Victorian Institute of Sport Adds Sarah Styles and Andrea Pearman to its Board

The Victorian Institute of Sport has appointed Sarah Styles and Andrea Pearman to its Board, adding significant weight to the organisation’s governance as it focuses toward a new long-term strategic direction.

The appointments come at an important moment for the Institute, which is currently managing Victorian athlete representation at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games while building the high-performance runway for Brisbane 2032.

Victorian Institute of Sport chair, Dr Lauren Burns OAM, said: “These appointments mark an exciting new chapter for the Victorian Institute of Sport,”

“Both Sarah and Andrea bring exceptional experience, deep expertise, and a genuine connection to sport in Victoria… guiding the VIS into a bold new era,” Burns said.

Commenting on her appointment, Styles, noted: “I feel privileged to support Nicole and Lauren at such a critical time.”

“Focusing on the “runway” required for Victorian athletes to excel ahead of the home Games in 2032,” Styles said.

Pearman echoed this, highlighting the need to strengthen the talent pipeline while ensuring the high-performance ecosystem delivers tangible value to every Victorian.

Sarah Styles joins the Board following a tenure as director of the office for women in sport and recreation, where she led the influential “Change Our Game ” initiative until September 2025. Her background includes a pivotal role at Cricket Australia, where she was instrumental in the commercial and engagement success of the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup. Styles’ expertise in gender equity and sports administration is expected to strengthen the Victorian Institute of Sport’s commitment to inclusive high-performance systems.

Andrea Pearman, the current CEO of Netball Victoria, brings a formidable corporate pedigree to the Board. With a career spanning leadership roles at Telstra, NAB, and Australia Post, Pearman is a specialist in brand, stakeholder engagement, and CSR. Her data-driven approach to inclusion (honed through her co-founding of Inclusive Australia) will be vital as the Victorian Institute of Sport seeks to deepen its community connection and “sustainable excellence” model.

Working alongside CEO Nicole Livingstone AO, the new directors will oversee a pipeline that recently produced 23 medals at the Paris 2024 Games.

Currently, the Institute is supporting seven athletes in Milan, including flagbearer Scotty James and aerial skiing veterans Laura Peel and Danielle Scott.

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