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The Power Shift: →Capital →Influence →Leadership

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Australia’s leading commercial platform for women’s sport returns, bringing together the decision-makers, investors, athletes and brands shaping the future of the industry.

19–22 October 2026 | Adelaide

Powered by Ministry of Sport, the Women in Sport Summit has spent the past nine years convening the leaders and organisations driving progress across the sporting landscape.

In 2026, the Summit evolves from conversation → to commercial acceleration.

Women’s sport is no longer an emerging category, it is a rapidly expanding global market.  WISS 2026 is built around The Power Shift examining how capital, influence, and leadership are being redistributed across the sporting ecosystem.  This is where performance meets investment. Where talent meets opportunity.  Where the future of sport is shaped.

The Full Ecosystem of Women’s Sport:  Pipeline → Performance → Capital

From grassroots pathways to elite performance and commercial growth, WISS connects every stage of the ecosystem in one unified platform.

Day 1 – WISS Futures Day : Inspire. Discover. Dream   For students (years 10–12) Introducing the next generation to career pathways across sport, marketing, media, technology, health, leadership and governance.

Day 2WISS Performance Forum :    Elevate. Empower. Excel.  For athletes, coaches, wellbeing + high performance leaders, sport scientists and educators. Explore the latest science, innovation, education, and leadership shaping the future of performance, wellbeing, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Discover practical insights, evidence-based strategies, and real-world solutions. New Pathways stream for community participation through to elite pathway.   (earn ESSA cpd points)

Day 3 WISS Leadership SummitConnect. Influence. Advance.  For executives, marketers, commercial teams, governing bodies, brands, investors and administrators. Examining the commercial growth, leadership and investment opportunities shaping the future of sport.

Day 4WISS Barossa Leadership Experience:   A curated executive networking and relationship-building experience designed to facilitate deeper collaboration between delegates, speakers, partners and industry leaders.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:  WISS is an inclusive forum for those building and shaping the future of sport:

  • Sports executives & governing bodies
  • Brands, sponsors & agencies
  • Athletes & player representatives
  • Investors & commercial leaders
  • Coaches & high-performance professionals
  • Grassroots leaders + trainers & club administrators
  • Media, marketing & fan engagement specialists
  • Lawyers, Solicitors & legal administrators

Event highlights
Watch Event Highlights See what makes this event unmissable



WHY ATTEND

Exercise & Sports Science Australia (earn ESSA cpd points)

Unrivalled Networking Access: Connect with brands, athletes, executives, investors and decision-makers in one environment, designed to facilitate real conversations, not just introductions.

Build Strategic Relationships:  Move beyond surface-level networking and develop partnerships that drive careers, organisations, and commercial outcomes.

Access the Right Rooms:  Be part of curated discussions, forums and networking environments where deals, ideas and collaborations are formed.

Shape the Future:  Be part of the pathway conversations and education defining the next decade of sport.

Join the leaders driving the next era of women’s sport.

Secure Your seat at the table Now!

Explore Partnerships: For any queries or questions please do not hesitate to contact the team at Ministry of Sport:   [email protected]

 

Four Signature Events. One Powerful Experience.

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20 October 2026

Women in Sport Performance Forum

For Athletes, Coaches, High Performance Professionals & Leaders, Sports Science Practitioners, Industry Educators.
A stand-alone inclusive event designed to equip delegates with world-class insights into sports science, performance, and leadership. From grassroot pathways to mentor sessions, this event will provide cutting-edge knowledge to elevate performance and longevity in sport.

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21 October 2026

Women in Sport Leadership Summit

For Executives, Investors, Decision-makers, Governing Bodies, Marketing Leaders, Commercial Teams, Brands, Coaches, Athletes, Sports Administrators, Professionals, Brands, and Organisations.
The flagship Women in Sport Summit is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about shaping the future of sport. Bringing together industry leaders, change-makers, and visionaries, the Summit features keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive sessions designed to drive real impact.

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22 October 2026

Women in Sport Leadership & Connection Experience | Barossa Valley

Designed for WISS delegates, speakers and partners, this curated half-day experience provides the opportunity to continue the conversations, connections and relationships developed throughout the Summit in a more intimate environment.
Hosted at the iconic Seppeltsfield Estate, guests will come together for a special leadership conversation, curated industry networking, a shared lunch at FINO Restaurant and a private exploration of one of South Australia’s most celebrated wine destinations.

Secure Your Ticket Now!

Tickets and tables are selling fast. Join the leaders driving the next era of women’s sport. Secure Your Seat. Event will sell out.

