This free course assists directors to explore the elements of a good risk management system to protect and grow their sporting organisation.
The Defence will support directors at national, state and club level to:
President and Chair - Paddle Australia
Andrea McQuitty has been a Director of Paddle Australia since 2012, serving as President and Chair since November 2016.
A former international paddler, she has diverse experience in teaching and sport, including coaching all ages from junior to elite international, major event management, and executive roles within the industry.
Chair - Disability Sports Australia
John Croll was previously the Vice President of the Australian Paralympic Committee, and is currently Chair of Disability Sports Australian and a committee member of the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability.
John is currently a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of Fuseworks Media, Dataxetand was previously on the Industry Advisory Board for the faculty of the arts and social sciences at the University of Technology Sydney.
In his corporate life, John has worked in the communications and media industry for more than 30 years, including as CEO of Media Monitors and Isentia, and is currently CEO of Truescope.
John is a Life Fellow of the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communications (AMEC), a Life Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Vice President - Motorsport Australia
Margot Foster, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist in rowing and former Chair of Vicsport, is a highly experienced sports administrator.
Currently the Vice President of Motorsport Australia and member of the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, Margot has held many board positions including on the Australian Sports Commission for eight years being part of the team guiding sport in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and on to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Margot has also held board roles with Gymnastics Australia, Rowing Australia, Rowing Victoria, National Parks Advisory Council (Vic), VicHealth, the Melbourne 1996 Olympic Bid Committee and Sport New Zealand, a New Zealand government appointment. Most recently she has been appointed Chair of the newly established Election Oversight Panel for the International Association of Athletics Federations, the governing body for international athletics.
Margot is a lawyer by profession and practiced privately for some 30 years before moving into consulting in the sports industry.
Chair – Netball Australia, Chair – Adore Beauty Group
Marina Go is Chair of Adore Beauty Group , and a Non-executive Director of Energy Australia, 7-Eleven, Autosports Group and Booktopia Group Limited. She is also Chair of Netball Australia, and a member of the UNSW Business Advisory Council and the ANU Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership Advisory Board.
Marina was previously Chair of Ovarian Cancer Australia, The Walkley Foundation and Wests Tigers Rugby League Football Club, and a Non-executive Director of Pro-Pac Packaging Limited.
Marina has also worked in executive roles across a range of listed and private companies and in non-executive director roles across a diverse range of sectors. Her executive career included over 25 years’ experience in branding, marketing, digital technologies and change leadership in the media industry.
Marina is the General Manager of Hearst-Bauer Media, championing publishing powerhouse brands such as Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE and Cosmopolitan.
Chair – 7 Eleven, Chair – Starbucks Australia, Director - AusCycling
Michael is a highly experienced company Director and Chair across a range of industries and not-for-profit organisations. He is currently the Managing Director of consulting firm Black House, Director of AusCycling, Chair of the Board for Starbucks Australia and Pioneer Credit, and Patron of the Co3 Dance Company and Variety – the Children’s Charity (Western Australia).
Michael Smith has been a 7-Eleven Director since 1999, taking on the role of Chair of the Board in 2015. Michael is also a member of the 7-Eleven Strategy and Risk committees.
Michael previously held roles as the Chair of Australian Institute of Company Directors, West Coast Eagles, iiNet, Synergy, Verve, the Lionel Samson Sadleirs Group, Perth International Arts Festival, and Pearling Industry Advisory Committee. He was also the Deputy Chair of Automotive Holdings Group, State President and Board member of the Australian Marketing Institute and Director of Creative Partnerships Australia and HOME Building Society.
In March 2014, Michael was awarded a Doctor of Letters from the University of Western Australia for his contribution to the business and arts sectors.
For further information or to request assistance from the Sport Governance and Organisational Enhancement team, please contact sportsgovernance@ausport.gov.au.