Hilary Lissenden

Hilary is an experienced Higher Education, Policy and Third Sector leader with extensive Board-level representation. She is highly skilled at stakeholder engagement, brokering strategic partnerships and relationship management at all levels. Hilary currently works at the University of East London, as Executive Director, Sport Strategy & Growth. She is leading the development of the University’s first cross-institutional sport strategy spanning talent and performance, health and wellbeing, and academic development. Hilary is also holding the pen on current and future investment into UEL’s digital and physical infrastructure supporting the delivery of sport and active health. From 2018 to 2022 Hilary was Head of Community Sport for the Mayor of London, accountable for the distribution of £10m of Sport Unites grant funding across 300 projects benefiting 42,000 Londoners. During that period she helped secure and scale co-investments with high-profile partners including London Marathon Events, Sport England, NBA, NFL, MLB, Comic Relief, Laureus Sport for Good and Nike. For 13 years Hilary has worked in a voluntary capacity as an amateur boxing referee and judge, and was the first female in the UK to gain an international officiating qualification.