WISS Performance Forum Day
$595 inc
What to Expect
  • Sessions led by leading high-performance + wellbeing experts
  • Sports science & technology discussions
  • High performance systems & leadership
  • Insights from elite athletes, coaches, and sports professionals
  • Grassroots pathways + longevity sessions
  • Networking with Australia’s top performance minds
WISS Leadership Forum Summit
$795 inc
What to Expect
  • Inspiring keynotes from sports executives & governing bodies
  • Sessions Investment & capital allocation
  • Commercial growth models
  • Governance & policy
  • Insights into sponsorship & revenue strategy
  • Panel discussions: marketing, media & fan engagement
  • Networking opportunities with key decision-makers in sport
WISS Leadership & Connection Experience | Barossa Valley
$295
What to Expect
  • intimate conversation with a special guest speaker & delegates
  • exclusive guided Grand Tour of the historic Seppeltsfield Estate
  • including access to the Centennial Cellar
  • welcome glass of sparkling wine, Great Terraced Vineyard Grenache
  • Iasting of Para Grand 10-Year-Old Tawny + three Seppeltsfield wines
  • shared two-course lunch at FINO Restaurant with artisan bread
  • return transport

Women in sport summit speakers

Andrew N. Liveris AO
President Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee

Andrew N. Liveris AO is a distinguished business leader with an extensive career in the chemical industry. He served as Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company and Executive Chairman of DowDuPont, accumulating 42 years of experience at Dow. His tenure as CEO was the longest for a non-family member, during which he held various roles across manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing, and management.

Currently, Andrew holds several prominent positions:

  • President of the Board for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee
  • Chairman of the American Australian Association
  • Chairman of The Hellenic Initiative
  • Director of Lucid Motors, IBM, Saudi Aramco and Worley (Deputy Chairman)

He also serves on the Advisory Boards of Salesforce, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Teneo and NEOM. He is also a Special Advisor to the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.

Andrew’s influence extends to academia, international relations and global leadership:

  • Trustee of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
  • Trustee of the United States Council for International Business
  • Member of the B-Team Leaders Group
  • Member of the Concordia Leadership Council

His advisory roles have spanned three U.S. presidencies:

  • Co-Chair of President Barack Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee
  • Advisor to President Trump
  • Co-Chair of the Build Together Coalition under President Biden, which successfully advocated for the USD 1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

He served as a Special Advisor to the Australian Government’s National COVID-19 Coordination Commission.

Andrew is also an author and philanthropist:

  • Author of Make It in America (2011), advocating for the importance of manufacturing in the 21st century
  • Established the Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership at the University of Queensland with his wife, Paula, in 2018
  • Author of Leading Through Disruption (2023), presenting a new leadership paradigm for resilience and agility

Andrew was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2014 for his services to international business.

Honourable Rhiannon Pearce MP
Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Local Government & Emergency Services

Rhiannon Pearce is South Australia’s Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

 Previously, Rhiannon served as Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services and Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

 Rhiannon also previously served as Assistant Minister and Parliamentary Secretary to the former Deputy Premier, the Hon Susan Close, and Assistant Minister for Junior Sport Participation.

 Rhiannon grew up in Telowie in South Australia’s magnificent southern Flinders Ranges, completing high school in Port Pirie.

 Upon moving to Adelaide, she completed a Bachelor of Economics at the University of Adelaide.

 Rhiannon entered the South Australian Parliament at the 2022 state election after being elected as the Member for King in Adelaide’s north and north eastern suburbs.

 

Mark Falvo
Interim CEO, Netball Australia & CEO, Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 LOC

Mark Falvo is Chief Executive Officer of the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 Local Organising Committee and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Netball Australia.

A highly respected sports executive, Mark brings more than 15 years of experience leading strategic, commercial and operational outcomes across Australian and international sport.

Mark began his career with PwC in 2007 before joining Football Federation Australia, where he progressed to Executive Manager and played a key role in the establishment of the FFA Cup, National Premier Leagues and Western Sydney Wanderers. He later served as Chief Operating Officer of the AFC Asian Cup 2015, delivering what was widely regarded as the tournament’s most successful edition.

 Following the tournament, Mark returned to Football Australia in senior executive roles, including Chief Operating Officer and Deputy General Secretary. During this period, he led major strategic initiatives including A-League expansion, significant broadcast agreements and landmark collective bargaining negotiations that secured pay equity for the Socceroos and Matildas.

 Mark was also a key architect of Australia’s successful bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, leading government engagement and the development of the Legacy ’23 strategy. He subsequently played a pivotal role in securing hosting rights for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. After concluding his tenure with Football Australia in 2024, Mark returned to consulting, including leading a high-profile submission to the Queensland Government’s 100 Day Review of Olympic infrastructure.

 In his current roles, Mark is overseeing the planning and delivery of the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 while guiding Netball Australia through a period of transformation and growth. He is recognised for his expertise in strategy, governance, stakeholder engagement, international relations and the creation of lasting sporting legacies.

