Board and Staff
Meet the Lincolnshire FA team
The Lincolnshire FA Board of Directors are responsible for the business affairs of the Association and determine the strategy, plans, policies and financial investment required to achieve the Association’s aims. As such, individually and collectively, the directors are accountable to the Membership.
The Lincolnshire FA Board currently meet every six weeks, with relevant Board Sub-Committees meeting on regular occasions throughout the year.
BOARD MEMBERS
Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam
Chair of the Lincolnshire Football Association
From October 2017 until March 2022 Professor Sir Jonathan was seconded to the Department of Health and Social Care, England as Deputy Chief Medical Officer where his portfolio was vaccines, pharmaceuticals, health protection, and biosecurity. In that role he has been extensively involved in domestic vaccines policy, seasonal influenza, infectious disease incidents (Ebola, Monkey Pox), the Novichok attack, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
He was a member of the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and co-Chair of the Global Health Security Advisory Group Pandemic Influenza Working Group. He has received multiple awards and accolades for his public communication of science and was awarded a Knighthood for services to Public Health in 2022.
“I am passionate about football. Football has been a big part of my life since childhood as a participant, a fan and now as a parent whose children play football in Lincolnshire. Participation in sport has a positive impact on our communities and for those individuals involved supports health, fitness and wellbeing and teaches teamwork, leadership and confidence.”
Shan Jaehrig (She/Her)
Shan is the Senior Independent Director, FA Rep, and Director for Organisational Development.
Shan is a Partner in the local law firm Sills & Betteridge, specialising in employment and data protection. Shan advises local, national and international clients on all aspects of employment law, including discrimination and compliance with the Equality Act 2010.
Shan was a child protection lawyer at Lincolnshire County Council for 12 years in which capacity she sat on the local Safeguarding Board, advised independent enquiries into serious cases involving child abuse and implemented joint training with the Lincolnshire Police Force in relation to child online exploitation.
Shan is the Lincolnshire Football Association’s representative on the FA Council where she sits on its Judicial Panel and is also a committee member of the Disability Football Committee.
Shan is a Governor at Queen Elizabeth High School in Gainsborough and she is also a Trustee of the Disability Network West Lindsey.
Nick Hanson
Nick is the Lincolnshire FA's CEO.
Nick is responsible for shaping and leading the strategic direction and culture of Lincolnshire FA, and for leading the day to day running of the organisation - ensuring the effective delivery of its business plan and strategy. He works with the Board of Directors on matters relating to workforce, finance, corporate governance, football development and services, marketing, communications, public relations and risk management. He also ensures the Association effectively implement and maintains the FA’s Safeguarding 365 Operating Standard within Football.
Mark Pover
Mark is the Director for Football Growth & Retention.
Mark has over 30 years in sports and leisure management with a genuine enthusiasm for sport and a belief in its ability to break down barriers and strengthen communities. Mark played football in a semi-professional capacity and also coached football at Huddersfield Town and Leeds United. Mark was the England Deaf Team Manager and still enjoys playing football being a regular participant in the Lincolnshire walking football league.
Mark is a Director of the Northern Premier League and worked for the Football Association for 17 years as the National Facilities & Investment Manager delivering over £1B of capital projects via the Football Foundation. This investment included schools, football clubs and local authority sites that have since benefitted millions of people. Mark also procured and delivered frameworks for 3G pitches (£150M), grass pitches (£10M) and modular buildings (£20M) and was also part of the FIFA technical advisory group.
Liam Scully
Liam is the Director for Football Growth & Retention.
Liam has more than 20 years of experience working in football and communities, having started his career via an apprenticeship and working his way up to become Chief Executive of Lincoln City.
He is responsible for the day to day running of the Imps on behalf of the fans, directors and investors, including heading up a seven-man senior management team, and more than 150 employees. He joined Lincoln City in the summer of 2017 as they returned to the EFL, helping guide the club to a further promotion to League One where they reached the 2020-21 play-off final.
Prior to joining Lincoln, Liam spent 16 years in various roles at Doncaster Rovers and the wider Club Doncaster group - starting as an apprentice funded by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and graduating to a spell as Foundation chief executive then chief operating officer of Club Doncaster.
