MEET OUR TEAM
Kent Tennis is led by a team of volunteers. We have a Board of Trustees, who are elected representatives, with a number of committees reporting into the Board. The volunteers are helped by an Office Team of experts who look after different areas of Kent Tennis.
Jane Parish
Kent Tennis Operations Manager
Works Mon to Fri
Jane manages the Kent Tennis Office Team, and has responsibility for developing and implementing a number of strategic plans. She organises our Board of Trustees meetings, aligning medium and long-term strategies with the Kent Tennis Plan, as well as managing the delivery of the communications plan for the organisation.
Jane can be contacted on email here
Janice White
Club and Coach Engagement
Coordinator and Safeguarding Officer
Works Mon & Tue
Janice is responsible for supporting our registered venues and coaches on a local level, ensuring they are updated on Kent and LTA programmes and initiatives. She takes the lead on annual venue forums, venue registration and the annual Kent Awards, organising our popular Coffee Mornings, as well as supporting the Kent Coaches Network and the Venues and Community Committee.
Janice is the County Safeguarding Officer for Kent. If you have any concerns or questions please contact her. All of the information you will need can be found here.
Janice can be contacted on email here
Phil Lynch
Governance & Sponsorship Officer
Works Tue & Wed
Phil has responsibility for governance, administration and generation of commercial revenue for Kent Tennis. Phil works with the Governance Committee to ensure Kent Tennis meets its governance obligations.
Phil is the point of contact for all our sponsors and donors, and is happy to discuss any potential future support for Kent Tennis.
Phil can be contacted on email here
Craig Allen
County Performance Manager
Works Mon to Thu
Craig works closely with Siobhan, managing the County Training Programme, taking responsibility for the philosophy, content and delivery of the training sessions, whilst managing the coaching team. Craig is part of the selection process for County teams and preparation for County Cup competitions. Craig is also available to answer any performance related enquiries.
Craig can be contacted on email here
Siobhan Butler
Competitions and Performance Coordinator
Works Tue, Thu & Fri
Siobhan has responsibility for developing and delivering our leagues, supporting the Seniors Singles and Doubles competition, supporting the Officials Network, and coordinating 'Play Your Way to Wimbledon'. She takes the lead on managing and running Kent Schools competitions, along with supporting the organisation of the County Championships.
Siobhan also gives administrative support to Craig with the County training programme and the Junior County Cup teams .
Siobhan can be contacted on email here
Emma Nelson
Communications Coordinator
Works Mon, Tue & Thu
Emma manages our social media channels and communications delivery plan. She is always keen to hear from our tennis community on what is going on.
Emma also works with the Awards Panel on producing our Awards Programme and with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, ensuring our efforts properly align with our values.
Emma can be contacted on email here
KENT TENNIS BOARD
There are ten members of the Board of Trustees who are all volunteers - the Chair, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and plus a further seven trustees. All are elected by the members at a General Meeting of the Kent Tennis Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Nigel Jordan
Chair of Board and Honorary Treasurer
Club: Old Wilsonians
Chair Finance Committee (since 2022), Governance Committee (since 2022), Kent Board member since 2015, and Member of the Management Board of Bromley Tennis Centre (since 2015).
Before he retired, Nigel was a career civil servant who later ran his own management consultancy business. His skill set includes policy and strategic leadership, risk management and planning, managing change, accountancy and communications.
Nigel is also on the Board of the LTA as Chair of the LTA's Development Tennis Advisory Group (DTAG).
Charlotte Cornell
Honorary Secretary
Club: Canterbury
Charlotte is a teacher and city councillor in Canterbury. She is an experienced administrator and holds trustee positions with other Kent-based charities. Charlotte brings a wealth of experience of safeguarding, SEND outreach, inclusion, governance and administration.
Charlotte plays a (very) little social tennis herself and is proud to have come bottom of the Whitstable League (someone has to). She loves watching the sport but is primarily a "tennis mom" and very happy supporting young people (including her own) from the balcony.
Keith Gill
LTA Councillor
Club: Bromley Tennis Centre
LTA Councillor (since 2023), Kent Men’s 60s Captain (since 2022), and leading on Kent's Inclusion & Diversity Planning.
Keith has been captaining Kent Mens Seniors teams for the past 15 years, and currently captains the Mens 60s team (whom he has just led to the National title).
