The Richard Whitehead Foundation Welcomes New Chief Executive, Lisa May
The Richard Whitehead Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Lisa May as its new Chief Executive Officer. This milestone marks an exciting new chapter of growth for the charity. With Lisa’s leadership, the Foundation will build on its achievements to date, expand its programmes and support even more disabled people to access the life-changing power of sport and movement.
Lisa brings over two decades of senior leadership experience in the charity sector, with a strong track record of transforming and growing organisations through innovation, collaboration, and resilience. She has successfully led organisations through turnarounds, strengthened financial stability, overseen major development projects, and expanded services to meet community needs. She has also driven significant organisational growth, introduced innovative services across multiple regions, and led a merger to increase reach and impact.
Known as an innovative and results-driven leader, Lisa specialises in guiding organisations through change and enhancing operational efficiency. She is also highly experienced in strategic planning, fundraising, and building strong partnerships across sectors.
As the Foundation looks ahead under Lisa’s leadership, there are also exciting upcoming opportunities for people to get involved. Our flagship Run with Rich weekend returns on Saturday 27th September, bringing together runners, volunteers and supporters to celebrate inclusion in sport and raise vital funds for our work. For more information and to sign up, please visit https://richardwhitehead.enthuse.com/cf/run-with-rich-2025.
Lisa May, Chief Executive Officer, said:
"I am absolutely thrilled to be stepping into the role of CEO at the Richard Whitehead Foundation. It is a real privilege to be part of an organisation that stands for something so close to my heart, empowering people to overcome barriers and achieve their full potential. I am very much looking forward to working alongside the inspiring board and team, continuing the amazing work already underway.
Richard Whitehead is a Paralympic legend, relentless barrier-breaker, and someone whose energy is clearly unstoppable. His passion and drive have laid the Foundations for something truly special, and it will be an honour to lead the organisation into the future. We have vision to extend and expand; championing the power of inclusive sport and movement for everyone.”
Richard Whitehead MBE, Founder, said:
" "I am delighted to welcome Lisa to the Richard Whitehead Foundation at such an exciting time in our journey. Her leadership and experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow and deliver on our mission to ensure disabled people have access to the life-changing power of sport. With Lisa’s guidance, I am confident we can expand our reach, break down more barriers and empower even more disabled people to achieve their ambitions in sport."
Mark Fosbrook, Chair of Trustees, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Lisa to the Richard Whitehead Foundation at such an exciting time in our journey. Her leadership and experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow and deliver on our mission to ensure people who live with disabilities have access to the life-changing power of sport and movement. With Lisa as our CEO, I know the Foundation will be able to break down more barriers and empower even more people living with disabilities to achieve their ambitions in sport and movement."