Canberra United Westfield W-League coach Heather Garriock has been chosen as one of 33 women embarking on ground-breaking leadership programs to use the experience to help drive greater diversity in Australian sport.
Sport Australia CEO Kate Palmer and AIS CEO Peter Conde named Garriock alongside prominent females for two new Talent Programs.
They are aimed at addressing the under-representation of female sports executives and high-performance coaches in Australian sport.
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Garriock was one of 17 coaches and 16 executives have been selected from more than 250 applicants to participate in the intensive leadership development programs that will run concurrently in 2019.
“Despite the recent appointment of female CEOs in sports such as basketball, equestrian and water polo, of the 63 sports we fund, only 15 – less than a quarter – have female CEOs,” Palmer said.
“Sport Australia will continue to advocate for progress. We will not turn a blind eye to what is an unacceptable and systemic imbalance.
“These new Talent Programs have been designed to shift mindsets and behaviours in Australian sport. We want participants in these programs to be part of that transformation.
“These programs will focus on building the personal skills of participants so they can maximise their professional development and drive change as influential leaders in sport.”
The announcement of the programs coincides with the third annual Women’s High-Performance Coaching Forum being held at the AIS and being attended by more than 30 coaches.
The programs will begin with their first workshops at the end of March, covering areas such as leadership presence, professional networking and understanding barriers to organisational diversity.
High-Performance Coaching Program
- Heather Garriock (Head Coach of Canberra United, W-League, Football)
- Vyninka Arlow (High-Performance Coach, two-time Olympian, Diving Australia)
- Kristen Beams (High-Performance Scholarship Coach, Cricket Victoria, former Australian player)
- Emma Carney (High-Performance Coach, Triathlon)
- Michelle Cowan (High-Performance Coach, West Coast Eagles, Australian Rules)
- Rebecca Goddard (Australian Rules Coach & Australian Federal Police,)
- Amanda Isaac (Head Swim Coach, Abbotsleigh School)
- Shannon McFerran (Assistant Coach Carlton in AFLW)
- Regan Molyneaux (National Talent Development Coach, Gymnastics Australia)
- Tahnee Norris (Head Coach Burleigh Bears Women, former Jillaroos representative, Rugby League)
- Katrina Powell (Head Coach Hockey, NSW Institute of Sport)
- Ellen Randell (Senior Coach Women’s National Training Centre, Rowing Australia)
- Sarah Scott (Coach, Nunawading Swimming Club)
- Leanne Speechley (High-Performance Swim Coach, Pymble Ladies College)
- Stacia Strain (Head Coach & Program Manager, Victorian Institute of Sport)
- Alana Thomas (Melbourne Rebels Super W Head Coach, Rugby Union)
- Beth Whaanga (Coach, Queensland Rugby Union and Brisbane State High School)
Executive Program
- Taya Conomos (Olympic and Commonwealth Games Project and Communications Manager, Seven Network)
- Emma Jayne Grigson (Health Operations Executive, Australian Defence Force)
- Carrie Graf (Director of Sport, University of Canberra)
- Rebecca Hamilton (Head of Marketing and Experience, GWS Giants AFL)
- Monique Hennessy (Legal Counsel, National Rugby League)
- Tal Karp (Director, Sixfold Consulting Group, and former Matildas player)
- Sam Lane (Journalist, Seven Network)
- Kim McConnie (Head of Big Bash League, Cricket Australia)
- Nat Momsen (General Manager Marketing, Nissan Motor Corporation)
- Catherine Ordway (Senior Consultant, Snedden Hall & Gallop Lawyers)
- Sally Phillips (Head of Women's National Basketball League)
- Jo Richards (Performance Team Director, Western Australian Institute of sport)
- Katherine Savage (Chief Commercial Officer, Rowing Australia)
- Tamara Sheppard (General Manager Performance, Swimming Australia)
- Vibeke Stisen (General Manager Commercial and Communications, Hockey Australia)
- Sarah Styles (Head of Female Engagement, Cricket Australia)
