The Team
The people powering the movement.
How Project RED‑D Came to Be
Over coffee and conversation, Project RED‑D was born — sparked by a shared concern between two leaders in athlete and dancer care: Pippa Woolven (founder of Project RED-S) and Karen Sheriff, former Head of Healthcare at The Royal Ballet School.
Karen saw the same risks that athletes face showing up in dancers — but without the same recognition, infrastructure, or support. And she knew something had to change.
With a background in elite dancer health and a drive for cultural change, Karen launched Project RED‑D — a movement created for dancers, with dancers, and led by a coalition of experts who believe dancers deserve more.
Meet the Executive Director
Karen Sheriff is a physiotherapist andhealthcare leader with a deep commitment to changing how the dance world understands and supports energy availability.
Before founding Project RED‑D, Karen led The Royal Ballet School’s 28-strong specialist healthcare team, supporting 240 full-time students. Her work focused on prevention, injury recovery, and performance — with REDs support at the core.
Karen’s leadership is grounded in evidence and collaboration. She’s worked with academic leaders at Queen Mary University of London, St Mary’s University Twickenham, the University of Essex, and the NGO Podium Analytics.
Her mission? To help institutions go beyond awareness — and embed change
