The Gladiator Events Team
We choose our team for their passion for the charity sector and for outdoor adventure, as well as their expertise and professionalism in event management and leadership.
Sarah Kenny: Founder & Director
Best Adventure: Wild camping overnight in Mayan ruins in the depths of the Guatemalan jungle after missing the last bus. As the sun set, thousands of howler monkeys started their chorus which echoed across the jungle – mesmerising and a little bit terrifying!
Giving Back: I volunteer as a mentor, for a refugee charity and a non-profit scheme for the events industry.
Cat Clarke: Staffing & Logistics Manager
Best Adventure: Hard to choose between personal and professional but… personally was exploring Australia with my husband a few years ago. I LOVED the liberation of only planning a matter of hours ahead – deciding what to do and when to do it was a fantastic opportunity to release my usual control and roll with the punches. Surfing with humpback whales will forever be an experience ill cherish!
Giving Back: Living in the beautiful South West means I spend a lot of time exploring all our local beaches and coast path. I am quite the impassioned eco warrior and often partake in beach cleans and litter picks!
Erin Azer: Senior Event Manager
Best Adventure: Working with local communities to build hygiene stations and water systems in Honduras. It was amazing to see how something so simple could have such a big impact. The connections we made along the way were unforgettable — and the local food was definitely a highlight!
Giving Back: Over the years, I’ve raised money through sporting events for charities like Battersea, and I’ve spent time volunteering at charity events, soup kitchens, and local shelters. While I was in the U.S., I supported protestors by bringing food and water to those who had been unjustly detained.
Felicity Taylor-Armstrong: Head of Impact & Culture
Best Adventure: 5 day canoe trip down Saco River in New Hampshire and Maine.
Giving Back: I love getting involved in local projects and currently volunteering at a local soup kitchen. I have also recently trained as a St John Ambulance vaccinator helping with the COVID-19 vaccination roll out.
Fred Newton: Senior Partnerships Manager
Best Adventure: Spending three weeks climbing to the roof of the Andes up Aconcagua (a 7000m metre peak). We were stuck in a high camp for almost a week with 60mph winds buffeting our little tents and finally had a narrow window to go for the summit, an exhausting and exhilarating 18 hour climb to the top (and back!).
Giving Back: I chair a voluntary committee of the Thames Valley Series, a wonderful collaboration of 9 local running clubs who put on 6 races each year for the local community. I am also involved in a small working group of enthusiasts promoting and developing the sport of swimrun in the UK.
Emma Butler: Partnerships Manager
Best Adventure: A multi-day trek through the jungles in Colombia to reach Ciudad Perdida – the “Lost City”. The trip was full of beautiful views, great local food, waterfalls to jump from and amazing people. The final push involved a steep and gruelling climb of 1,200 stone steps but was all worth it when we could celebrate with an amazing view of the hills and jungles.
Giving Back: I am soon to begin mentoring with Elevate. Having experienced the benefits of having a mentor I really want to give back to upcoming Event Graduates and give them the confidence and guidance as they kickstart their career.
Elodie Hall Ruiz: Head of Events
Best Adventure: On a camping holiday in the Gorges du Tarn, I bungee jumped from a 50m viaduct, paddled my kayak for 12km downstream with my dog on board and jumped off a 10m rock while canyoning.
Giving Back: I am a fully trained cardiopulmonary resuscitator, I am signed up with Le Bon Samaritain and can be called upon to resuscitate anybody in distress.
Abi Knapton : Senior Event Manager
Best Adventure: Saving a lost dog whilst out on a recce in the Yorkshire Dales! Bob the dog followed Elodie for 6K before we managed to reunite him with his owners. Turns out he is a natural escape artist and loves following walkers. He has been brought home in a police car before after following walkers on a 10 mile walk!
Giving Back: I coach at a local Netball Club, as a player myself I really enjoy working with and coaching the children!
Jasmine Iley : Event Manager
Best Adventure: Hiking Half Dome in Yosemite with my family. From the early morning start, walking through the pine forests to the final scramble up the 400-foot steep cables to reach the summit. The hike had breathtaking views of the Yosemite Valley and passed by incredible waterfalls on route.
Giving Back: I’ve spent years competing at swimming galas so now I give back by officiating races and helping behind the scenes. It’s more than just timing and disqualifying, it’s about creating space for young swimmers to thrive, grow in confidence, and chase their goals.
Devon Summerfield: Event Coordinator
Best Adventure: Living and working in Australia for a year. I travelled the East Coast solo, experienced world-class sporting events, skydived over the Great Barrier Reef and even worked at Australia Zoo. I made some great friends along the way, it was an adventure I’ll never forget.
Giving Back: I have spent time volunteering at a variety of major sporting events, my favourites being the Paris 2024 Paralympics and the 2025 Virtus World Athletics Championships.
Jacqs Leui’i: Event Operations
Best Adventure: Still a work in progress completing a trail marathon in a different country starting with each letter of the alphabet. Only completed 9 so far!
Giving Back: Establishing Unite for Nepal in 2016, a charitable foundation supporting Equality, Health and Education Programmes in Eastern Nepal.
Charlie Knight : Event Operations
Best Adventure: Hiking 2650 miles across America on the Pacific Crest Trail. I spent five months walking from Mexico to Canada, trekking through deserts, rainforests, lava fields and over snowy mountain passes. I had numerous run-ins with bears and mountain lions and also climbed Mount Whitney - the highest mountain in mainland America.
Giving Back: I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail to raise money for SANE, a mental health charity that does great work raising awareness and funds for people experience mental ill health. Over the course of the trek I raised over £3000 for the charity.
