The Netball Australia Board is responsible for the governance and strategic leadership of Australian netball. The Board comprises six elected Directors and two Directors appointed by the Board. The Board meets at least six times each year, and works to guide netball’s future growth and to uphold the overall strategic vision of the organisation. The Chair is appointed by the Board.
Board of Directors
MARINA GO | CHAIR
Marina Go is Chair of The Walkley Foundation and Ovarian Cancer Australia, a non-executive director of Energy Australia, Autosports Group, 7-Eleven, Pro-Pac, Adore Beauty and Booktopia, a member of the UNSW Business Advisory Council and author of the business book for women Break Through: 20 Success Strategies for Female Leaders. Boss magazine named her as one of 20 True Leaders of 2016.
Marina has over 25 years of leadership experience in the media industry, having started her career as a journalist. She was a founder of the female leadership website Women’s Agenda and is a former Chair of the Wests Tigers NRL Club and a former Independent director of Netball Australia.
In May 2021, Marina became the inaugural Chair of the new Netball Australia Board which was formed when the old Board and the SSN Commission were merged.
She has an MBA from The Australian Graduate School of Management and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Director appointed 26 March 2021
WENDY ARCHER AM | DIRECTOR
Wendy’s lifelong passion for netball started in her days as a junior player, and her achievements in senior ranks include being awarded the National A standard in umpiring and excelling in administrative roles. Wendy is currently the Patron and a Life Member of her local association, a Life Member of Netball NSW and a Director of Netball Australia. Wendy’s strong leadership has been recognised through being named Sportsperson of the Year within the Port Stephens LGA and as a finalist in the Administrator of the Year category in the NSW Sports Federation Awards. In 2005, NSW Governor Marie Bashir, AD, CVO, made Wendy a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her services to netball. Wendy’s vision during her time as President of Netball NSW included working closely with the NSW Swifts, and the creation of GIANTS Netball. Wendy received a Parliamentary commendation for her outstanding service to netball and her work helping to establish the state-of-the-art Netball Central in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct. Wendy is currently the Executive Director of Australian Rescue Management Pty Ltd and InteRisk Pty Ltd. A passionate sports follower with strong community values, Wendy believes in the power of sport and community to create a sound environment in which young people can be nurtured.
Director elected 21 April 2018.
PETER LEGG | DIRECTOR
Peter Legg is a Chartered Accountant who has spent over 20 years as a Senior Finance executive in the sporting industry. Starting as the Chief Financial Officer for Sydney Turf Club, then one of Sydney’s two metropolitan horse racing clubs, from 1998 and leading to his current role as the Chief Finance Officer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL competition. The Sydney Turf Club as well as being a sporting club was a major venue operator and Peter was part of building and refurbishing two racecourses, including grandstands and exhibition spaces. He was then the Merger Integration Executive tasked with combining Sydney’s two racing Clubs into one, forming the Australian Turf Club. After 13 years in Racing he became the Chief Finance Officer for the NRL at the time of the formation of the new Commission structure which now runs the game of Rugby League in Australia. His time at NRL included the game’s first billion dollar broadcast deal. Peter has spent the last five years at the Rabbitohs helping the Club to being profitable and highly competitive on the field. Peter’s passion for netball comes through his daughter’s involvement at grass roots level. Peter is a member of the Audit and Risk committee since his election and is currently the Chair of that committee.
Director elected 13 April 2019.
MITCH CATLIN | DIRECTOR
Mitch Catlin is a former journalist who has worked across the media, marketing and government landscape for 25 years. Prior to starting up his own company in 2020, Mitch held a number of senior executive roles with global and national brands.
In 2014, Mitch created Catchy Media Marketing and Management which provides strategic marketing, brand and media consulting services, and he continues his weekly spot on 3AW analysing major issues and “news of the day.”
Mitch is also the Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of ‘Buy Aussie Now’ which launched at the height of the pandemic is Australia’s first marketplace for Aussie owned businesses selling Aussie made products.
Mitch is a taskforce member of the proposed 2030 bid for regional Victoria to host the Commonwealth Games and a member of Netball Australia’s Audit & Risk Committee and Broadcast Media Rights Steering Committee.
Mitch grew up with the sport of netball with his late aunt, Carole Sykes, an award winning coach. The Swifts and Giants play annually for the honour of holding the Carole Sykes Memorial Trophy. He is thrilled to be giving back to a sport he, and millions of Australians love.
