Women’s Sport: Inspire · Lead · Succeed Conference

As a key stakeholder of women's sport and women in sport, vicsport invites you to attend our inaugural ‘Women’s Sport: Inspire · Lead · Succeed Conference, designed to stimulate your thinking via presentations from leaders in sport and business. Funded by the Department of Planning and Community Development (Sport and Recreation Victoria), the conference aims to provide you with a range of strategies to take back and apply to your organisation, as well provide opportunities for you to identify key focus areas to assist vicsport in setting the agenda for Women’s Sport in Victoria for the next 5-10 years.vicsport has been supporting and advocating in a leadership capacity for women’s sport and women in sport since May 2008 and believes this conference certainly fits within your line of interest. 

Date: 27 October 2009
Location: Caulfield Racecourse
Time: 9am-5pm Conference & 5pm-8pm Cocktail Party
Cost: $140 per person

The conference will cover and provide strategies on the following topics, including but not limited to:

• developing successful cultures in sport
• managing workforce flexibility in the 21st century
• business communication and negotiation
• managing crisis situations
• challenging the delivery of sport
• ‘Respect and Responsibility’ research and initiatives.

The conference promises to be very significant for women’s sport in Victoria and will attempt to raise the profile of women’s sport and women in sport and assist in closing the gender gap. We aim to involve 200 participants, both male and female and from both the sports and business sector.  

Flyers and registrations forms are AVAILABLE NOW 

Key Note Speakers

The Honourable James Merlino MP
Member for Monbulk
Minister for Sport, Recreation & Youth Affairs
Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs

Personal
Born 19 August, 1972 in Melbourne, Victoria
Birthplace
Australia
Education & Qualifications
BA (Hons), Melbourne University, 1996
Mt Lilydale College, 1985-1990
Parliamentary Service
Elected MLA for Monbulk, 2002
Re-elected MLA for Monbulk, 2006
Minister for Sport, Recreation & Youth Affairs, December 2006 –
Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs, August 2007 –
Committees
Member, Public Accounts and Estimate Committee (PAEC), 2003 – 2006
Chair, Consumer Credit Review, 2005 – 2006
Party Positions
James has held various ALP Branch Executive positions.
Previous Occupations
National Industrial Officer: Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, 1999 – 2002
Electorate Officer, Jan Wilson MP, 1996 – 1999
Bricklayers Labourer, 1990 – 1995
Local Government Service
Elected Councillor, Shire of Yarra Ranges – Billanook Ward, March 1997
Re-elected Councillor, Shire of Yarra Ranges – Billanook Ward, March 2000
Deputy Mayor, Shire of Yarra Ranges, 2001 – 2002
Membership
Hawthorn Football Club    Montrose Football Club
Silvan Football Club    Monbulk RSL
Morrison House Inc.
Interests
Spending time with wife Megan and daughters Sophie and Emma; Reading; Arts; his two dogs and the Hawthorn Football Club.

Angela Pippos – Sports Journalist, Radio personality and Author.  

At the age of 8 I pushed my ballet shoes under the bed and picked up a shiny netball in one hand and a football in the other and that was the beginning of my love affair with sport.

Sadly, my dream of playing netball for Australia never became a reality. It may have had something to do with being too short and not having enough ability.

I grew up in Adelaide and went to the University of Adelaide where I completed an Honours degree in Politics. After that I studied Journalism. My plan was to head to Canberra and become a political journalist but somehow I ended up here covering sport instead. It turned out to be a very good decision.

I was with the ABC for 14 years – 4 in Adelaide and 10 here presenting the sports segment on the 7pm News bulletin.

I quit in 2007 to take up a breakfast radio position with Sport 927 alongside Michael Christian. Still can’t get used to getting up at 4am!

I’ve done a whole lot of other stuff too along the way including – a column for the Sunday Age, filled in on Before The Game and I now work for Channel 9 on TAC Cup Future Stars.

My greatest achievement is my first book – The Goddess Advantage, One Year in the Life of a Football Worshipper. The book was shortlisted for the Colin Roderick Award for Australian Literature and is now in the hands of a film producer.

