Debbie Epstein - Inclusive Employers

Debbie has 17 years’ working in inclusion. Formerly Head of Inclusion at King’s College London, she joined Inclusive Employers in 2017 where she manages a wide portfolio of members and delivers training and consultancy services.

Her particular expertise are in supporting inclusive cultures, leadership and behaviour change.

Her interest in taking this experience into the sport and physical activity sector, led her to be part of the Inclusive Employers team working with Sport England on a pilot programme for a small number of NGBs. Over a two-year period, this involved providing these organisations with a range of tailored support to help them build their inclusion capacity and evolve a strong foundation for their inclusion strategies.

Debbie is the Director of Sector Services and was the Project Director for the two-year Leading for Renewal project sponsored by Sport England and the National Lottery.

What do you enjoy about your role at Inclusive Employers?

Working with engaged and motivated people from a breadth of organisations to come up with new ideas and solutions to the inclusion challenges we face.

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

I think I would have to say, working with colleagues to set up our Inclusive Sport arm of the business.  The sport and physical activity sector face unique challenges that were unfamiliar to me until a few years ago, so it has been a steep learning curve. In 2021 we delivered the first year Inclusive Sport Programme (Leading for Renewal) for Sport England-funded partners, which has been incredibly rewarding and we are now starting to see a measurable impact from this work.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Live in your strengths.

Tell us something about you that we might not know

I love housework – I love the sense of progress and achievement but while I am doing it, my mind wanders and has its best ideas.

Debbie Epstein

Director of Sector Services