Dr. Sasha Fulton
Athlete Preparation and Wellbeing Specialist

Owner of Peak Preparation and an Australian leader in Sports Science, Sasha has over 15 years’ experience in the field of scientific training and preparation techniques for individuals, organisations and schools.

Sasha’s purpose is to unlock possibility and cultivate greatness to achieve full potential and bring an elite mindset to enable high performance.

Her powerful and exciting strategies will improve performance and achieve goals.

Leanne McClurg
Director, SACA + Commercial Director, Clarke Energy (Australia) Pty Ltd

Leanne McClurg is a senior executive and governance leader with extensive experience across energy, infrastructure, strategy, and business transformation. Recognised for her trusted leadership in complex and high-stakes environments, she has built a reputation for delivering sustainable commercial outcomes while developing high-performing teams and future leaders.

Leanne is known for her outcomes-focused approach, commercial acumen and ability to build strong, long-term relationships with customers, partners, and stakeholders. She also serves on the Board of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA), contributing to the governance and strategic direction of one of Australia’s leading sporting organisations. Passionate about the role sport plays in strengthening communities, she is a strong advocate for effective governance, women in leadership and creating pathways for the next generation of talent.

Jess Stoll
Women’s Health Physiotherapist and Director of The Female Collective, NRLW Head Physiotherapist - St George Illawarra Dragons

Jess Stoll is a women’s health and musculoskeletal physiotherapist based in the Illawarra. She is the founding director of The Female Collective, a dedicated women’s only physiotherapy practice with clinics in Wollongong and Nowra, as well as a rural outreach program that improves access to care for women in southwest NSW

With a strong passion for female athlete health and performance, Jess works with women across all levels of sport, supporting them to optimise performance, recover from injury, and navigate the unique health challenges faced by female athletes.

Jess has extensive experience in elite women’s sport and currently serves as Head Physiotherapist for the St George Illawarra Dragons NRLW (2023 to present) and Physiotherapist for the Samoa Women’s National Rugby League Team, Fetu Samoa (2023 to present).

She has also played a leading role with the NRL and League Ahead, delivering education programs on female athlete health and performance to players and staff.

 

Kelly Penfold
Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach & Pathways Performance Lead - St George Illawarra Dragons

Kelly is a Master L3 ASCA coach and is currently a Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach for the St George Illawarra Dragons NRL team and also serves as Pathways Performance Lead in the Dragons pathways delivery.

In 2023, she was awarded ASCA Coach of the Year in recognition of excellence in elite strength and conditioning coaching and contribution to the profession. Awarded for impact across high-performance sport and leadership within the S&C community.

She is passionate about the development of coaches in the industry and knowledge sharing across different sporting contexts and environments.

She currently leads the speed and reconditioning for the NRL program, the strength power diagnostics and pathways s&c systems for the St George and Illawarra Steelers s&c coaches. Prior to her role at St George, she was Head of Strength and Conditioning at the QLD Firebirds and spent an extensive time at the QLD Academy of Sport prior to that, working with Olympic and Paralympic programs.

Emma Nedov
Olympian. Speaker. Founder

Emma Nedov is an Olympic gymnast, speaker and founder whose years in elite sport shape how she leads, speaks and builds today. After three and a half years away from competition and two Olympic campaigns that fell short, she returned to gymnastics at 28 and, just nine months later, earned her place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. That comeback became a powerful demonstration of the self trust, intentional action and high performance principles that now underpin her work.

Her talks translate lessons from elite sport into practical ideas for leading with greater clarity, confidence and purpose. Beyond speaking, Emma is building the infrastructure she believes should exist around high performance athletes. She founded ND Network, an athlete first ecosystem supporting performance, partnerships and progression, and NYRA, a performance products brand built from lived experience in elite sport.

Across each of these ventures is the same philosophy: high performance is not just about what you achieve in the arena, but who you become in the pursuit of something extraordinary, and what you choose to build with that experience afterwards.

Lauren Stribley
Advanced Sports Dietitian > Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA)

Lauren Stribley is an Advanced Sports Dietitian and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician, passionate about working with female athletes to help them achieve their wellbeing and performance goals.   

Lauren currently works for SDA, providing education and advocacy for SDA members, to provide performance nutrition, combined with world-class clinical expertise with practice, real-world strategies that fuel success.  

For the past 12 years, Lauren has fuelled elite female athletes, including the Australian Women’s Cricket team and Adelaide Thunderbirds. Lauren currently consults to SA Women’s Cricket team, WBBL Strikers, and Port Adelaide AFLW team. 

Lauren is an advocate for female leaders and athletes. 