I’m working on my second book which is fiction.

Apart from sport and writing my other passions include film, cooking, travel and public speaking.

Charles Kovess LL.B. (Hons), LL.M., CSP, MAICD, MAITD
After 20 years of high level legal and business experience, lawyer Charles Kovess knew that most people have a powerful and under-used ingredient they can use to drive successful changes in their lives.  He turned his back on the law in 1993 to share those success strategies as a professional speaker, educator, facilitator and coach, and now he's a walking example of what he has so clearly proven... that ‘passion powers performance’, and that ‘passionate people produce’!  Charles has enthused and inspired many companies and individuals to achieve outstanding results by harnessing passion, he is known as Australasia's Passion Provocateur, and travels the world revealing its mighty magic.

He is a Certified Speaking Professional, (of whom there are only 87 in Australasia), Past National President of the National Speakers’ Association of Australia, President of the Australia-Hungary Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Trustee of the Global Energy Network Institute. Charles has authored two inspirational books, ‘Passionate People Produce’, and ‘Passionate Performance’, and is the co-author of ‘The 7 Heavenly Virtues of Leadership’.

Charles is not only passionate about the power of passion: he is also passionate about sustainable behaviours and sport! He is Chairman of an innovative wastewater treatment company, he is currently competing in his 25th consecutive season in triathlons; he qualified as an international water polo referee, played A Grade Amateur Football, and has completed eight marathons. He is the father of one daughter and three sons, and married Amy, his second wife, in 2005.

Samantha Lane

In a field dominated by men, Samantha Lane sets a benchmark when it comes to football. The only female on Network Ten’s top rating ‘Before the Game,’ Sam not only represents female footy fanatics, but brings the insight and skills of a top journalist.

Samantha Lane started writing about footy while completing a Bachelor of Arts and language degree at Melbourne University, and now has broadcasting experience on radio, television and in on-line journalism.

Looking for a start while she was studying, and inspired by her love of the Carlton Football Club, Sam wrote to the editor of its quarterly magazine and convinced him to take on a teenage casual writer.
From there she went on to contribute weekly one-on-one interviews and opinion pieces that appeared on the AOL sports i7 website.

Sam was then hired by Sportal Australia to do her left-of-centre interviews for sportal.com.au. 

Sam completed her French language degree in Bordeaux in 1999 and graduated with majors in Political Science and English in June 2001. She subsequently received invitations to study an honours year in the English and Politics departments, but was offered a full-time position at the revamped afl.com.au website before the 2002 season.

She gratefully accepted and relished the opportunity to write about, and have daily access to all 16 AFL clubs. In her first season Sam worked six days a week and covered matches, press conferences and weekly training sessions as well as writing feature stories for the AFL and 16 club websites.

In 2003 Sam was offered the position of ‘news hound’ on the new Saturday night footy comedy show ‘After the Game’, produced by Roving Enterprises for Network Ten. In 2004 ‘After the Game’ became ‘Before the Game’ and Sam joined Peter Helliar, Dave Hughes and Lehmo as a full time panel member for a laid back and comedic look at all things football by a group of footy obsessed people.

Sam is also a sports journalist for The Age. 

James Montgomery  

James joined Sport and Recreation Victoria as Director – Community Sport and Recreation in December 2008.  In this role he is responsible for the delivery of programs and support across the diverse Victorian sport and recreation sector including funding for community facility development, community programs, and policy and sector development.

James was previously the Director – Office for Youth, within DPCD where he was responsible for implementing the Government’s Action Plan for Young Victorian’s.  Prior to that he was the Manager – Southern Metro Region for the Department for Victorian Communities. Prior to joining the Department of Planning and Community Development in 2004 James worked in the education sector in a variety of roles related to young people and mental health.

James is the father of three very active young girls – aged 2, 5 and 7.

