Equality and inclusion have always mattered to Jennifer Griffin, so it’s no surprise to learn she has put these issues right at the heart of her role as Chair of Scottish Archery.
Jennifer was co-opted as an Independent Director on the board of Scottish Archery in April 2020 bringing with her a wealth of experience as a sports administrator. She currently works for Scottish Rugby as the Regional Director for Glasgow South and is also Team Manager for Scottish Gymnastics alongside being a group exercise instructor.
Jennifer previously worked as a Partnership Manager with sportscotland, helping manage relationships with several sports including rugby, football and archery.
It’s fair to say that sport is in her blood, so it was no surprise that she was appointed as Chair of Scottish Archery in December 2020, just eight months after joining the Board of Directors.
It has been a whirlwind few months but along with her fellow board members and the staff team she has helped steer the organisation through the challenges of the ongoing global pandemic.
It has been a difficult time but Jennifer is confident that organisation is in good shape for the future.
She said: “Being part of a group of leaders in Scottish sport is fantastic and it’s genuinely a privilege to be Chair of Scottish Archery. Having worked alongside the sport for a number of years, watching it grow and develop, it’s great to be a part of the organisation, and I am really looking forward to the challenge.
“In the short term, the priority has to be getting archers back on the shooting line in a safe and responsible way.
“Longer term, we need to make sure that archery is a diverse and accessible sport for all. Inclusion and diversity is our only agenda. We see archery as a sport for all, for life, and that will be central to my work over the coming months and years."
Jennifer joins a small but growing group of female Chairs of Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport (SGBs) and she has wasted no time in getting down to work.
She said: “Immediately after starting I had one new Board member to induct which was a great process to go through followed by a Board skills audit to make sure we were where we needed to be. I then conducted one to ones with every staff member and did the same for the Directors, so it has been a busy time.
“It goes without saying that over the past few months the main priority has been taking care of staff wellbeing, as we were still in the depths of the pandemic. Secondly, making sure the business continued to operate was key for us all.
“It’s been challenging to say the least but I feel we are coming out the other end a more robust and agile organisation and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Archery Vinny Bryson said: “Having Jennifer as initially a board member then as Chair is a great move for the sport, our members, and of course for me personally.
“Jennifer has been connected to the sport for some time and she has brought a real intent to the organisation and our Board in terms of committing to change.
"We are driven to make archery as inclusive a sport as possible and it’s testament to Jennifer’s capability and humanity that she is willing to lead the organisation on such a journey."
“We are delighted to have her as our Chair and of course we are looking forward to what the future brings.”