Nikki Ayers OAM PLY
Athlete/Registered Nurse & Midwife + Clayton Church Homes Board Member/Governance Committee

Nikki Ayers OAM PLY is a Paralympic gold medallist, ICU nurse, midwife, public speaker and advocate whose story is one of resilience in the face of adversity. A traumatic knee injury in 2016 ended her Wallaroos dream, leading to sixteen surgeries and thirteen months of rehabilitation before she discovered para rowing. In 2024, she and doubles partner Jed Altschwager won Australia’s first-ever Paralympic rowing gold medal at the Paris Games.

Away from sport, Nikki is a passionate advocate for inclusion, LGBTQIA+ rights and serves as Co-Chair of the Tennis Australia LGBTQIA+ Advisory Group. She is also an advisor to the Clayton Church Homes governance committee and a recently appointed Board Director of the same not-for-profit organisation.

Dr Ella Smith PhD, ASpS1
Sports Physiologist

Dr Ella Smith is a sports physiologist at the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI), where she works within high-performance sport to optimise athlete preparation, performance, and recovery. She completed her PhD in female athlete physiology, examining the relationship between female hormones and performance, with a focus on how hormonal fluctuations and associated symptoms influence physical performance.

Dr Smith has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications. Her research has contributed to a stronger evidence base in female-specific physiology, including responses to energy availability and competition performance, helping address longstanding gaps in female representation in sport science research.

In her applied role at SASI, Dr Smith delivers physiological testing and monitoring, using data-informed approaches to guide training and performance decisions in conjunction with the wider interdisciplinary team. She also continues her work in the female athlete space, most recently by developing practical guidelines to better support athlete mothers. Her broader aim is to continue striving to reduce the sex gap in sport through both research and applied practice.

 

Charlotte Mathews
Senior Athletic Development and Rehabilitation Coordinator

Charlotte worked with the Port Adelaide Football Club, assisting the AFL program while serving as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the SANFL team and working closely with the club’s development squads.

With over 12 years of experience in sport, Charlotte has coached athletes across all levels of Australian Rules Football, from junior pathways through to elite competition. She holds a Master of Strength & Conditioning and is an ASCA Level 2 Professional Coach. Outside of her professional role, Charlotte is a passionate CrossFitter and is particularly interested in integrating gymnastics principles into athletic development to enhance movement quality, strength, coordination, and long-term athletic performance.

Charlotte is the Senior Athletic Development and Rehabilitation Coordinator at St Peter’s College, where she has worked for the past seven years, leading the development of athletic performance, rehabilitation, and long-term athlete development programs across the school. Before joining St Peter’s College.

 

Danielle Grant-Cross
South Australian Sports Medical Association

Danielle Grant-Cross is a respected leader with more than 30 years of experience in people and change management, specialising in communications, stakeholder engagement, organisational transformation and operational leadership. She has successfully initiated, designed, delivered and evaluated organisations, services, programs and projects across primary health, aged care, hospital and health services, sport, and health promotion sectors.

Currently CEO of the SA Sports Medicine Association, Danielle is recognised for her ability to build strong relationships, unite diverse stakeholders and lead high-performing teams to achieve meaningful outcomes. Her experience spans the Royal Commission, federal, state and local government, the not-for-profit sector, and business ownership.

With extensive board and committee experience, Danielle brings strategic insight, practical leadership and a collaborative approach to complex challenges. A former Australian Squad and National League netball player, Adelaide Ravens and State Captain, she combines high-performance leadership with a passion for empowering people, strengthening communities and driving positive change.

 

Millie Bishop
Physiotherapist | Clinical Engagement & Implementation
B. (Exercise & Sport Science) , M. (Masters of Physiotherapy)

Millie is an Adelaide-based physiotherapist with extensive experience in neurological rehabilitation and concussion management. As the Clinical Lead Physiotherapist at Unley Concussion Clinic and Clinical Engagement & Implementation Lead at Your Brain Health, she combines clinical practice, education, and community engagement to improve concussion care across Australia. 

With a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science and a Master of Physiotherapy, Millie has a particular interest in evidence-based concussion assessment and management. Alongside her clinical roles, she is an experienced educator in neurological rehabilitation. Millie is enthusiastic about improving concussion awareness and brain health literacy, often delivering engaging education to healthcare professionals and the broader community. By translating the latest evidence into practical, accessible learning, she empowers clinicians, athletes, parents, teachers, and families to confidently recognise, assess, and manage concussions. 

Bec Haagsma
Executive General Manager Customer, Commercial & Technology AFL

Bec Haagsma was appointed as AFL Executive General Manager Customer, Commercial and Technology in February 2025. As a member of the AFL Executive, Bec’s remit includes the AFL’s commercial portfolio, fan engagement and growth, marketing, brand, the AFL digital product and content functions, and the technology, AI and IT transformation of the league.

 

Prior to joining the AFL, Bec held the role of Chief Product and Technology Officer at Nine Entertainment Co. Alongside her executive role she also held NED positions at Domain Group (ASX DHG) and Future Women. This included running the streaming operations for the Paris Olympics.