Liam also holds voluntary offices including chair of the English Football League Trust (EFLT), trustee of Lincoln City Foundation, along with ambassador roles at the Asian Sports Foundation and XP Free School Trust.
Liam is married to Jenna, who also has a distinguished career within sport and education. His interests include football, golf, motorsport and spending time with his family. He and Jenna share a passion for historic properties and enjoy travelling both within the UK and further afield.
Leanne is the Director for Finance.
Leanne is the former Chief Executive and Board Director at Scunthorpe United Football Club, as well as being the former Senior Safeguarding Lead for the club.
Leanne’s background is in finance, with extensive experience as a qualified accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser in accountancy and audit practice, manufacturing and banking She has worked in elite sport since 2010.
Tony Reynolds
Tony is the Director for Commercial growth.
Tony has built a 30-year career in Financial Services, with the last two decades as a Senior Director in Corporate and Commercial Banking for a major UK Bank. He brings extensive Commercial knowledge and experience to the Board to support growth and prosperity of the association. Despite working across the UK and based in London for a number of years, Tony has always maintained his home and family in Lincoln, where he was born and spent his childhood. In 2021, he decided to step away from his corporate career to focus on using these skills to add value to businesses and organisations in Lincolnshire, most recently working with Lincolnshire County Council on inward investment.
An avid Lincoln City supporter and season ticket holder, his love for the game started as a youngster watching Lincoln City with his father in the 1970s. Additionally, having spent many Sundays watching his children play local football from under 6 to under to under 15, he has seen for himself the excellent work and guidance young people experience from parents and volunteers involved in playing grassroots football.
Tony says having the opportunity to put something back into the community, which contributes to the health and wellbeing of Lincolnshire people, is compelling and looks forward to contributing to making a difference.
Angela Westley
Angela is the Director for Inclusion.
Angela has a background in research, insight and strategy, previously in the private sector and now within the sports sector, currently heading up the Insight & Strategy Team at British Rowing. Diversity & Inclusion is a big part of what Angela does day-to-day and she is passionate about tackling any inequalities within any sport. She has recently undertaken a large research study on the issues and challenges within the diversity and inclusion space, and believes it is critical to listen to the lived experiences of those who do not feel included.
Angela has lived in Lincolnshire since 2008 and has been part of the football community through her sons playing at grassroots level and within development programmes. She has lived and breathed football all her life and has enjoyed many moments in football grounds all over the country or on the touchline at the local field.
Andrew Whitham
Andrew is the Director for Marketing & Communications.
Andrew Whitham has a career spanning 20 years across all levels of professional football in the English football pyramid.
He has held a position at Lincoln City Football Club as Director of Sales for 5 years, with his role within the club including managing commercial revenue, communications, marketing, supporter services, CRM and data. He was influential in Lincoln City’s recent investment in new technology to improve communication and marketing through new software.
He started his journey in football with Sheffield United, enjoying promotion to the English Premier League in his first season. Another string to his bow is he is a qualified WSET sommelier and delivers wine tasting events. Outside work, he enjoys football at all levels, cycling and badminton.
Chris is the Director for Safeguarding.
Chris worked for Lincolnshire Police for thirty-two years and retired as a senior police officer. Since November 2009, he has been the Independent Chair of the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Chris has also gained experience as the Independent Chair of the Nottingham City, Derbyshire and North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership. He is also currently the Chairman of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel.
Chris has a keen interest in all levels of football and is a supporter of both Boston United and Tottenham Hotspur. He has formerly played grassroots football in Lincolnshire and currently supports his two grandsons who play for local teams in the Boston area. He also has a keen interest in tennis and is Chairman of Boston Tennis Club.
Oliver Tasker
Oliver is the Director for HR & People.
Oliver Tasker is a Partner and the Head of the Employment law team at Wilkin Chapman LLP, the largest law firm in Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire with 4 offices and over 400 staff. On a day to day basis, he provides strategic and commercial advice on all types or employment law and HR issues to businesses around the UK including a number of professional sports clubs and bodies. Oliver was also a Non-Executive Director / Trustee of Active Lincolnshire for six years sitting on their main board, acting as Chair of the governance and standards committee and latterly sat on the finance committee.
