Founder

Esther Ope Elias

Esther Elias is an award-winning social entrepreneur, creative strategist and community curator, serving as founder and managing director of Effort Over Environment and the Effort Over Environment Collective. At the heart of her work is a commitment to sport and creativity as vehicles for social justice: curating narratives that amplify what's possible through effort, and dismantling those that disguise limitation as destiny.

Her background spans football coaching, education, and cultural strategy. She was among the youngest female coaches at Crystal Palace Women's Academy and Nottingham Forest FC Boys Academy, and has previously served as a London FA Inclusion Advisory Board member. She delivers brand strategy, cultural consultation and talent recruitment for global sports brans through EOE; through EOE Collective, she creates grassroots programmes and flagship events for young women in football.

Esther speaks on football marketing, personal development, social entrepreneurship, and building pathways for underrepresented young women. Available for panels, keynotes, and workshops.