Director elected 18 July 2020.
JANE SEAWRIGHT | DIRECTOR
Jane has extensive experience as a corporate, commercial and sports lawyer, in private practice and in-house in the sport, health, research and technology start-up and not for profit sectors. She is also highly qualified in marketing, and has previously run a marketing consultancy offering specialist advice to professional service providers across a wide range of sectors.
Jane is highly respected as a sports administrator and company director, having led netball at every level of the sport in Queensland. Prior to joining the Board of Netball Australia, she was Chair of Netball Queensland for five years, and was the QSport Volunteer of the Year in 2018. She is currently a non-industry Board Member of Racing Queensland and a Cricket Australia Conduct Commissioner, and is an inaugural Member of the National Sports Tribunal.
Jane’s other current board roles include the Australian Festival of Chamber Music and QCN Fibre Pty Ltd, a Queensland Government-owned communications technology provider. Jane is a member of Netball Australia’s Audit & Risk Committee.
Director elected 18 July 2020.
TODD DEACON | DIRECTOR
Todd is a Managing Director of Techstars, leading SportsTech investments for their venture capital fund. Techstars is one of the most active venture capital investors globally, making approximately 500 new investments every year in predominately seed stage start-up companies across the world.
More recently, Todd formed Wildcard Ventures with Tennis Australia as Managing Partner. Wildcard Ventures is the venture capital investment arm of Tennis Australia focused on SportsTech investments. Prior to Techstars, in 2013 Todd founded Unscriptd, a sports technology start-up that was acquired in 2018 by US based media company The Player’s Tribune.
Prior to founding Unscriptd, Todd had a long career in management consulting specialising in the sports and entertainment industry with clients such as Tennis Australia, Netball Australia, Cricket Australia, National Rugby League, Australian Sports Commission, Adidas, Quiksilver and Nike.
Director appointed 12 May 2021
JOHN O'SULLIVAN | DIRECTOR
John has over 20 years’ experience in sports and entertainment, tourism and travel and media sectors. He is the CEO and Executive Director of the ASX-listed adventure tourism company, Experience Co. Prior to joining Experience Co, John was Managing Director of Tourism Australia, the nation’s tourism marketing agency, where he was responsible for driving Tourism Australia’s strategies to increase demand for Australia’s tourism experiences.
Prior to joining Tourism Australia, John also held executive positions with Fox Sports Australia, Events Queensland, Football Federation Australia and the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. John Is also a Commissioner of Tourism Western Australia.
Director appointed 12 May 2021
GABBI STUBBS | DIRECTOR
Gabbi is an executive full-stack and foresight strategist and business advisor with senior experience in media, technology, innovation and transformation, and digital enablement. Her experience extends from corporates to small business and startups and has worked extensively through the Australian media industry, including at News Corp, Nine Entertainment Co and the ABC, and more recently in technology at Adobe.
Gabbi is a trusted, private sounding board for founders, CEOs, C-suite executives and boards, and has been a valued source of analysis, forecasting and commentary for the media and tech industries. She further advises and mentors students, women in business, social enterprises and startups spanning sport, media and advertising, data and analytics, AI, and the future of education, work and communities.
Gabbi specialises in;
- media - strategy, product marketing and management, commercial innovation, growth project initiatives, and marketing
- solving strategic innovation and growth challenges
- identifying and demystifying key trends, consumer behaviour and technologies,
- leading through changing market dynamics and disruption, and
- developing new methods, business models and opportunities to convert into actionable strategy before they go mainstream for businesses to differentiate, grow and thrive.
Director appointed 12 May 2021
MICHAEL THOMSON | DIRECTOR
Michael Thomson is the Head of Aviation at Canberra Airport.
A native Canberran, and avid sports fan, Michael has extensive international sports management experience working with FIFA on the 2002 World Cup as Head of Business and Legal Affairs and subsequently as Interim CEO FIFA Marketing. Michael has held positions with Nike as the Sports Marketing Director for Greater China, and Head of Sports Marketing Australia and New Zealand. He has also occupied senior roles with the Australian Sports Commission (Sport Australia) and was CEO of the Brumbies Super Rugby team.
Michael graduated from Australian National University with economics and science degrees and received a post graduate law degree from University of Canberra.
Director appointed 12 May 2021