 

Before Nine, Bec spent seven years at Telstra in senior executive roles, and she has also held executive roles at ACP Magazines (now Are Media), and the global B2B publisher, Reed Elsevier. Her career started in the Museum and Heritage sector.

She holds a Master of Arts degree (Political Science) from the University of New South Wales, and is a graduate from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Bec is a also a very proud mother, grandmother and recently converted golf tragic.

Abby Ryan
NRL Sports Scientist

Abbey is currently in her third season as an NRL Sports Scientist with the Dolphins, working across athlete monitoring, performance testing, data analysis and performance reporting for both the NRL and development squads.

Her role focuses on using data and technology to inform performance decisions, developing streamlined reporting systems and maintaining athlete databases to monitor performance, rehabilitation and return-to-play progression, as well as long-term athletic development.

Abbey began her career with the AFL Lions,  as a Game Analyst gaining valuable experience across both performance and analysis environments.

 

Ben Haines
ASCA Level 3 Master Coach + Head of Athletic Development
Ben has over 25 years experience across elite sport having been involved in the physical preparation of athletes since 1999. 
 
His coaching experience extends across a wide range of sports both professional AFL, Cricket and Olympic sports including leading the physical preparation for the Australian Beach Volleyball program for the 2013/15/19/21 World Championships and the Rio Olympics and Tokyo Olympics. 
 
He has also had extensive experience in coaching developing athletes having worked at ASPIRE Academy and in his current role as Head of Athletic Development at St Peter’s College in Adelaide, Australia.
 
He has completed a PhD examining the neuromuscular effects and adaptations to maximal strength and power training and is an ASCA Level 3 and Master Coach and in 2023 was awarded Life Membership to ASCA.
Liz Jemson-Ledger
Neurological Physiotherapist/ Clinical Lead Concussion Educator B.App.Sc, M.Clin.Rehab
B.App. Sc (Bachelor of Physiotherapy), M.Clin.Rehab (Masters of Neurological Physiotherapy)
 
Liz is an APA Titled Neurological Physiotherapist with over a decade of experience in neurological rehabilitation and is recognised for her expertise in concussion assessment and management. She is the Clinical Lead Physiotherapist at Advanced Neuro Rehab and Lead Concussion Clinical Educator at Your Brain Health, where she combines clinical practice, research, and education to improve concussion care.
 
Liz holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and a Masters of Neurological Physiotherapy and has contributed to research exploring cervical function and fatigue following concussion. She has co-developed more than 20 hours of online education courses for healthcare professionals and regularly delivers workshops and conference presentations across Australia. Passionate about translating evidence into practice, Liz is known for delivering engaging, practical education that equips clinicians with the confidence and skills to improve patient outcomes.
Elaine Burridge
Senior Manager Economic Activation and Strategy

An accomplished Senior Manager with over 25 years of experience spanning the private and public sectors, specialising in human resources, tourism development, and economic growth. Over a 15-year career in local government, Elaine has a proven track record of revitalising regional economies by leveraging tourism and major event delivery.

During her tenure as Manager of Economic and Community Development at Northeast Victoria’s Alpine Shire Council, she successfully spearheaded the expansion of the regional tourism cycling economy and oversaw major community events. Additionally, as Chair of the Board for Alpine Community Plantations, she played a pivotal role in the transformation and evolution of Mystic Park Mountain Bike Park.

Now returned home to South Australia, Elaine leads economic activation, strategy, and community growth for the iconic The Barossa Council. In her current capacity, she serves as the primary liaison between state government, the AFL, and local communities to spearhead major regional initiatives, including the high-profile Gather Round at Barossa Park

 

Jeremy Wilshire
General Manager, Destination Wollongong

Jeremy started out as a journalist with News Limited and Australian Associated Press, covering everything from police rounds to Test cricket, royal commissions and feature writing (Clive James was funny and Magic Johnson was tall . . . probably still is). He moved to the dark side of media and PR management with the Western Reds during the tumultuous Super League war, before taking on executive media and marketing gigs with the Australian Jockey Club (the infamous Royal Randwick lawn parties were a glorious shambles), and Triathlon Australia. In establishing his own consultancy, Barking Dog Communications. 

Jeremy has worked for not-for-profits, niche businesses, government behemoths, and billionaires – being often inspired and sometimes bemused. He held a long-standing contract managing Destination Wollongong’s major events portfolio, crowned by securing the 2022 UCI Road Cycling World Championships and 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals. He is now the general manager of Destination Wollongong, which delivers cheeky destination marketing campaigns, champions key tourism infrastructure projects and is aiming to land its next global event, which is akin to catching a marlin with a hand reel. He has written two sporting books,One of Those DaysandTest of Character, and is a director of The Man Walk.    