Todd Harper

Todd began as Chief Executive Officer VicHealth, in April 2007, following many years in tobacco control.
Prior to taking on his current role, Todd was Quit Victoria’s Executive Director from 1999 to 2007. Under his leadership, Quit and the VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control have developed national and international recognition for their work on tobacco control.

Following various positions for Tasmania’s Department of Health and Human Services, including in the area of community housing, Todd worked as Executive Director of the Tasmanian Council on AIDS and Related Diseases. He has a degree in economics, a postgraduate diploma in health promotion and a Masters in health economics.
VicHealth
Established by the Victorian Parliament as part of the Tobacco Act 1987, Vichealth works in partnership with organisations, communities and individuals to promote good health and prevent ill-health.

With research and evidence guiding programs, VicHealth invests in a range of activities in areas as diverse as sport and active recreation, mental health and wellbeing, the arts, education, planning and built environment, community and local government. These programs promote change in policy and practice that can influence people’s ability to support healthy lifestyles.

Jan Cooper BPE, M Ed.
Female Football Development: WA Football Commission and AFL

Ms Jan Cooper has an extensive background in Education (Tertiary, Secondary and Primary Physical Education and Literacy Learning Difficulties) and Sport Administration. During the last 3 years she has been responsible for managing the growth of the female segment of AFL both in Western Australia and nationally for the AFL. This has entailed trying to integrate the Football industry such that key stakeholders involved in the development of all levels of the industry look at providing opportunities for both genders. The female sector is the fastest growing in the AFL and the fastest growing sport in Australia.

In 2000 she was recognized as a leader in implementing an ACHPER award winning Physical Education program at a rural, hard-to-staff primary school whilst working as the Deputy Principal and PE teacher. In 2004 Jan received Literacy Education awards from Rotary and Excellence in Teaching (from NETA) for her contribution to literacy improvement programs for her Primary school students. The AFL recognised her work in female Football development in 2007 by appointing Jan to her current role – the first time such a position has been established and housed outside of Victoria.

Prior to her primary school involvement Jan worked as a Research Assistant for Edith Cowan University and Cricket Australia facilitating a National SEPEP (cross curricular) program using cricket as the vehicle. Before this she was the Youth Development Officer for the Department of Sport and Recreation where she assisted with the National implementation of Sportsfun (a youth leadership program) with the Australian Sports Commission.

Jan has a Bachelor of Physical Education from University of WA and a Masters in Education (Learning Difficulties/SEPEP) from Edith Cowan University. Being an avid participant, coach and umpire in numerous sports she has represented Western Australia (in her prime!!!) at Volleyball and Cricket, as well as playing State League level Netball and Basketball. She now swims for fitness, plays social tennis, has recently taken up golf as well as field umpiring for the local Schoolgirls Football Cup.

Voluntary roles in sport have included as Assistant Head Trainer for a WAFL club during the 80s when her club Swan Districts won 3 back-to-back premierships. She has also attended 1000s of live games, viewed countless others on TV and supported her father and brothers when they played. With 2 sons who are also avid Football players and boundary umpires, Jan is never far from a Football ground volunteering for different Football roles to assist their teams.

David McAllister AM
Artistic Director, The Australian Ballet

David McAllister joined The Australian Ballet in 1983 and was promoted to Principal Artist in 1989. During his career David performed a wide variety of Principal roles from the major classical repertoire as well as many contemporary works. In 1985 he won a Bronze Medal at the Fifth International Ballet Competition in Moscow. David has danced as a Guest Artist with the Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. In November 2000 he completed a Graduate Diploma in Arts and Entertainment Management at Deakin University. David danced for the final time in Giselle in March 2001 at the Sydney Opera House and was appointed Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet in July 2001. He was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2004 Australia Day Honours List and was elected Vice President of the Royal Academy of Dance in 2005.

Lois Appleby

Former CEO of Tourism Victoria and a long event management career in Australia. Lois was CEO of the World Masters Games in Brisbane in 1995 and CEO of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. 

Lois is now retired but maintains an interest in events and tourism. 