Before retiring last year, he had a 35 year career in banking and fund management, the last 15 of which were spent running his own hedge fund asset raising business. Keith is our current LTA Councillor.
POSITION VACANT
Honorary Treasurer
Nigel Jordan is currently undertaking this role, in addition to being Chair of the Board.
If you or anyone you know have a financial background and would like to be involved in volunteering for Kent Tennis, please contact Nigel Jordan on nigel@nigeljordan.com
Andy Candler
Venues and Community Engagement
Club: Meopham
Venues & Communities Committee (joined 2023, chair from 2024).
Andy is a member and Chair of Meopham LTC and has represented Kent in the Seniors County Cup.
Recently retired from being the Managing Director/Owner of a Managed Service company with both local and global clients, the time now feels right for Andy to give a little back to the tennis community that he has been part of for such a long time.
Luke House
Coaches Network
Club: Bromley Tennis Centre
Chair of Kent Tennis Coaches Network (since 2020).
Luke represents the Kent Tennis Coaches Network on our Board of Trustees. Luke currently heads the Coach Education team for Virtus Leisure Management as well as leading the Development Coaching programme at Bromley Tennis Centre. He brings up to date information and best practice regarding coaching and the deployment of a coaching workforce in tennis.
Jacqs Darby
Performance
Club: Bromley Wendover
Ladies Vice-Captain (since 2017), member of Performance Committee (since 2021).
Jacqs has been vice captain of the Kent Ladies team for the last 6 years and has also played in the Kent County teams from mini tennis upwards up to Kent Ladies. She went on to play at the LTA Bath Academy from the age of 13, representing Great Britain at junior level. Jacqs continues to play competitively in the Kent inter-club leagues and also plays Padel to a high level.
Outside of tennis, Jacqs is a Senior Project Manager in Sports Marketing working with some of the biggest global rights holders and brands.
POSITION VACANT
Role to be confirmed
We are looking for a further volunteer Trustee to join our Board. Further details will be available soon.
Jason Sigba
EDI Strategic Adviser
Club: Shooters Hill
Venues & Communities Committee (joined 2023).
As a seasoned adviser to senior leaders, Jason has cultivated a wealth of experience working closely with politicians, chief executives, and corporate management teams in the UK and USA to drive cultural change within organisations and to ensure the realisation and delivery of corporate/strategic priorities. His skill set encompasses legislative and policy development, strategic leadership and planning, and proficient project management.
Not only is he an avid tennis player, but he also contributes to the tennis community in other ways by serving on the board of directors at his local club where he is committed to 'Opening Up' the game for all.
Anna Wilson
Padel / Projects
Club: Sundridge Park
Venues & Communities Committee (since 2023).
Anna began volunteering 25 years ago on the junior committee at her home club, Sundridge Park, when her children started playing tennis. Now a director of the club, she has been actively involved in its transformation, from a volunteer run venue to a managed one and the project to install Kent’s first Padel courts.
Anna's previous experience in Retail Consultancy brings creative thinking, marketing and communication skills to her role on the Kent Council and Board.
KENT LIFE PRESIDENT and
LIFE VICE PRESIDENTS
These are honorary positions for those who have provided long and/or exceptional service to Kent Tennis. Nominations are made by the Board of Trustees.
Austin Smith
Life President
Roger Bottomley OBE
Life Vice President
Denis Costelloe
Life Vice President
Angela Darby
Life Vice President
John Darby
Life Vice President
Stuart Smith OBE
Life Vice President
Stephen Woodley
Life Vice President
KENT TENNIS COMMITTEES
With the move from an unincorporated association to a charitable incorporated organisation from 1 January 2024, the Kent Tennis Council has now been replaced by six committees who report into the Kent Tennis CIO Board of Trustees.
The committee structure for 2024 will shorrtly be confirmed and posted here. More information on the new structure can be found here.
Current Honorary Roles and Committee Chairs are listed below
Mary Evans
President
John Ratcliffe
Deputy President
Jason Baker
Chair of Competitions Committee
Andy Candler
Chair of Venues & Communities Committee
Charlotte Cornell
Chair of Governance Committee
Keith Gill
Chair of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Nigel Jordan
Chair of Finance Committee
Malcolm Smith
Chair of Performance Committee