Carly Goodrich ​​​​​
Head of Government Relations & Corporate Affairs PGA of Australia & Golf Australia

Carly Goodrich is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in government and the sport, active recreation, and health sectors. Carly led the planning and development of open space, sport, recreation, play, and leisure infrastructure in the local government areas of Monash and Casey, working closely with Sport & Recreation Victoria to unlock investment into rapidly growing communities.

Since joining Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia in 2022, Carly has built the golf sector’s capability in government engagement, leading advocacy to reshape perceptions of golf and forge strategic partnerships with government, grounded in research and insight. She is passionate about demonstrating golf’s economic, social, and environmental value to Australian communities, and led the Community Benefits of Golf in Australia Report for the Australian Golf Industry Council — a landmark project highlighting golf’s role as a community asset and equipping decision-makers with a powerful evidence base. Carly continues to drive initiatives and policy that raise the profile of golf as a vital contributor to Australia’s sporting landscape.

Leah Cassidy GAICD
Chief Executive Officer

As CEO of Sport SA, the peak body for sport in South Australia, Leah has championed women’s sport from vision through to reality, establishing the Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Centre for Women’s Sport, a program that empowers and connects all women in sport. Leah has over 30 years of experience in Executive roles in Sport, Education and Human Services, with roles in Government and Non-Government in Australia, Turkey and Hong Kong. She holds a Master of Sociology from the University of Leicester (UK), a Bachelor of Education in Health and Physical Education from the University of Tasmania, a Diploma of Government in Project Management and is a recent graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Tom Reddin
Strength & Conditioning Coach + Accredited High Performance Manager & Sport Scientist

Tom Reddin is a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Accredited High Performance Manager & Sport Scientist with more than 20 years’ experience across elite sport, including AFL, AFLW, cricket, football (soccer), and netball.  He has held senior high-performance roles with the NSW Institute of Sport, Cricket NSW, Melbourne City FC, GWS Giants AFLW, and Netball NSW, spending much of his career working in women’s high-performance sport.  His experience spans athlete physical development, performance optimisation, ACL rehabilitation, and return-to-performance, with a particular interest in preparing female athletes for the physical demands of elite competition.

Liza Shaw
Sponsorship Manager

Liza manages a diverse portfolio of sports partnerships, with primary responsibility for the Shell V-Power Racing Team.

She also oversees key relationships across the AFL, QRL and Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, working closely with rights holders and stakeholders to deliver commercially focused outcomes.

With more than two decades of experience with the Shell brand, Liza combines her passion for sport with deep sponsorship expertise to create meaningful connections between brands and fans that strengthen brand equity and deliver measurable results.

 

Ali Clarke
Media Manager Story Teller Media Manager and WISS Emcee

Ali Clarke is a respected communicator and strategist who has spent decades working at the intersection of sport, media and community. With an academic background and Honors degree in Human Movement,  and as a broadcaster trusted for her insight and authenticity, she brings a sharp, peoplecentred lens to every conversation. She will guide the conference with her trademark mix of warmth, wit and purpose. 

Alex Hendrick
Education Manager Sport & Community
Alex Hendrick is the Education Manager at the South Australian Sports Medicine Association (SASMA) and has spent more than 13 years helping build safer, stronger sporting communities through education and leadership.
Alex is passionate about translating evidence-based sports medicine into practical skills that coaches, volunteers and sports trainers can confidently apply on the sidelines. He has led the delivery of sports safety and concussion education to more than 4,000 South Australians and has developed education programs that continue to strengthen community sport across the state.
Drawing on extensive experience working with sporting organisations, schools and government, Alex’s sessions will explore practical sports taping techniques alongside the medical safety and governance principles that underpin safe participation in sport. Attendees can expect practical insights they can immediately take back to their clubs, teams and communities.
Kathryn Deiulio
Business Owner & Accredited Netball Agent

Having worked and studied in the sport & leisure industry for over 20 years, Kathryn has played a pivotal role in elevating professionalism, performance & standards within the industry. She has represented and guided many of Australia’s leading athletes and stands among a select group of women accredited as a Professional Sports Agent in the AFL, AFLW and Netball. From grassroots through to the elite level, Kathryn has built and managed brands across sport, entertainment, wellness and lifestyle, helping clients develop high-performing, professional and credible identities.

In 2024, Kathryn founded Behind Your Brand, leveraging more than two decades of experience in athlete management, brand strategy and sports marketing. She launched the agency with a clear purpose: to partner with athletes and sporting organisations to build brands and careers with purpose.

Currently, Kathryn represents 7 Australian professional netballers and works with a range of organisations across the sports industry. She is also an Athlete Brand Coach with Playa Power, where she mentors Australian athletes in developing their own personal brand.

