We are a voluntary board, working to promote basketball in Wales. We also work with the other home nations and GB Basketball for the wider benefit of the sport.
Garmon Rhys (Chair)
As a Senior Project Director, Garmon is currently leading a significant digital transformation programme at the BBC.
He was previously the Head of News and Current Affairs for BBC Wales, responsible for leading and developing content and services across Online, TV and Radio. During his career, Garmon has had substantial experience of developing strategy and implementing change and has led the Strategy and Policy function for BBC Wales.
Anne Marie Koukouravas (Vice Chair)
Anne-Marie is a strategic leader, with more than 25 years experience across various sectors in the financial services industry, both in national and multi-national organisations. Has held executive and leadership roles in marketing, strategy, partnerships and most recently in innovation.
A former Welsh volleyball international with a passion for teamwork Anne-Marie has been instrumental in securing naming rights and sponsorships deals for iconic venues. Notably, Anne-Marie has also dedicated eight years as a board trustee for Tenovus Cancer Care.
Today, Anne-Marie leads the innovation and entrepreneurial practice at a major financial institution.
Ben Whitestone (Governance Director)
Ben is a Director for Risk, Compliance and Governance for the UK Government.
In that role, Ben is responsible for responsible for designing and implementing Building Digital UK’s governance, risk and assurance frameworks.
He has been a civil servant since 2004 and has expertise in programme and project management, risk management, governance, planning, and internal control.
Ben also has experience working with the UN and international partners to provide expertise and capacity building on behalf of the UK Government.
Naveed Mohammed (Finance Director)
As Head of Financial Planning Analysis, Naveed leads a team providing financial forecasting and analysis for Coventry Building Society..
He has more than 20 years experience in senior roles in the finance industry across a range of major organisations and his areas of expertise include financial reporting, forecasting, business partnering and business planning. He has a track record of leading teams through periods of significant challenge and change
Michelle Alexis (Co-EDI Director)
Michelle is the Diversity and Inclusion Lead for BBC Nations, covering Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the English regions. She is also an EDI associate for Arts Council Wales, advising the board to ensure that funding is distributed fairly across all protected characteristics.
In her previous role at Cardiff University was responsible for leading on equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and embedding them into the culture of the institution. She has also advised the Welsh Government on the development of race policy.
Sally Owens (Co-EDI Director)
Sally is the Operations and Members Engagement Director at Purplespace, the world’s only networking and professional development hub for disabled employees, working across 56 countries.
She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion with significant experience of people and operational leadership, people development and has the ability to influence across all levels of businesses and organisations.
Sally was a manager and leader with the HSBC for 17 years and progressed to the role of Area Director for Avon & Somerset / Bath & Swindon.
Gavin Williams (Interim CEO and British Basketball Board Director)
Gavin has recently been appointed as our Interim CEO of Basketball Wales having fulfilled this role in a voluntary capacity for several years. Gavin joined the board originally as our school’s director, re-establishing the schools secondary competition and then moving to the director of officiating role delivering courses, mentoring referees and appointing officials to games. Gavin is a qualified secondary school PE teacher and taught in a number of schools across South Wales, his last teaching role was at Aberdare Boys Comprehensive School in RCT. Gavin is also a FIBA international referee, having qualified in 2011 he has officiated numerous high level games across Europe and the USA with his most prestigious nomination coming at EuroBasket Women 2015 in Hungary and Romania.
Gavin also sits on the Board of British Basketball where he represents Basketball Wales and sits on the Officiating Technical commission.
Jonathan Shefford (Legal Director)
As a qualified solicitor working at Peter Lynn and Partners in Swansea since 2016, Jonathan has been carrying out contentious and non-contentious commercial work as well as company incorporations, drafting terms and conditions, shareholder/partnership agreements and intellectual property protection matters.
A native of New York City and ardent Knicks fan, his love of the basketball game and experience within the legal sector is a highly valuable asset to Basketball Wales and its vision of developing the sport within Wales.
In his spare time Jonathan enjoys spending time with family and friends. Jonathan is keen sportsman, he enjoys playing golf and basketball.
Gavin Lewis (Schools Director)
Gavin has 15 years’ experience as a community sports development officer working for Swansea city council. In this role Gavin has established numerous basketball sessions with local schools and created competitions and created several satellite sessions liking directly to the main club in Swansea to create a full performance pathway from school to club. Gavin is also a level 4 Basketball referee and has worked in the pro leagues in BBL and WBBL and has also coached at international level with the Wales U18 Men at a FIBA Small Countries tournament.
Dan Cox (Officiating Director)
Dan is a qualified Level 4 referee and FIBA table official and first became involved with Basketball Wales when he moved to Wales for university in 2017 studying sports management at Cardiff Met University. Dan brings a wealth of officiating knowledge having been appointed to numerous British Basketball League finals and attending international camps and clinics. He also had a rounded experience being a former player and coach. Alongside this Dan has spent time employed in Higher Education sport and has expertise in tutoring and training, conflict resolution and event management.
Kate Gordos (Commercial Director)
Coming soon
Phil Gordos (Performance Director)
Phil has considerable experience in sport as an administrator, a journalist, an author, an official, a board member, a volunteer and a parent. He represented West Midlands Schools in athletics and was a junior national champion in Eton Fives. After working as a sports reporter in the regional media, he joined BBC Sport in 2000, eventually becoming an assistant editor working across television, radio and online.
He has reported on some of the world’s top sporting events, from the Summer Olympics and Commonwealth Games to the European Football Championships and Rugby League World Cup. In 2017, he became CEO of Greater Manchester Community Basketball, which runs the Manchester Magic and Mystics, the most successful junior basketball programme in the United Kingdom.
He is now External Relations Manager at Birmingham City University. The author of two books, including ‘Kevin Sinfield, Life with Leeds Rhinos: A 2003 Rugby League Diary’, he is also a qualified basketball table official and a former school governor. He has three sons who have all represented Wales at basketball and are now playing and studying in the USA.
Phil John (President Elect/Safeguarding Champion)
Phil has been involved in Welsh Basketball for over 50 years taking many different roles within the sport including international player, coach, referee, and club president and league chair.
In his professional role before retirement Phil worked as a youth service officer and zone development manager at Bridgend County Borough Council and was the chair of Youth Events Wales, a body that co-ordinates national youth centre and youth club events. In 2005 Phil was elected as a local town councillor and in 2010 was elected as the Mayor of Maesteg.
Phil is our board safeguarding champion and is passionate about ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in Welsh Basketball
Rhian Mackenzie (Director of Communications)
Rhian currently works in the Social Media Team at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), working with business areas, media relations officers, designers, data journalists and data visualisation experts to ensure social media content reflects the mission of ONS to provide high quality, trustworthy data and analysis to inform the nation and improve lives. Social media is a vital part of communicating our statistics to the nation, providing clear, engaging and trustworthy content which is understood by all.
Rhian has over 30 years experience working in communication and marketing in the public, private and third sectors.
She has been involved with basketball since her son started playing in 2011, and is by now, is a Level 3 Table Official.
Lee Coulson (Mini Basketball Director)
Coming soon