Directors and advisory board

Hilton Freund MBE has dedicated his career to transforming lives through criminal justice reform, beginning in the United Kingdom and now reaching across the globe. He has been a driving force behind initiatives that place rehabilitation, dignity, and opportunity at the heart of custodial settings. Central to his philosophy is the belief that sport can be a catalyst for change, uniquely capable of engaging individuals who may resist traditional education or training.

Hilton has cultivated a rich and respected network within professional sport, bringing together some of the world’s most recognized teams, athletes, and organizations to collaborate with correctional systems. These partnerships deliver programs that improve mental and physical well-being, develop essential skills, and provide hope for sustainable reentry into society. His ability to bridge professional sport and criminal justice has won him admiration from leaders across both sectors.

In recognition of his extraordinary impact, Hilton was awarded the prestigious Member of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles III, honoring his outstanding services to criminal justice and charity. This distinction reflects not only his achievements but also his tireless commitment to giving others a second chance.

Today, Hilton continues to expand his work internationally, shaping projects that reduce reoffending, strengthen rehabilitation, and build safer communities worldwide. His passion, credibility, and global perspective make him one of the most influential advocates for reimagining criminal justice through the power of sport.

David joined the Arsenal Board in 1983 and was made Vice-Chairman in the same year.  He also rose to Vice-Chairman of the Football Association and has served on numerous UEFA and FIFA Committees.  

David was an early proponent of women’s football having been President of the hugely successful Arsenal Ladies Team

He was the man who had the foresight to bring Arsene Wenger to Arsenal in 1996.  During David’s reign, the Club won:

• The League x5
• The FA Cup x5
• The UEFA Cup Winners Cup x1
• The League Cup x2
• The Community Shield x5

A total of 18 trophies!

David was a prime mover when the Premier League was launched in 1992.  As Greg Dyke, the former Chairman of the FA, told the Financial Times

“David Dein was the most revolutionary bloke I’ve met in football. David Dein created the Premier League, it was his idea.”

Last year the Daily Mail published a list of the 50 most influential people in the history of the Premier League and David was in the top ten with people like Sir Alex Ferguson.  

These days David spends much of his time speaking in businesses, schools & prisons including students of the world renowned Harvard Business School in Boston.

David was awarded an MBE by the Queen in the New Year’s Honours in recognition of his achievements.

Reginald A. Wilkinson, Ed.D. is currently the President of Connecting the Dots, LLC. He has served the professions of corrections and education for over 50 years.

He retired from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in 2006. Throughout the 33 years he worked for ODRC, he held the positions of Director of Training, Warden, Deputy Director, and was the agency’s Director for over 15 years.

Reggie also served as President of both the American Correctional Association and the Correctional Leaders Association. He is a founding board member and former Vice President for North America of the International Corrections and Prisons Association. Additionally, he served on the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board for over 20 years, twice as its President.

Dr. Wilkinson holds a B.A. in Political Science and two advanced degrees in education disciplines. He previously led the Ohio Business Alliance for Higher Education and the Economy and the Ohio College Access Network.

He is now serving a nine-year term as a Trustee for The Ohio State University.

Partner, Head of Pro Bono Program

Proskauer Rose LLP

William C. Silverman is a Partner at Proskauer Rose LLP, where he leads the firm’s pro bono program.

Before entering private practice, Bill served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and as a law clerk to the Honorable Louis L. Stanton, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

He received his B.A. from Brown University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Partner

Proskauer Rose LLP — Sports Group

Christine Lazatin is a partner at Proskauer Rose LLP and a member of its Sports Group. She is one of the nation’s leading sports finance attorneys, advising professional sports teams, leagues and owners, corporate borrowers, and financial institutions on many of the industry’s most critical and complex financings.

In addition, she has represented numerous emerging sports leagues on a full range of corporate matters, including league formation and expansion transactions.

Christine has been recognized as an elite lawyer by a variety of sports and legal publications. She was named a “Game Changer” by Sports Business Journal in 2022 and a “Power Player: Outside Counsel” in 2021. She is one of only six women ranked by Chambers USA in the Sports Law category and is also recognized by Legal 500 and Lawdragon.

Jason is the Head of Prison Industries, Catering and Physical Education in HM Prison Service (All England and Wales). A self-confessed football nut and lifelong Man City fan.

He joined as a Prison Officer in 1992 and has “come up through the ranks”. Jason’s team manages a large team with an annual budget of £145 Million.

