Women in Esports Committee Announces New Members

Representatives from ESL FACEIT Group, Durham University, Ear to the Ground, OG and Tech Her Out join the British Esports initiative focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.

Sunderland, Tuesday 14th May 2024 – British Esports, the national body for esports in the United Kingdom, has appointed new members to its Women in Esports Committee.

The committee brings together a wealth of expertise across broadcast, PR, event management, tournament operations, talent management and more to forge a more inclusive esports industry. 

Women in Esports is an equity, diversity and inclusivity initiative designed to empower women and marginalised genders in esports. Its key pillars are Educating, Engaging, Empowering and Expertise. It’s run by British Esports Project Development Lead Billie Purdie and Head of Operations Alice Whorley, as well as Committee Chair Sue Lavasani, Account Manager at Tundra Esports.

The new members are: 

• Tracy Luseno, Partnerships Manager, ESL FACEIT Group
• Leila Gregory, Creator and Founder, Tech Her Out
• Kylie Kendrick, Technical Specialist: Esports, Durham University
• Savannah Ross, Gaming, Esports and Cultural Strategist, Ear to the Ground
• Vladyslava ‘Vladyslava_z’ Zakhliebina, Esports Talent & Content Creator, Team Manager, OG Esports
• Keltoum ‘Giniro’ Baddaje, Esports Host

Tracy Luseno (She/Her) is a Partnerships Manager at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), where she collaborates with top brands to drive revenue growth and enhance brand awareness. With a track record of success in building strategic partnerships and leading impactful projects, Tracy is passionate about driving positive change in the esports industry. 

Tracy said: “Joining the Women in Esports Committee offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of esports, fostering inclusivity and empowering individuals to thrive in this dynamic industry. I’m eager to collaborate, innovate, and work alongside other passionate individuals to create a more inclusive, vibrant, and equitable gaming world.”

Leila Gregory (She/Her) is an award-winning blogger, covering gaming technology, and lifestyle at Tech Her Out, which brings a female voice to the tech community. She works as a quality engineering manager for easyJet, where she also helps support their diversity initiatives. Leila has been a huge advocate of women in technology since 2009 and has worked with many industry leaders across gaming and technology.

“Joining the Women in Esports Committee isn’t just about gaming for me—it’s about empowering each other, fostering inclusivity, and making our mark on the esports world,” Leila commented.

Kylie Kendrick (She/Her) is the Technical Specialist for Esports at Durham University and is tasked with developing and enhancing Durham’s esports offer to students. Her extensive knowledge of the Higher Education, AV and IT industries, as well as esports, has given her valuable experience and insight that she can use to leverage opportunities for women further.

She is an active supporter of women’s rights within the esports scene and manages an inclusive Discord server for LGBTQ+ gamers at Durham University as a way to offer minority gamers a safe space to play together. Kylie has been gaming since she was three years old and has participated in multiple competitions within VALORANT and Counter-Strike during this time, with her esports knowledge spanning 15+ years.

“I am honoured and delighted to have been asked to sit on the committee,” Kylie added. “In the last 20 years, not a lot has changed in the way women are viewed and treated within gaming and esports – It’s about time that changed and I believe we can help educate the industry as to why this HAS to change. I am excited to get stuck in and help to build on the fantastic work that Billie, Alice and the rest of the Committee have already put into place.”

Savannah Ross (She/Her) is a Strategist at Ear to the Ground, with over seven years of experience in marketing in the entertainment sector. An avid gamer, she helps brands deepen their connection to fans in the gaming and esports spaces. Her ambition is to create a space where women in esports thrive, while also creating opportunities to make gaming more accessible to all. Savannah works with brands to open their perceptions of women in esports and educates them on how they can use their influence to create positive change.  

“I am so excited to be joining the Women in Esports Committee,” Savannah said. “I have always strongly believed that anybody can be a gamer, and I want to see more women feeling confident in the space. With the committee, I am looking forward to not only establishing better esports opportunities for women but also carving out new ways to make the space feel more accessible and exciting to all.”

Keltoum ‘Giniro’ Baddaje (She/Her)  is an esports host who covers multiple titles ranging from the League of Legends LEC to Rainbow Six Siege. 

She started her career in the UK university and women’s scene and is looking to further push for diversity within esports.

“I am very fortunate to have joined the industry at a time where there has already been a way paved for women in esports, but the job is far from done and I am looking to give back and push for more inclusion by being part of the committee,” Giniro said.

Vladyslava ‘Vladyslava_z’ Zakhliebina is Team Manager of OG Esports, as well as an esports talent and content creator. She’s also an ex pro player and athlete.

Committee Chair Sue Lavasani said: “We are thrilled to welcome our new committee members, with each one bringing a variety of skills and fresh ideas that are sure to make the team even more impactful. It’s an exciting time, and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone better and seeing all the amazing things we can accomplish together.”

As the new members join, we’d also like to say a big thank you to outgoing Committee members Morgan Ashurst, Bryony-Hope Green, Milly Clay, Freya Spiers, Giulia Zecchini, Tasha Jones and Dominika Szot for their efforts and support.

The newcomers will join the existing Women in Esports Committee members: 

• Alice Whorley, Head of Operations, British Esports
• Billie Purdie, Project Development Lead, British Esports
• Seriera Lavasani (Sue), Account Manager, Tundra Esports
• Kirsty Endfield, Founder & Director, Swipe Right PR 
• Mary Antieul, VP Customer & Strategy, Belong, VINDEX LLC
• Jasmine Hong, HR Assistant, Capcom
• Leah Alexandra, Presenter/Streamer, Freelance
• Karen Low, Managing Director EMEA, Story Mob 
• Becks Donaldson, Talent Manager, DotXTalent 
• Becky Wright, Senior Partnerships Manager, NSE 
• Cassie Hughes, Director, Nox Lumina

Last year, Women in Esports organised the inaugural Be the Change Summit. Stay tuned for more information on this year’s event soon.

Read more about Women in Esports and follow Women in Esports on X.

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Contacts

Mimi Craig | Marketing Manager | British Esports | mc@britishesports.org

Billie Purdie | Project Development Lead | British Esports | bp@britishesports.org

About British Esports 

Established in 2016, British Esports is the national body for esports in the UK.  As one of the world’s leading esports authorities, we are the recognised member of the Global Esports Federation for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and founding member of the International Olympic Committee Esports and Gaming Liaison Group.  From nationwide amateur grassroots competition to cutting edge esports curriculum and national representation on the global stage, we’re dedicated to increasing levels of esports awareness, improving esports standards, and inspiring future esports talent.  For more information and all the latest news, visit www.britishesports.org or follow British Esports on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitch, YouTube, TikTok.

About Women in Esports

British Esports award winning  initiative strives to make esports a more diverse and inclusive space. Established in 2019 to promote diversity and inclusivity in esports, Women in Esports has delivered numerous events, dedicated tournaments, community activations and educational content to encourage more opportunities for women and marginalised to participate in esports. Since its inception, Women in Esports has experienced significant growth and earned award recognition for its work in prioritising diversity and inclusivity, as well as multiple award nominations for outstanding contributions to journalism and education in esports. For more information and all the latest news, visit https://britishesports.org/women-in-esports/ or follow Women in Esports on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitch, YouTube, TikTok.