Oliver is from Lincolnshire and now lives in Lincoln with his wife and young daughter, with number two due to arrive shortly. Oliver is passionate about all things football, sport, health and wellbeing and is a strong advocate for Lincolnshire. He is a life-long Imps fan and has played football at various levels from an early age, throughout University and after returning to Lincolnshire he mainly played in the former Lincoln Saturday League.
LINCOLNSHIRE FA STAFF MEMBERS
Meet the team...
Nick Hanson (he/him)
CEO, and Senior Safeguarding Lead
Nick.Hanson@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Jake Park (he/him)
Head of Football Development and Facilities & Investment Lead
Jake.Park@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Ben Pearce (He/Him)
Head of Safeguarding & Football Operations
Ben.Pearce@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Ben is responsible for managing the CFA’s safeguarding work, in line with legislation, FA Safeguarding Policy, Procedures, and Regulations. He also manages Lincolnshire FA's approach to discipline and behaviours. His role is to manage safeguarding and child protection concerns in a timely manner and in line with FA requirements and guidance, whilst significantly contributing to the implementation of The FA’s Safeguarding Operating Standard for CFAs. He works in partnership with The FA, statutory agencies and other relevant organisations to manage concerns effectively and efficiently. He also provides training, support and guidance to clubs and leagues on managing safeguarding complaints and concerns effectively, focusing on timeliness and outcomes in line with FA policy, regulations, and guidance.
Tom Padden (He/Him)
Football Development Manager (Disability and Inclusion)
Thomas.Padden@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Tom's responsibilities are to sustain and grow opportunities within the disability pathway, including both pan-disability and impairment specific formats, ensuring that people can enjoy the game irrespective of their disability or impairment. Tom also leads on the Association’s inclusion objectives, including achieving the Equality Standard for Sport, oversee the development and delivery of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, and provide general EDI support to the staff team. Tom also maintains membership to the Lincolnshire Ability Counts League, playing an instrumental role in the development and delivery of the league.VACANT
Head of Partnerships & Engagement
- / 01522 596580
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, X manages the delivery of The FA National Game Strategy and the Lincolnshire Football Association Business Strategy. They support England Football Accredited clubs to become more sustainable through engagement with the community club framework, alignment of support services, and stakeholder collaboration. X is also responsible for identifying new and maximising existing corporate sponsorship and partnership opportunities to generate additional revenue for reinvestment back into grassroots football, developing and implementing a new commercial strategy and understanding our data to support the delivery of commercial opportunities.
Declan Ford
Referee Development Manager
Declan.Ford@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Kirsty Dixon (She/Her)
Football Development Officer (Women & Girls)
Kirsty.Dixon@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Kirsty is responsible for leading the strategic development of Women’s & Girls’ football in Lincolnshire. The delivery of this includes creating, maintaining and communicating an inclusive player pathway for Women & Girls through; education, recreation, competition and talent to support growth and retention KPIs - as well as identifying, managing and developing relationships with key partners to meet the strategic objectives of the association. Kirsty is also tasked with supporting the county's existing Women & Girls’ League to grow and retain teams, as well as to support clubs to grow and retain teams and create female friendly environment through The FAs Equal Game Programme.Luke Craggs (He/Him)
Football Development Officer (Male Pathway) & Grass Pitch Programme Support
Luke.Craggs@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Luke's responsibilities include using analysis, data & insight to design and develop local solutions that meet local stakeholder needs across the male football pathway. He's also charged with developing an overview as to how adult football is played and structured in the county, both the affiliated & recreational game, in order to respond to areas of need or opportunity. This includes driving participation growth via recreational programmes by engaging a wide range of stakeholders and target a variety of participant groups based upon local demand. He also supports activities that ensure every affiliated football fixture is played on a ‘good’ quality pitch, and helps identify sources of funding that will be of benefit to grassroots football and provide appropriate advice and support to applicants, including small grants, as well as developing & enhancing Lincolnshire FAs partnerships with charity organisations.
Zack Leader (He/Him)
Media, Marketing & Events Officer
Zack.Leader@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Stuart Houlton
Business Support Officer
Stuart.Houlton@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Hayley Gregory
Business Support Officer
Hayley.Gregory@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580
Karen Farmer
Business Support Officer (Part Time)
Karen.Farmer@lincolnshirefa.com / 01522 596580