Nino Severino
Chairman of The Elena Baltacha Foundation
Nino is a former Olympic and British No.1 tennis coach who, alongside professional player Elena Baltacha, co-founded The Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis in 2010. At the time, both remained active on the WTA World Tour, with Elena still competing at a professional level.
Driven by a shared passion for giving back, they regularly visited schools in some of Ipswich’s most under-resourced areas, introducing children to the game of tennis and creating new opportunities for engagement with the sport.
Following Elena’s passing in 2014, Nino took on the role of Chairman of The Elena Baltacha Foundation, continuing her mission to bring tennis to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He has remained deeply committed to upholding her legacy and ensuring the foundation’s work reflects the core values Elena held dear.
Since then, her legacy has touched the lives of tens of thousands of children through The Elena Baltacha Tennis Road Shows. The initiative’s impact has been widely recognised, with numerous participants progressing to county, regional, and national levels three even earning selection for the junior Great Britain tennis teams. Foundation players are now progressing through the junior ranks and thriving within collegiate tennis programs across the United States. The Foundation takes great pride in its lifelong commitment to each player, offering ongoing support throughout their personal and professional journeys.
In partnership with the WTA—who remain dedicated supporters of the Foundation—Nino continues to work tirelessly alongside the sport’s global governing body to deliver outstanding opportunities and experiences year after year.
In 2019, Nino expanded the foundation’s reach with the launch of Sport Skills 4 Business (SS4B), a programme designed to support the personal and professional development of senior pupils. SS4B connects the values and skills cultivated through sport to future career opportunities and entrepreneurial ambitions. Since its inception, thousands of students have attended SS4B events, which have featured inspiring presentations from high-profile ambassadors, including internationally renowned designer Kelly Sheppard and senior global business leader Mark Weston.
Ben Haining
Deputy Chairman of The Elena Baltacha Foundation
Ben is an Athletic Development Performance Coach and educator who has worked with elite youth and adult athletes across multiple sports at junior, professional, international, Paralympic and Olympic level in his capacity as a Strength and Conditioning specialist for over 20 years. Running in concert with this, Ben has taught in the independent and maintained education sectors and led school boarding provision. He is currently Director of Sport Development and Co-curricular at RGS Surrey Hills School.
Ben began working as part of the AMS team working with Elena as a Strength and Conditioning Consultant in 2007. He continued this work until 2013 when she retired from professional tennis. During this period a strong friendship was developed between Elena and Ben and when the Elena Baltacha Foundation began, Ben became a Founding Trustee in 2014.
Ben has been involved in a number of significant fund-raising events including: a 300 mile in three days cycle challenge between all of the major grass court tennis venues (Queens, Eastbourne and Wimbledon) in 2015 with fellow trustee Steve Harding a team foundation bike ride challenge at the Ipswich 100 in 2016 and the Great North Run in 2017.
Dr. Saima Ajaz
Dr. Ajaz is a highly accomplished hepatologist and metabolic health specialist with over 20 years of clinical experience, with a particular focus on Metabolic-Associated Steatohepatitis Liver Disease (MASLD), fatty liver disease, and chronic metabolic disorders. Following her clinical training, she completed an MPhil in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a PhD in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism from King’s College London (KCL) in 2016. Dr. Ajaz has been at the forefront of clinical research and service development for MASLD at the Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College Hospital, where she leads patient-centred initiatives and research into non-invasive biomarkers for liver fibrosis and cancer, including holding patents for novel biomarker panels developed at KCH.
She is the only certified Lifestyle Medicine physician working within a UK hepatology unit, bringing a unique, preventive, and patient-focused approach to liver care. Her innovative leadership includes founding LIVFIT, the UK’s first interactive MASLD patient support group, and establishing the first UK MASLD Advocacy Academy, both of which empower patients to engage actively in their care pathways.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Ajaz is internationally recognised for integrating lifestyle, nutrition, and personalised medicine into the management of chronic liver and metabolic diseases, combining cutting-edge research with practical strategies to improve long-term patient outcomes.
Dr. Saima is dedicated to supporting The Elena Baltacha Foundation, playing a key role in fostering collaborations with Perspectum, The Global Liver Institute, and The British Liver Trust. She has also been deeply engaged in fundraising initiatives for the foundation.
