NINE years ago, two women with a shared passion for leadership, equality and impact came together—and something special sparked.
When Sinead Sharkey-Steenson and Lisa Strutt first met, they joined forces to create a leadership programme for Lean In Belfast. What started as an idea quickly became a movement—supporting over 800 women to step up in their careers and achieve lasting success.
Their collaboration continued to grow, taking them into the world of sport. It began with Grit and Goals, a girls’ football leadership programme developed with the Irish Football Association. The programme was later recognised by Irish President Michael D. Higgins for its powerful impact on young women.
From there, they created the Female Football Leaders programme, empowering grassroots volunteers and future stars of the game. They didn’t stop there. Recognising the need for leadership development at every level, they launched the Elite Football Leaders programme — supporting senior administrators, elite athletes, and executives across football.
That work was recognised by UEFA for its significant contribution to growing the game.
Next came Court Bosses, a groundbreaking initiative in Northern Irish tennis. At the time, only four of the 80 tennis coaches in the region were women. Sinead and Lisa set out to change that — training 11 teenage girls to become confident, qualified coaches and sparking a new wave of leadership in the sport.
Then came Ulster Hockey, where they delivered a female leadership programme that once again proved their model works across disciplines and levels.
Alongside their work in sport, they’ve consistently delivered high-impact leadership programmes for women in business—working with leaders from companies like Meta, Deloitte, TikTok, Citi, Sensata, and the UN.
Between them, Lisa and Sinead bring over 40 years of experience coaching senior leaders in business and sport. Their work changes lives—and it changes systems. From the pitch to the boardroom, their mission has always been the same: to equip women with the tools, belief, and community to lead with impact and thrive.
Now, they’re taking it to the next level.
Impact Players is a global leadership platform, bringing together the power of sport and business to accelerate gender equality and unlock extraordinary potential.
It’s a bold new space where ambition is celebrated, leadership is redefined, and community is everything. Starting with the inaugural Impact Players conference in Belfast Waterfront on Tuesday, May 13, Sinead and Lisa are building something far bigger than an event — they’re creating a movement… one that will inspire thousands of women (and allies) to step up, show up, and change the game — for good.
Sinead Sharkey-Steenson (left) and Lisa Strutt
ALL ABOUT SINEAD
Sinead Sharkey-Steenson is a Leadership Coach, Founder of Generation Women, and co-founder of Impact Players—the international leadership event where sport and business collide.
A passionate advocate for equality and getting more women into decision-making roles, Sinead has helped close to 10,000 women step into leadership with more confidence, impact, and ease. She combines powerful career strategies with mindset and leadership tools to help women rise— without burning out.
In the world of business, she has coached senior leaders in companies including Meta, TikTok, Deloitte, Sensata, the UN, Citi, and Oracle. Her practical, results-focused approach helps high-performing women accelerate their careers, step into C-suite roles, and lead authentically.
In sport, Sinead has designed and delivered leadership programmes for female leaders, athletes, and coaches in football, tennis, and hockey. She has worked with the Irish Football Association, Sport NI, Ulster Hockey, and Tennis Ireland, helping women grow their leadership, confidence, and influence both on and off the pitch.
Sinead brings over 20 years’ experience in HR, leadership development, business improvement, and cultural transformation. She holds a BA Hons in Psychology, MScs in Computing and HR Management, is a Master Practitioner in NLP, a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and an accredited ICF and Positive Intelligence Coach.
Named one of 22 Leaders to Learn From by the Bunch Leadership App, Sinead is known for her sharp insights, deep care, and no-nonsense support—transforming how women lead, live, and show up in the world.
ALL ABOUT LISA
Lisa Strutt is a high-level Leadership Coach, global speaker, and co-founder of Impact Players.
She coaches and trains senior leaders from elite sport, global business, the public sector, and non-profits to thrive during times of change, pressure, and transition. Lisa is also co-founder of Reboot, an organisation on a mission to elevate women in leadership across sport and business.
A TEDx and international keynote speaker, Lisa is a Fellow of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School, an ICF Accredited Coach, and a Positive Intelligence (PQ) Coach. She
studied at the Boston College Carroll School of Management, holds an MBA from the Open University, a Postgraduate Diploma in HR from the University of Portsmouth, and an MA Hons from the University of Edinburgh.
Lisa is a trustee of NIPANC, a Northern Ireland charity raising awareness of pancreatic cancer.
Her resilience and commitment to impact were recognised when she was named Ulster Tatler Woman of the Year in 2022 for Overcoming Adversity. In 2024, she received the NICON Nettle Award for her pioneering work in grief and loss within families affected by cancer.
TICKET INFO: https://impact.rebootandreturn.com/
