Leonie Lightfoot is an accomplished Sport Psychologist, Psychological Skills Mentor and BASES-accredited Sport Scientist with more than a decade of experience supporting high performance in sport, business, education and healthcare. She has worked with athletes on the British Equestrian World Class Programme through two Olympic and Paralympic cycles, helping riders prepare mentally for the pressures of competing at the highest level. A full member of the British Psychological Society, Leonie is known for her ability to make complex psychological principles clear, engaging and practical for any audience. Her fascination with the mind began as a competitive athlete herself and has since grown into a career dedicated to empowering others to reach their full potential.
At the core of Leonie’s work is her role with Chimp Management, where she has spent over ten years mentoring individuals and teams using Professor Steve Peters’ world-renowned Chimp Model. This framework enables people to understand the workings of the mind, manage difficult emotions and perform more effectively under pressure. Leonie has delivered keynotes and workshops to clients including British Cycling, Sport Scotland, England Athletics and financial organisations, as well as healthcare providers and school leadership teams. Audiences value her ability to normalise challenges such as pre-performance nerves or imposter syndrome, reframing them as part of the human experience and providing practical tools to respond with confidence.
Before joining Chimp Management, Leonie spent seven years at England Athletics, including three as Coach Development Manager, where she led national programmes to improve coaching standards and supported female coaches stepping into high-performance environments. She also championed awareness of eating disorders in sport, creating resources to help coaches recognise and respond effectively to the issue. Alongside this, she lectured in Sport Development and Applied Sport Psychology at the University of Northampton, further sharing her expertise with the next generation of practitioners. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to combining academic excellence with practical impact, always with the goal of supporting both performance and wellbeing.
Today, Leonie continues to work with elite athletes while also inspiring professionals in business, education and healthcare to apply the same psychological strategies for success. She believes wellbeing is the foundation of sustainable achievement and uses her engaging, down-to-earth speaking style to connect with a wide range of audiences. Whether helping Olympic riders manage the pressure of global competition, guiding executives through high-stakes decision-making, or equipping teachers with tools to support resilience in schools, Leonie brings insight, compassion and authority. With her proven record at the highest levels of sport and beyond, she is a powerful motivational speaker for any event seeking to explore mindset, resilience and performance.