Penny Moor
Penny Moor a former player cut the top 100 and is a founding member of the WTA. Joined Billie Jean King and the Virginia Slims tour in 1972. Penny was present courtside along with all the other players for the King versus Riggs (Battle of the Sexes) match and celebrated the win in Houston. It was a historic night at the Houston Astrodome which had an audience of an estimated 50 million in the US and 90 million worldwide.
Lived and worked in the US for almost 20 years. Promoting special events exhibitions for various sponsors and helped obtain the license from the AELTC for the Wimbledon rackets in the UK.
Penny has been involved and volunteered for many tennis projects here in the UK to create opportunity for disadvantaged kids in Park programs. One was two sites for Tennis for Free in Exeter which is still up and running and one of the top sites in the country for its participation.
Penny whilst sitting on the Board of Trustees, has also worked closely with The Elena Baltacha Foundation coaching team to deliver high-quality tennis sessions across schools in the Ipswich and London networks. Passionate about creating opportunities for young children to experience tennis, Penny has dedicated herself tirelessly to this mission.
Duncan Foster
A serial entrepreneur focused on eco-investments across sectors ranging from property development to AgTech, with over 35 years’ experience leading multiple companies and supporting diverse teams. A long-standing supporter and trustee of The Elena Baltacha Foundation, he has contributed to numerous fundraising projects, including Love All, as well as a variety of sports and social events. He also supports other children’s charities both in the UK and abroad, with a particular passion for helping African countries strengthen their food chain through water conservation and encouraging children to stay active in sport. He believes that when children eat well and play sport, they are healthier, happier, and better able to thrive in their education.
He has been a strong supporter of Nino Severino, the Chairman, consistently providing counsel and guidance during his years on the board. Duncan has played an influential role in the fundraising initiatives led by The Elena Baltacha Foundation and has attended the tennis roadshows delivered across the Ipswich and London networks.
Jonathan FeRrar
Jonathan has been a Trustee of the Elena Baltacha Foundation since 2021. He is a globally recognised business advisor, speaker and author in HR strategy and people analytics and is the CEO of the HR professional services firm Insight222 operating across Europe and North America. Jonathan has worked in corporate business with extensive executive leadership and board advisory experience for over 20 years with companies like Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), IBM, Insight222, and as the vice chair of the board of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He is also an accomplished author with best-selling books: Excellence in People Analytics (Kogan Page, July 2021) and The Power of People (Pearson, May 2017). Jonathan has worked with clients all over the world and lived in both London and New York for substantial periods of his career. Jonathan is a keen tennis fan and photographer.
Kari Chaudhry
Kari Chaudhry is a principal, strategic advisor, and investor with a proven track record of helping Fortune 500 companies, family office principals, and founders unlock growth, scale globally, and future-proof their businesses.
She began her career in equity derivatives trading, gaining deep expertise in capital markets. This foundation in high finance gives her a unique ability to advise from both sides of the table, navigating the complexities of transactions, investments, and leadership challenges in dynamic markets.
Today, as Founder of Kari C Advisory and APEX Global Forum, Kari partners with corporations, family offices, and high-growth startups to design expansion roadmaps, guide leadership through transformation, and align capital with meaningful impact. She also deploys her family’s capital into alternative asset classes, focusing on consumer goods, e-commerce, health and med-tech, and technology — reflecting her commitment to innovation and diversification.
As a Trustee of EBF, Kari is passionate about advancing women’s sports and creating pathways for young people from disenfranchised communities to access opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. She brings her global network, strategic expertise, and investor perspective to champion initiatives that drive inclusion, equitable access, and long-term impact through sport and education.
Recognized in Forbes, Vogue, Fortune Business, Harper’s Bazaar, and GQ, Kari is widely sought after for her ability to bridge vision with execution and shape strategies that deliver measurable results. Her mission is to empower leaders and entrepreneurs to build businesses that achieve commercial success while creating a lasting legacy for families and communities worldwidePraf Vagh
Praf Vagh is a leadership advisor with experience in executive search, assessment, and executive coaching focussing on the technology sector. He has gained extensive business experience across EMEA, Asia, and North America. He was previously a Partner at ON Partners and Eric Salmon, having earlier co-founded MPI Eden. He is an advisor and investor in Lifeed – an HR/EdTech software business. Moreover, he sits on the supervisory board of Spyrosoft, a global publicly traded software development and services company. Praf holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Salford.