Shaun Moody
Head of Partnerships

Shaun Moody is a senior sports and entertainment executive with more than 17 years of experience driving commercial growth, strategic partnerships, and major event delivery across Australia’s leading sporting organisations.

Currently serving as Head of Partnerships at Tennis Australia and following 11 years in the business, he leads a team of 20+ professionals managing a portfolio of more than 65 global partners impacting the sport and major Events eco-system of Tennis Australia year-round.  

Throughout his career, Shaun has built a strong reputation for delivering high-value and impactful partnerships, enhancing fan engagement through the commercialisation of premium sports properties, and leading high-performing teams.  

Combining connected, strategic relationships across brands, media, venues, rights holders, and government with a strong understanding of the Australian sports landscape, Shaun is recognised as a collaborative leader who delivers sustainable growth and impactful commercial outcomes for brands and organisations globally. 

 

Janelle Cuthbertson
Program Manager - Minerva Network & Head of Girls Football Scotch College 

Janelle Cuthbertson is a former AFLW player, leader, and speaker who brings a refreshingly honest perspective on high performance,
pressure, resilience, and identity. 

After competing at the elite level with Fremantle and Port Adelaide, named AFLW All-Australian in 2021 and later captaining Port Adelaide. Janelle understands what it takes to perform under pressure but she’s equally passionate about the conversations that happen away from the spotlight.

What makes Janelle’s speaking so impactful is her ability to connect with people in a genuine and relatable way. Whether she’s speaking to corporate teams, schools, sporting organisations, or
emerging leaders, she shares lessons on resilience, leadership, pressure, confidence, and mental wellbeing in a way that feels real, practical, and human. Janelle is passionate about creating meaningful conversations that leave people feeling more  connected, self-aware, and empowered

Belinda Marsh
Head of Infrastructure, Government Relations & Community Engagement

Belinda Marsh is SANFL’s Head of Infrastructure, Government Relations & Community Engagement.

With extensive experience in placemaking and stakeholder partnerships, she leads football facility development across South Australia and now oversees broader community football planning, supporting the growth of the game in emerging development areas.

She works closely with government and industry partners to deliver infrastructure and community outcomes that help football thrive.

Dr. Melanie Hayman
Associate Professor Health Sciences School of Health, Medical + Applied Sciences BHMSc, MEd.Practice, PhD

Dr Melanie Hayman is an Associate Professor at CQUniversity and an internationally recognised researcher in women’s health and female athlete performance. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, with 30% ranking among the world’s top 10% most-cited publications and 40% appearing in top 10% journals. Her research has informed national guidelines and resources, including the AIS Best Practice Recommendations to Support Elite Athletes from Preconception to Parenthood. Dr Hayman currently serves on the four-person IOC Steering Committee leading the global update of the IOC Consensus Statement on Exercise and Pregnancy. She also chairs Sports Medicine Australia Queensland and collaborates with organisations including the WTA, AIS, ESSA and NRLW.

Sheridan Hawkins
NRLW Wellbeing and Education Manager

Sheridan Hawkins is the NRLW Wellbeing and Education Manager at League Ahead, where she leads the design and delivery of wellbeing and education programs that support female rugby league players across the NRLW. With more than five years’ experience in athlete wellbeing, Sheridan has worked both within a professional sporting club environment at the Sydney Roosters and now at a system-wide level through League Ahead, helping shape best practice across the game. Passionate about empowering athletes beyond performance, she is committed to developing evidence-informed, player-centred initiatives that enhance life readiness, mental fitness, career development, and the unique health and wellbeing needs of women in elite sport.

Megan Foster
Chief Executive Officer Dick Johnson Racing (DJR). Shell V-Power Racing Team
 
 
Verity Edgell
Director Consumer Marketing & Sponsorships

Verity Edgell is a commercially minded senior marketing and partnerships leader with more than 15 years’ experience building brands and partnerships that connect with consumers and deliver tangible value. Currently the Director of Consumer Marketing & Sponsorship for Australasia at Mastercard, she leads a team who are responsible for integrated marketing and partnership strategy across some of the region’s most high‑profile platforms, including the Australian Open and the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team.

With a career spanning agency, rights holder, and brand side roles, Verity brings a rare, end to end understanding of how partnerships work from all sides of the fence — from how they are sold and governed to how they are activated and measured. Known for her collaborative style, she focuses on building strong relationships and partnerships that balance brand integrity, commercial outcomes, and long term impact beyond a single campaign. 

Karren Rogers
Sports Media Partnerships Lead (Australia, New Zealand & Korea)

Karren Rogers is a Global Media Partnerships Manager at Meta, working with partners in the Sports, Entertainment and Media industries across Australia and New Zealand. 

