equity and diversity to thrive.
Keith is a founding member of The Society of Sports Therapists. He has been a Member of the Board of Directors (and formerly the Council of the Society), helping to oversee the development of the Society, since its inception in 1990.
Keith played a vital role in setting up the Society’s first collaborative links with a University in the UK in 1996. The University of North London (London Metropolitan University) became the first University to run the BSc (Hons) programme in collaboration with the Society. Since then, Keith has been instrumental in developing links with the Society’s family of universities and colleges in the UK and overseas.
Now leading on a variety of initiatives including international development, Keith continues to help drive the Society forward with skill and enthusiasm.
He is very experienced in many aspects of the sporting spectrum and has a unique insight into the needs of an athlete and the role of the Sports Therapist. Keith has over forty years of experience in professional sport as a player, coach, teacher, sports therapist and physiotherapist. He was a former Coach to Tottenham Hotspur FC and Assistant Manager to Portsmouth FC. He now owns a very successful sports injury clinic in Portsmouth.
Thomas was elected to the Board of Directors in September 2023. Having gained his BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy Degree from Coventry University in 2010, Thomas went on to complete an MSc in Strength and Conditioning. His professional journey has taken him through various esteemed sports clubs, including West Bromwich Albion FC, Peterborough United FC, Coventry Bears, and Rugby Lions RFC. Currently, Thomas works as an Assistant Professor in Sports and Exercise Therapy at Coventry University, where he completed his PgCert in 2016 and currently holds the position of Course Director for their BSc programme.
Thomas’s career has been influenced by his interest in Transplant Sport, which has driven his volunteer work in Transplant sport since 2016. Annually, he dedicates his expertise as a therapist to the British Transplant Games, as well as to the Biannual World and European Transplant Games. This compelling experience has driven him towards pursuing a PhD: ‘The athletic implications of an organ transplant on the body.’
As well as his PhD, Thomas is actively pursuing his BASES accreditation and chartered scientist status, to further enhance his professional standing. Beyond the academia, Thomas continues to work as a therapist undertaking the lead therapist role for Hinckley RFC, a National League 2 team. In this capacity, Thomas has recently expanded the medical team by recruiting two skilled Sports Therapists to manage a squad of over 70 players. Moreover, they take pride in providing annual placement opportunities for 3-4 final year and recent graduate therapists, aiming to support and develop their growth and educational journey.
Jennifer is an Advanced MSK Clinician and Team Leader at Connect Health and was appointed to the board in December 2023.
When Jennifer began working at Connect Health in 2022, she broke new ground, becoming the first ever Sports Therapist in the role of Advanced MSK Clinician. Since then, she has been promoted into the role of a Team Leader in the Oxfordshire service, where she enjoys mentoring and supporting her colleagues.
Since beginning her journey at the University of Hertfordshire in 2013 where she would later graduate with a first-class honours degree in Sports Therapy, Jennifer is distinguished by diverse experiences across competitive sports and healthcare sectors. From working with the University’s Women’s Basketball Team, Hertfordshire Mavericks Netball Super league Team and Bristol City Football Club Academy, to private healthcare clinics and the NHS.
Jennifer’s passion lies in elevating the discipline of Sports Therapy. She is a vocal advocate for the professional recognition and equality of Sports Therapists, she is a Champion for Sports Therapists across Connect Health.
A significant part of her mission is to achieve statutory regulation of Sports Therapists by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Tyrone has spent the last 11 years, since graduating with a degree in Sports Therapy, immersing himself in the health & fitness industry, gaining experience pitch-side, in clinical case management and consultancy.
He has worked in numerous roles in football, from academies through to men & women senior teams, including Head of the medical departments at clubs including Welling United & Dulwich Hamlet.
In 2018 Tyrone set up his own private clinic in South London, Specifeye Health & Wellbeing, who now also offer mobile services across the capital.
Currently Tyrone teaches Sports Science at FE level with SCL Education Group and is also the Head Sports Therapist for the England 6 a-side football teams, who compete in tournaments across the world.
Outside of work you will find him at football, swimming or boxing; playing the piano or spending time with his beautiful family.
Nic Perrem is a Graduate Sports Therapist with experience across various clinical environments, including professional and university-level sports and private practice. He has held academic positions at two UK universities, where he contributed to the education and training of future Sports Therapists and other allied health professionals. Currently, Nic applies his expertise within NHS commissioning, bridging clinical knowledge with healthcare management, to optimise service delivery and patient outcomes. His career reflects a commitment to both hands-on patient care and strategic healthcare improvement. Nic is also a member of the Industry Recognition and Pathways Task Team. He is a strong advocate for the profession of Sports Therapy and hopes to use his tenure as a Director to achieve greater recognition of the profession.
Becky is a Graduate Sports Therapist from University of Worcester (2014). Having completed an internship in professional rugby after graduating, her career progressed to include time as a Senior Practitioner in private practice as well as medical lead within University of Bristol Performance Sport. Currently, Becky is a Senior Therapist for Bristol Bears Rugby Men’s Senior team in the Gallagher Premiership and has been working with the club since 2019 progressing from the academy to her current position. Her career reflects the commitment she has to the recognition of Sports Therapists in professional sport and she champions opportunities for student placements within her team.
Gita Pathiraja graduated in 2009 and has since developed a diverse and international portfolio of experience across elite sport and healthcare. Her career spans roles within the Premiership Football League, Rugby League, and the Canadian National Football Team, where she has supported high-performance athletes in demanding competitive environments.
Gita began her professional journey in football and rugby and went on to work with the NHS, assessing and delivering rehabilitation programs for post-operative, neurological, and musculoskeletal conditions. In 2018, she relocated to Canada, further broadening her clinical and sports performance expertise, before returning to the UK in 2023.
She is the founder of GP Sports Clinic in Warwickshire, an initiative focused on delivering elite-level rehabilitation and recovery services while ensuring accessibility for grassroots athletes and teams.
Gita has a strong interest in research, particularly in injury prevention among youth and adolescent athletes, and is a passionate advocate for improving sports participation and rehabilitation pathways for female athletes.
During her time as an Industry Recognition Pathways Group member, Gita was committed to advancing statutory regulation and strengthening professional, ethical, and clinical standards across the field. She contributed to The SST’s consultation response to the NHS 10-year plan, and developed a strong understanding of the barriers faced by sports therapists within healthcare, working to identify and address challenges related to role recognition, integration, and scope of practice.
As a Board Director, Gita is committed to continuing to advocate for statutory regulation, while championing the development of clear and sustainable career pathways for graduates. She is dedicated to ensuring the profession’s unique skills and contributions are fully recognised and effectively integrated within the wider healthcare system, enabling practitioners to thrive and deliver inclusive, high-quality care for patients and athletes.
Simon brings with him a wealth of experience and commercial acumen gained from senior leadership roles held across various high profile professional bodies. These included the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Psychological Society and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. His most recent role before joining The SST was as Director of Membership at the Chartered College of Teaching.
Simon’s work within the charitable bodies sector has consistently focused on the development and implementation of membership engagement strategies, global expansion and partnerships.
Simon is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). He also has a postgraduate Diploma in Management and an MBA from Warwick Business School.