Executive Director
Nick joined Virtus in January 2013 as the organisation’s first Executive Director and is responsible for operational and strategic management.
He previously held a national role in sport for athletes with an intellectual disability in England and has also served on the Executive Committee of Virtus Europe.
Nick is based in United Kingdom.
Virtus Academy Manager
Debbie joins as the Virtus Academy Manager – a new initiative to develop a global hub of research, training, and education to be launched in 2021.
After seven years of full-time postdoctoral research at KU Leuven (Belgium), Debbie will divide her time across both organisations, leveraging on international and evidenced-based knowledge of elite athletes with intellectual disability and autism. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed scientific articles in top journals in herfield.
Debbie’s research specialised in the domains of ‘Adapted Physical Activity’ and ‘Disability Sport’, with the focus of her research on the role of cognition on sports performance among elite Paralympic athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Marketing and Communications Officer
Mousumi joined Virtus as the Marketing and Communications Officer in February 2022 with the aim of enhancing Virtus brand visibility and fostering effective communication. Her responsibilities encompass crafting compelling content, overseeing the company’s social media presence, and aligning messaging with Virtus’ goals.
Mousumi first supported Virtus first time during her master’s degree in 2018 – by covering the 2018 European Summer Games in Paris and continued volunteering for Virtus at numerous events including the 2019 Global Games and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games while working on her full-time job at GEMS Cambridge International School, Sharjah, UAE. She was promoted to her current role and joined Virtus full-time in February 2022.
Mousumi has a strong passion for working in the para-sport sector and brings fresh digital marketing and communication ideas to the team.
Mousumi is based in the UK.
Partnerships and Events Advisor
Nithi joined Virtus in May 2020 in a marketing & communications consultancy role and from August 2023 moved into an advisory role to grow Virtus Partnerships and Events.
Nithi continues to champion the Virtus brand, through strategic relationships and engagement, providing advice and guidance to Virtus members on brand advocacy and legacy, and organising committees on brand guidelines for event development and planning.
She brings 20 years’ experience in engagement, communications, marketing strategy, branding, and event management within private, public, and not-for-profit sectors from Australia, NZ, USA, Malaysia and UK.
As an advocate for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Nithi uses her diverse skills and expertise in storytelling to amplify the awareness for women and girls, people of colour and athletes with disabilities, specifically intellectual impairments.
Nithi is based in Australia.
Anti Doping Officer
Juliana Soares joined Virtus as the Virtus Anti-Doping Officer in September 2023.
Juliana initially served as a member of the Virtus Anti-Doping Committee from 2014-2023.
Juliana brings an impressive wealth of experience and expertise spanning fifteen years, acquired from her involvement in numerous national and international events, including the Para Pan American Games, Virtus Global Games, IBSA World Games, Para Sula American Games, and the Rio 2016 and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Her unwavering commitment to ensuring fair competition aligns seamlessly with our core values, and we look forward to her valuable contributions to maintaining the integrity of our sport.
In her new role, Juliana will oversee anti-doping areas such as testing, monitoring, the TUE application process, compliance, reporting, and the development of education and training programs aimed at athletes, coaches, and other stakeholders. Her mission is to promote a sporting environment that is both clean and free from performance-enhancing drugs.
Juliana is based in Brazil.
Sport and Competition Manager
John Pearce is a former Team GB Olympian, having competed in Handball at the London 2012 Olympics. With a professional handball career spanning Denmark and Norway, John brings over 15 years of experience in sports and events. John has overseen major events such as European Championship qualifiers and led youth teams across international competitions at both World and European Qualifiers.
John will oversee the sport and competition program while strategically expanding our organizational reach and influence, including establishing new partnerships, increasing participation, and implementing innovative initiatives by collaborating with our staff team, membership, voluntary team, and various partners in sport.
His diverse background in both high-performance sport and event management makes him a valuable asset to our team, blending elite competition insights with strategic planning and execution across the sports industry.
With a passion for fitness and a wealth of expertise, John is ready to bring his energy to Virtus.
Virtus is the brand name of the International Sports Federation for athletes with intellectual impairment and is a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee. Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in the UK (1173901)
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