His remit is varied and covers all the work and occupational training for prisoners in each of the 105 public sector prisons across England and Wales. His team makes sure that the Prison Service is largely self-sufficient as they make all the clothing, furniture and infrastructure used in all prisons. Training includes all the major manufacturing trades including woodwork, engineering, printing, textiles manufacturing, laundries, plastic injection moulding and land based activities.
‍
Jason is also in charge of all the prison kitchens and all the food served to the 83,500 prisoners in England and Wales. His team produces over 91 Million meals per year.

He is responsible for all PE in England and Wales and is overhauling the delivery of Physical Education nationally. He is on a personal mission to improve the mental and physical health of those in custody via exercise and a nutritious diet.

Executive Vice President Emeritus, CGL Companies

Bob Goble began professional practice as a facility planner for Dallas, Texas in 1971. Most of his experience has been in the planning of facilities for adult and juvenile corrections, detention, law enforcement, and courthouses.

Some notable projects included consulting planning in Singapore for the new Changi Prison Complex, Boys Home, Selarang Park Complex, Woodbridge Mental Health Center, Subordinate Courts Expansion plan; and correctional plans review for the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).

He has also prepared operational systems evaluation plans and provided technical assistance and training for numerous government agencies. He served as an expert witness in USA federal and state courts and authored 12 published articles and manuals on facilities and systems planning.

Prior to helping establish CGL, Mr. Goble was Assistant Director of the planning division of an international engineering firm. While in graduate school at the University of Illinois he was a Research Assistant and Writer for the “Quarterly Digest of Urban and Regional Research” and a graduate Teaching Assistant.

His memberships have included: Chairman Board of Directors South Carolina Children’s Bureau; American Institute of Certified Planners; American Correctional Association; Chair ACA International Committee; and the International Corrections and Prisons Association. He is a past member of the ICPA Board of Directors, served as Treasurer, Program Committee member, and is currently a member of the Practice Transfer Advisory Committee and the Treasurer of the ICPA-North America Chapter. Bob is a 3 term past Chairman of the American Corrections Association International Commmittee.

Dr. Heath Grant is Associate Professor in the Department of Law, Police Science & Criminal Justice at John Jay College, CUNY, where he also serves as Deputy Chair. He holds a BA in Psychology from Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario) and both an MA and PhD in Criminal Justice from John Jay.

He previously directed research at the Police Executive Research Forum and led global initiatives with the non-profit Success for Kids, focusing on social-emotional learning, youth resilience, and crime prevention across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Dr. Grant has partnered with USAID, the U.S. State Department, and a range of national and local agencies to design, evaluate, and scale interventions that promote a “culture of lawfulness.” His publications include books and articles on policing, legitimacy, youth violence prevention, and institutional reform.

Dr Martha Newson is an internationally recognised expert on belonging and the rituals that bind us - core themes that underpin both her award-winning academic research and her high-impact consultancy practice. She has worked with clients including the Premier League, Guinness, and Hyundai, and has advised on identity and group behaviour in settings as diverse as British prisons, global charities, and major brands.

Martha is known for her engaging, thought-provoking talks delivered to audiences around the world - from corporate boardrooms to grassroots communities. Her leadership coaching practice draws on deep, cross-sectoral experience to support leaders in transforming complex challenges and realising their full potential.

Her research spans four continents and has taken her from Brazilian football hooligans to Indonesian fundamentalist groups and the UK’s underground rave scene. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led global studies on social contact and wellbeing, involving over 10,000 participants across 122 countries.

Currently, Martha leads research with the UK’s Ministry of Justice and major football clubs to explore how strong group identities—like those formed around football—can be used to improve behaviour in prisons and reduce reoffending. Her work has been widely featured in the media, including on the BBC, Sky TV, Discovery Channel, BBC Radio 4, and the World Service.

Martha holds a prestigious £1.5 million UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship and is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich. She is also a Research Affiliate at the University of Oxford, where she earned her master’s and doctorate in cognitive anthropology and now leads the Changing Lives Lab.

Paul Jeffries is an internationally recognized leader in harnessing sport for social impact, innovation, and sustainable development. With over 25 years of experience, he has led initiatives that use football to empower youth, strengthen communities, and create shared value for business and society. Paul advises executive leadership at City Football Group and New York City Football Club, guiding strategies that align commercial growth with community purpose. A founding board member of City in the Community Foundation USA, established with Manchester City FC and the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C, he holds a Master’s in Sports Management from Columbia University.