LeadHERship in Action: Inspiring Stories of Resilience and Realisation at Team Wales’s Commonwealth House

In the heart of Glasgow, at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, is Team Wales House; a home from home and a place where athletes, staff and families come together as one.

One special evening at the Team Wales House featured an inspiring panel of incredible women. They shared valuable insights from their journey with the LeadHERship programme, which aims to empower women to reach their full potential.

Blending sports insight with business strategy

Paving the way for female leaders, the LeadHERship program equips women with the confidence, networks, and practical experience to excel in business and sport.

Developed by Dr. Kerry Harris and Dr. Sofia Santos at Cardiff Met’s Sports Coaching Hub, this unique course blends sports insight with business strategy to unlock exciting new career opportunities in management.

For Joanna Owen, CEO of Bowls Wales, true leadership began when she realised she was already doing high-level work without the recognition, trapped in an environment that limited her growth. Guided by a transformative programme and her mentor, Rebecca, Joanna pushed beyond her job description to claim the title she deserved: CEO. The journey taught her that leadership requires constant evaluation and self-care, noting:

"Imagine you're juggling lots of balls and your head is the glass one. If you drop that and break it, everything else around you will fall to pieces."

Learning from Wales’s greatest

Joining the UK Sport board at just 23 without prior board experience proved to be the ultimate training ground for Tanni (Baroness) Grey-Thompson. She quickly realised that great leadership relies on authenticity, listening, and collaboration rather than having every answer.

As Tanni puts it: 

"The best leaders I've seen are not afraid to not be the smartest in the room, but to surround themselves with lots of smart people."

She reflected that navigating high-stake environments comes down to knowing your limits, asking for help, and having the courage to make tough decisions.

As President of Commonwealth Games Wales, Helen Phillips is celebrating the launch of the second cohort of their award-winning leadership program, created in partnership with Cardiff Met. 

Bringing together talent across sport, business, and education, Helen holds her leadership to elite standards.

"We expect the best from our athletes, so I expect the same out of my boardroom," 

Adding that no matter how high the stakes are, 

“At the heart of what you're doing, you still have to have a heart."

Staying true to yourself

Suzy Drane is no stranger to leadership. As a former international netball player and team captain, she seamlessly balances her role as a full-time lecturer at Cardiff Met, an institution whose support enables her continued involvement in the sport. 

For Suzy, effective leadership isn't about fitting a specific mould, but rather understanding an authentic leadership style and running with it, knowing that if you lead by example, people will naturally follow. 

Central to her morals is a bold mindset toward challenge, viewing pressure as a “privilege” to be embraced rather than feared. She firmly believes that real breakthrough moments happen far beyond familiar territory, noting that if you never step out of your comfort zone, you'll never discover just how capable you can be. 

“Getting comfortable being uncomfortable is precisely where glass ceilings are shattered.”

As the evening came to a close the sense of unity inside Team Wales House was unmistakable. Beyond the strategic insights and career lessons, the panel offered something more vital: a shared space of validation and encouragement. With initiatives like the LeadHERship program leading the change, the future of Welsh sport, education and business is bright.

Cohort 2 of leadHERship is coming soon, follow Team Wales accounts for more info