With 17 years experience in the media industry, Karren has worked with businesses, rights holders, federations, teams, public figures and athletes to help them achieve business objectives, involving negotiating Meta’s first sports deals in Asia, securing Meta’s first Olympics sponsorship where Meta sponsored the Australian Olympic Team, plus partnership deals, including partnering with the Commonwealth Games Committee for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. 

 

Clare Vigers
Client Services Director

Client Services Director and women’s sport expert at Two Circles, a data-driven sports agency. I help teams and clients turn data into strategy, marketing plans into measurable ROI, and customer touch-points into relationships that bring commercial and not-for-profit benefit. I love bringing the stories of sport to life and thinking about where we might go next.

Nathan Reeves
Director - BSc., MExRehab., AES, AEP, ESSAM, GAICD

Senior lecturer at the School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work, Griffith University and adjunct professor at Umanand Prasad School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Fiji.  Chair of the Exercise & Sports Science Australia Standards Council, and Director and Company Secretary of the International Confederation of Sport and Exercise Science Practice. Chair of the European College of Sport Science Clinical Exercise Physiology Practice Special Interest Group and co-chair of the Fiji Physical Activity Promotion Symposium.

 

Nat Cook OAM OLY
Executive Director

Natalie Cook OAM OLY is a five-time Olympian and founder of the Aussie Athlete Fund, which helps remove financial barriers for Australian athletes. Drawing on her own sporting journey, she mentors and empowers athletes to secure funding, build financial independence and pursue excellence. Through fundraising initiatives, education programs and strategic partnerships, Nat is creating a more sustainable future for Australia’s sporting talent.

Ben Parsons
Founder & CEO

Ben Parsons is a sports industry expert with over 20 years of experience in media, entertainment, and sports business. He is the founder of Ministry of Sport, a leading platform providing news, insights, and connections for professionals in the business of sport, and Playa Power, an innovative athlete marketing coaching community launched in January 2024. Playa Power empowers athletes with masterclasses and ongoing support to build personal brands and maximise commercial opportunities. Ben has a background in content creation, talent management, event production, and branding, which underpins his mission to create positive, mutually beneficial outcomes across the sports industry. He is recognised for his ability to connect people, develop new opportunities, and lead strategic initiatives that enhance engagement and revenue in sport.

Bron Parry
Executive Leader > Relationship + Project Management
Michelle Cooling
Senior Manager: Creator Partnerships

A media, social media, PR and brand specialist, Michelle has over 16 years experience in the sports media industry.

Originally from Tasmania, Michelle worked in public affairs, media and social media roles in cricket for eight years across Cricket Australia, Cricket Tasmania, Hobart Hurricanes and Durham County Cricket Club in the UK. 

She joined the Sydney Swans in 2017 and over that time has built the club’s social media presence and also worked across media management, PR, marketing and brand partnerships.

Her current role is focussed on creator and content brand partnerships and developing athletes’ brands and working on the important role sport, culture and athletes play in the current media landscape.

Agenda

Event Sponsors and Partners

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Presenting Partner

Premier Partners

Major Partners

Foundation Partners

Travel Partner

The Venue

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Adelaide Oval – The heart of South Australia

The Women in Sport Summit 2026 will be hosted at the world-renowned Adelaide Oval, one of Australia’s most iconic and picturesque venues. Located in the heart of Adelaide, the stadium is a premier destination for AFL, cricket, concerts, and major events, attracting visitors from across the globe.

Blending rich heritage with world-class, modern facilities, Adelaide Oval offers a unique experience for delegates. From guided tours and the thrilling rooftop climb to its integrated hotel and diverse dining options, the venue showcases the best of South Australia’s hospitality and innovation.

As one of the country’s leading destinations for sport and major events, Adelaide Oval provides the perfect setting to bring together athletes, leaders, and industry professionals—creating an inspiring environment to celebrate, connect, and shape the future of Women in Sport.

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FAQ's

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Who should attend?
Sporting Organisations, Commercial Managers, Sponsorship Managers, Brand & Marketing Leaders, Sports Service Providers, Sports Agencies & Consultants, Athletes, Coaches & Trainers, Player Agents & Managers, Local, State & Federal Government Departments, Media & Journalists, Schools & Universities, HR Departments, Recruitment Agencies, Policy Makers & Regulators, Event Coordinators, Social Media Managers & Coordinators.
Is it tax deductible?
Yes. Simply request an invoice at checkout when purchasing your tickets.
Can you buy tickets at the door?
No, this event will sell out, and all tickets must be pre-purchased.
Is there parking?
Yes, parking options are available at the venue.
What is the dress code?
For the High Performance Day and Women in Sport Summit - Smart Casual
For the Women in Sport Awards - Cocktail
Who can I speak to to find out more information?
Need more information or have a special request? Please don’t hesitate to contact our team on [email protected]