Powered by Science. Inspired by Excellence. Built for Legacy.
Empowering women’s sport through authentic leadership, innovative recruitment, coaching and mentoring, and holistic performance solutions that drive success on and off the field.
25+
Years
Advancing elite women’s performance
20+
Major Tournaments
World Cups, Olympics, Domestic, College + International
6
Continents
Adapting to culture, climate, context
500+
Players
Supported across all levels
Strategic Leadership | Mentoring & Coaching | Public Speaking
Leading with Purpose. Proven in Performance.
Elevating performance through integrity-led leadership, athlete-centred innovation, and systems that empower people on and off the field.
I was born in South Shields and grew up in Washington, in the North-East of England during the 1970s, as an avid Newcastle United supporter. I spent countless hours playing football in the street — yet it was a time when girls rarely had the chance to play in organised teams, and women’s football and female role models were almost invisible.
Against this backdrop of limited visibility and opportunity, a defining moment changed everything for me. Attending the sold-out 1999 Women’s World Cup Final in Pasadena, California ignited my passion for analysing and supporting women’s football. After four years of voluntary research and work with leading English teams, I became a Sport Scientist with the England Women’s National Team (2001) — a formative time in understanding how to apply sport science and how best to support the female player.
In 2010, I joined the US Women’s National Team (US WNT) as their first full-time Fitness Coach, evolving alongside a new generation of players and the rapid rise of technology, investment, media, and professionalism in the women’s game. Between 2013 and 2019, I also introduced high-performance support across the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), delivering annual summits, physical profiling, and educational workshops that strengthened player preparation and welfare across clubs. As Vice President of Performance & Innovation at the Washington Spirit, I pioneered the movement to ‘train women as women’ — establishing a dedicated high-performance framework with a female-centred lens to player health and performance preparation.
With over 20 years at the highest level of world sport — including back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cup wins (2015 & 2019) and Olympic Gold (2012) with the US WNT, as well as multiple Olympic, World Cup, and European Championship campaigns with both the US WNT and England’s Lionesses — my approach has also shaped elite men’s and women’s club teams including Inter Miami CF, Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais, and London City Lionesses.
More recently, my expertise has contributed to global research and education projects with FIFA, as well as initiatives with OFC, AFC, CONCACAF, CAF, and UEFA — all focused on advancing performance, player welfare, and the continued growth of the women’s game.
Beyond the pitch, I’m grounded by my family, friends and partner, whose support has made this journey possible. I’m passionate about health, wellbeing, and exploring the world — from climbing Kilimanjaro with Equal Playing Field to hiking Machu Picchu for fun. Travel, reading, hiking and reflection keep me inspired and connected to my purpose: to learn, grow, and lead with authenticity. These values — curiosity, courage, and compassion — continue to guide everything I do, both in sport and in life.
Delivering Performance-Enhancing Solutions
Performance-Focused Solutions with Purpose
High-Performance Strategies
I design and optimise environments built for success for federations, national teams, clubs, colleges and businesses. I deliver impact through comprehensive audits, designing and implementing systems, supporting recruitment processes, and aligning leadership teams around shared goals.
Athlete-Centred Innovation
I create evidence-informed frameworks for holistic female-focused support, encompassing health, performance, recovery, innovation and lifecycle-specific, gender-informed strategies.
Education & Continuous Professional Development Delivery
I devise custom learning experiences for universities, teams, clubs, governing bodies, and companies, turning knowledge into accessible action, tailored to individual needs and goals.
Speaking Engagements
I am available for workshops and conferences, presenting inspiring presentations and insights on performance, equity, and resilience, aiming to spark honest conversations that move sport, organisations and athletes forward.
Culture & Team Development
I lead workshops that seek to build trust, accountability, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, creating environments where bravery and curiosity are embraced, and every voice is given an equal platform.
Leadership Mentoring for Performance Staff
Utilising more than two decades of first-hand experience, I am available to coach and mentor practitioners, medics, and coaches to foster inclusive leadership skills and develop tools to build environmental stress resilience.
“I had the privilege of working with Dawn during my time with the England national team and she is, without doubt, the best in her field.
Dawn genuinely cares; she always wanted the very best for each player and for the team as a whole. Her knowledge of nutrition, fitness, and performance was always ahead of the game, and she brought that expertise to every aspect of our preparation. Even before the women’s game was professional, she went the extra mile, creating personalised training programmes for each player that gave us a real edge. It’s no surprise to me that the USA achieved such success with her guidance — they were very lucky to have her.
Kelly Smith - Former England Lioness