Mark McAllion - Chief Executive Officer

With 18 years of sports administration experience behind him, Mark joined vicsport as CEO in January 2009.  Mark’s administration background is predominately in the community sport and Game Development areas having worked with Cricket Victoria, Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia.  Most recently Mark was the CEO of Softball Australia.

Major highlights of Mark’s career include the management of Softball Australia’s constitutional reform, initiatives which significantly increased cricket participation, the introduction of National Insurance Programs, the establishment of Cricket Victoria’s Game Development Department and the creation of the Victorian Cricket Pathway.  Mark’s work has also seen him organise the Prime Minister’s XI vs ATSIC Chairman’s XI match at the Adelaide Oval in 2003 and hold the roles of Secretary of the Australian Country Cricket Committee and Match Day Team Manager for the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

Mark lists his sporting highlights as coaching and playing in club cricket premierships, coaching the Victorian Under 17 Cricket Team and witnessing some amazing Australian sporting performances live including Australia’s 2008 Softball Bronze Medal, Shane Warne’s 700th Test wicket and Kerryn McCann’s Commonwealth Games Marathon Gold Medal.

Married with two children, Mark is now actively involved with his kids’ sport, coaching and volunteering at the junior level.  Keen to watch any sport at the elite level Mark is a passionate supporter of the Western Bulldogs and the Victorian Bushrangers cricket team and in his spare time plays social tennis and golf.

Melanie Jones

A relatively new face to the Red Dust Role Model roster, Melanie Jones brings a wealth of sporting experience and achievement with her. She has represented Australian in all forms of international cricket, and has amassed such career highlights as:
• Member of winning World Cup team (India – 1997)
• Member of Australian Women’s Cricket Team – Ashes (1998)
• Captain of Surrey County Cricket Team (England – 2002-2004)
• Member of the Victorian Spirit NL Title Team (’96, ’01, ’03)
• Member of World Cup winning Australia Team (2005)
• World Record Test Debut Batting Record (131 - 1997)
Melanie has coached at an international level, project coordinated in South Africa and has commentated for Sky Sports UK, ESPN Star Sport and Channel 9 in Australia. She is currently School Programs Coordinator for Cricket Victoria and coaches the women’s club side Essendon Maribyrnong Park.
After 142 matches for Victoria, Melanie recently announced her retirement from domestic cricket. She departs with two World Cup wins, five Tests, 61 ODIs and a record 122 Women’s National Cricket League appearances…not to mention third on the all-time-scorer list with 3338 at 30.3.
MJ’s first experience as a Red Dust role model saw her imparting her extensive knowledge and skills to hundreds of Indian children who have been rescued from child labour in Mumbai.

Allison Tranquilli

Allison has been involved in Australian Basketball at the elite level in excess of 15 years. She started her career as a junior in Ballarat and then took up a scholarship at the AIS. Next she played in the Women’s National Basketball League for 10 years while also being a member of the Australian National Team (the Opals) and competed at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics Games winning a Bronze and Silver medal. She also competed at 3 World Championships and spent four years competing at the highest level in Europe. Over the past 5 years she has developed her own Sports Management company and represents some of Australia’s best female athletes.

Australian “Opals” National Team 1990 - 2004

Games Played for Opals
- 241

Olympics
- 2004 Athens (Silver medal)
- 1996 Atlanta (Bronze medal)

World Championships
- 2002 China (Bronze medal)
- 1998 Germany (Bronze medal)
- 1994 Australia (4th place)

International Basketball
- 2000/2002 – Played in Spain with Club Burgos, won MVP and All Star 5 for Spanish League for season 2001/02
- 2002/2004 – Played in Hungary for Club Pecs. Won Hungarian Championship and played in Euroleague Final Four

Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) 1990 - 2005

Previous Clubs
- AIS 1990/02
- Melbourne Tigers 1992/95
- Dandenong Rangers 1996
- Bulleen Boomers 1997/2000 & 2005/06

MVP
- 1993

All Star 5
- 1992, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98

 Anne Marie Harrison

 Anne Marie Harrison was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) in August 2006 following seven years living and working in Scotland. 

