Our team
Simon Shepard
CEO
For the past 25 years Simon has worked in the sporting, corporate and health sectors. The combination of environments and experiences has produced a fresh and multi-dimensional approach that brings together technology, education and motivation, to help organisations develop Key Human Performance Indicators (KHPIs).
He consults and delivers to the public sector, international businesses, sporting organisations.
Nigel Stockill
Performance Director
Nigel is a Sports Scientist with a career steeped in elite sport. His professional career started at Lilleshall National Sports Injury and Human Performance Centre before moving into cricket as Sports Science Manager to the England Team. He now combines his sport and exercise science knowledge and expertise with cutting-edge technology, delivering programmes that highlight the ever increasing link between corporate and sporting performance.
Katie Patman
Operations Manager
Katie is a graduate of Bournemouth University where she gained a BSc in Psychology. Her studies have encompassed health, cognitive and behavioural modules and, coupled with her research experience in analysing numerical and descriptive data, they have given her an ideal foundation for her role as Operations Manager. She is passionate about health and wellness with a particular interest in nutrition. Katie is a regular gym visitor and also loves to swim.
David Chapman
Senior Coach and Training
With over 20 years’ experience, David combines his knowledge of training needs-analysis, design, delivery & evaluation with a complete understanding of leadership development and change management. His experience of working with global clients such as BP, HSBC, GSK, Deloitte, Barclays, Allen & Overy, and the ECB coupled with his creative and energising style, ensures a training experience which results in positive change, increased wellbeing, and commercial uplift.
David is also an incisive Executive Coach, catalysing personal performance improvement with senior executive & middle management clients from multi-sector backgrounds.
He is an ILM Level 7 Accredited Coach; a ThinkFeelKnow® accredited Master Coach; holds a postgraduate certificate in Organisational Emotional Intelligence; and is a member of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council.
Louise Deeley
Consultant Psychologist
Louise is an HCPC Chartered Psychologist, who began her career as a Senior Lecturer in Sport Sciences at Roehampton University London. Since leaving academia, Louise has worked to enhance performance across both sport and business, designing and delivering High Performance Programmes for clients such as UK Sport, ECB, Prudential and the RFU, and in addition to development through training, supports individuals and teams to get the best out of themselves and others through tailored coaching in both 1-2-1 and group settings.
Louise is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, qualified in a variety of behavioural change techniques and a certified test user for psychometric assessments such as Hogan®, MVPI® and EQi-2®.
Dr Tara Swart
Consultant
Tara is a medical doctor, an executive coach and one of the world’s leading neuroscientists. Her training provides a unique insight into the mindset and behaviour patterns seen in competitive, top-level business environments. In combining with Optima-life, Tara links neuroscience and physiology o provide a sophisticated approach to psychological and physiological resilience and performance. Tara is a published author and is a globally respected speaker on neuroscience in business.
James Slater
Senior Coach and Training
James is a leading Health and Wellness Coach with extensive experience coaching senior leaders and managers across a wide range of sectors, including the corporate world, education, social work and counselling. He trained in Leadership coaching with the Tavistock Institute and Health and Wellness Coaching with Wellcoaches USA. James has a private practice alongside his role, as Director of Coaching with Optima-life. He is interested in sustainable, health behaviour change that enables individuals to lead healthy and active lives. James has developed and led a number of corporate Health Coaching Programmes and is a member of the International Coaching Federation.
Keith Gladstone
Performance Coach
Keith is a Registered Osteopath and Sport Scientist with extensive in professional sport, the media and personal wellness. Keith is currently the osteopath to the England rugby team and prior to this appointment worked at Lord’s cricket ground with Middlesex CCC and the MCC for 7 seasons. Keith has also led medical teams on various television shows from the World’s strongest Man to The Jump and has helped individuals achieve their goals, be it overcoming injury, training for performance or finding health and fitness.
Keith believes that for people to excel in any area of their life, an integrated approach to health and behaviour is required. People are more than just muscle, skin and bone, they are a complex system of physiological, psychological and anatomical parts that are equally important if one is to thrive.