Karen Dobres

Karen’s voice was unique on the Lewes FC Board as she had no interest in football before encountering the club’s equality initiative in 2017. Since then she regularly gives talks at business and sports conferences on equality in football and its effect on driving gender equality in the wider world.  

Karen led on campaigns and created the club’s SisterShips programme – including Sussex Police’s ‘He For She’ campaign - which is building a network of organisations keen to support the club in solidarity with its equality stance, whilst the club promotes the member organisations’ work in return. 

Karen is a trained counselling therapist, including creating and managing an internal counselling service for PolyGram Records (now Universal). Prior to this Karen has also worked as a fashion model. A co-owner of the Club since 2010, Karen led on the Lewes board for its ‘Impact on the World’ from 2019 until 2022, and is currently writing a book on her unlikely experiences in football and complete lack of imposter syndrome.