Her key roles at the VIS include;
 overseeing the development of Institute programs
 negotiating contractual arrangements with a range of bodies
 assuming responsibility for the day to day management and operations of the Institute
 responsibility for close liaison with key partners
 representing the Institute

Anne Marie came to the position from the role as the inaugural Executive Director of the Scottish Institute of Sport.  Prior to that she completed six years as the Chief Executive Officer of Vicsport.
As Executive Director of the Scottish Institute Anne Marie established the organisation which was based on the VIS model and had overall management and leadership responsibility. In conjunction with the Board of Directors she led the strategic direction and policy development of the Institute.  Anne Marie was the key spokesperson for the Institute and also ensured Scotland took a lead in the development of the UK wide network of Institute's and worked to establish strategic and operational partnerships with key organisations in the UK and across the world. Her time in Scotland culminated in 2006 in Melbourne with the most successful Commonwealth Games ever by the country; finishing in 6th place on the medal table with 29 medals including 11 gold.
Anne Marie has worked in the sports industry for 29 years covering the spectrum of; National & State Sporting Organisations (10 years in the sport of gymnastics), the Olympic movement and Peak Agencies.  She has a good understanding of the requirements of the industry from a sporting organisation perspective, elite coaches and athletes, together with the demands from government, the media and sporting community in general.

Anne Marie has been appointed to a number of Boards and Advisory Bodies over her career as follows;

• Director – Scottish Institute of Sport (1999-2006)
• Non Executive Director – Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation (2006-2009)
• Panel Member – UK Sport Lottery funding for World Class Performance Plans (2000-2005)
• Vice President – Victorian Olympic Council (1997-1999)
• Board Member – Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (1994-1997)
• Board Member – Australian Gymnastic Federation (1998-1999)
• Member Specialist Advisory Committee – Deakin University School of Marketing & Management (1993–1999)
• Member Hospitality & Tourism Committee – VECCI (1993-1999)
• Chairman – 2006 Commonwealth Games Bid Sporting Associations Working Group (1998)

and has also presented a number of papers at forums and conferences.

Anne Marie has attended two Summer and two Winter Olympic Games, two Paralympic Games and four Commonwealth Games.

Tracy Bartram 

Tracy Bartram began performing as a stand-up comedian in 1989.  Nine years later saw her hosting breakfast radio shows, most notably Fox FM’s hugely successful "Tracy & Matt in the Morning".

She now lives a blissfully happy family life in the Yarra Valley, and is in heavy demand as a motivational speaker, MC and jazz singer. In 2004 Tracy took her one woman show "Illegally Blonde" to the Edinburgh Fringe, following her role in the world premiere of "Minefields & Miniskirts" for the Playbox Theatre.

During 2006 and 2007, Tracy joined forces with Tim Smith at Mix 101.1 FM and together they bombarded the Melbourne breakfast airwaves.

Tracy Bartram loves speaking to corporate groups and writes specifically for all her clients. She is guaranteed to surprise and delight your audience with her knowledge on health, integrity, and communication.

She is equally at home as a motivational speaker, entertainer, master of ceremonies or jazz singer.

Nicole Livingstone  OAM

Beginning her swimming career at just 14, Nicole Livingstone (formerly Stevenson); will go down as one of Australia’s most successful female swimmers.

With a career spanning over 10 years, Nicole’s achievements include a silver medal and 2 bronze medals from three Olympic appearances; 6 gold, 2 silver and a bronze from three Commonwealth Games and competing in six Pan Pacific Championships, winning 4 gold 2 silver and 1 bronze medals. She also broke a world record in the 200m backstroke (short course) in 1992.

Nicole also placed her name in the record books by starting the longest winning sequence of any Australian swimmer in history at the national titles winning ten consecutive 100m backstroke titles between 1987 and 1996.

A great ambassador for Australian sport, Nicole has received many other awards during her career outside of the pool. These include the Medal of the Order of Australia in June 1997, the Australian Sports Medal in July 2000 and Nicole was also inducted into the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll in 2006.

