Lisa O’Keefe has been appointed as the incoming Secretary General of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport, the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equity and equality in sport and physical activity.
Lisa will lead the IWG UK Secretariat 2022 – 2026 team to support the work of the IWG globally, celebrating successes, advocating for change amongst key stakeholders, and ensuring access to actionable research and insights through the global IWG Insight Hub and events. Lisa and her team will also be at the forefront of organising and delivering the 9th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport 2026 in Birmingham, the culmination of the UK’s four-year tenure hosting the IWG. Held every four years since 1994, it is the largest gathering of its kind in the world.
Speaking of her excitement at leading the work, Lisa said: “I firmly believe that the IWG provides a unique platform for empowerment, collaboration, and shared learning as we collectively continue to push for gender equity and equality within sport and physical activity. Over the next four years we will utilise the power of global engagement and sharing of knowledge to continue to build momentum and achieve our ambitions.”
Lisa has previously worked with Sport England, where she expertly held the position of Executive Director of Insight for over eight years.
A former Scottish rugby international, she is also a strong advocate for women’s sport having previously worked with Women in Sport before joining Sport England where her achievements include the creation of the award-winning Insight Team which was the catalyst for innovative work such as the development of the globally recognised campaign This Girl Can.
Lisa currently sits on the advisory board of Her Spirit, an organisation which promotes healthy lifestyles for women.
IWG New Zealand staged the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport from 14-17 November 2022 in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand and Online. The core programme was launched, with 220+ sessions and almost 500 international speakers confirmed. Find out more at www.iwgworldconference.org
The story was first published on the Sport and Recreation Alliance website