Nicole has recently joined Network Ten as an expert commentator on the new ONE channel and co host of Thursday Night Live.

Sharelle McMahon      
Melbourne Vixens Co-Captain &
Australian Netball Diamonds Captain
 
The most influential netballer of the last decade, McMahon is a genuine Superstar.  In her 11 years at Melbourne Phoenix playing in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy competition, she won a record four national MVP awards, seven Melbourne Phoenix MVPs and finished 2007 as the competition’s all-time goal scorer.

A two time Commonwealth Games and World Championship gold medallist and five time Commonwealth Bank Trophy champion and the 2009 ANZ Championship Premiers as well as the Vixens MVP, McMahon is at the peak of her powers captaining the Australian Netball Diamonds Team.

Career Highlights:
Winning Netball World Championships in 1999 & 2007 and winning a Gold medal at Manchester at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 as well as winning the 2009 ANZ Championship.

Why do you play netball?
I enjoy the challenge of pushing myself to see what I can achieve and I love the competition! I have also formed amazing friendships and travelled all over the world.

Challenges of playing semi-professional Netball:
Not enough time as we train like all the professional sports teams but the netballers also have to balance studies and/or full time or part time work.  Also we travel for half of the season all over Australia and New Zealand.  With National commitments we are sometimes away for 5 weeks at a time so our employers have to been very understanding and allow for flexible work hours.

Advice to young athletes:
Word hard, but more importantly, have fun!

Role model as a player:
A great role model for me when I first made the Aussie team was Vicki Wilson who was Captain of the Australian team at the team.  She always impressed me with her presence on and off the court.

Equipped with an Honours degree in Health Promotion, AFL Victoria’s Female Football Development Manager Chyloe Kurdas manages the community based Respect and Responsibility program in Melbourne’s Northern Football League. An industry first, the pilot program’s purpose is to create cultural change in local football communities to make them safer and more inclusive for women and girls.

Chyloe is also charged with creating opportunities in football for Victorian girls and women. She manages six under 18 Youth Girls competitions across Victoria, whilst supporting other AFL Victoria initiatives in ensuring the sport’s inclusion of girls and women.

A former All-Australian representative and player of over 150 senior games for Melbourne University, the Victorian Women’s Football League Life Member also coaches AFL Victoria’s Youth Girls Academy.

Facilitators

Dr Emma Sherry  

Emma is a sport management academic at La Trobe University.  Emma has undertaken research in areas such as: AFL governance, Homeless World Cup, sport inclusion programs, women's' sport issues and sport development programs for marginalised groups.  Emma's current research focus is working with The Big Issue and Corrections Victoria to evaluate their Community Street Soccer Program for marginalised groups in the community.  Emma has published her research in international academic journals and presents regularly at conferences both here and abroad.  Outside of her work interests, Emma sits on the Womensport Sub-committee for VicSport and is a board member of the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand.  Emma is also a regular competitor at Australian Masters Swimming events, and swims for the Yarra Roughies swimming club.

Sue Cormack has worked in sport and recreation since 1989 after leaving teaching.

For the past 10 years, Sue has practiced as an independent consultant working across national, state and local sporting organisations. These appointments have included:

• Facilitator of the ASC Women’s Sport Leadership Workshops (2005 - current)
• Facilitator of SRV’s Women’s Sport Leadership Workshops (2006 - )
• National Project Officer for the ASC funded Schools Network (2002-2008)
• Ongoing club development work and regional strategic planning projects

Sue has also assumed a range of leadership roles outside of sport which has assisted to broaden her knowledge about associated sectors. These roles have included:       

• Board Member of VicHealth (2004 – current)
• Chair Healthy Eating Advisory Panel, VicHealth (2006 – current)
• Quality Systems Development – Disability Sector (2008 - current )      

Combined with being a mother of two boys and an active volunteer in a number of local sporting clubs, Sue describes her life as “varied, full and busy”.

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