We invite you to our next networking event.
Join us for an insightful and topical panel discussion on women's sport – an emerging theme developing in the Australian sporting landscape.
Josh Vanderloo, Head of Female Football and Junior Development for the Australian Football League (AFL), Jodie Fields, Female Cricket Operations Manager at Australian Cricketers Association and Kate Patterson, Project Manager, National Netball League, Netball Australia will share their experiences surrounding the challenges and opportunities for new elite leagues. They will also discuss the development and delivery of new pathways for women's sport in this country.
Cost: $10 including entry, drink card and canapes
Spaces are limited, so please register by Monday 8 August.
We look forward to seeing you at the event and encourage you to share this opportunity with your peers and fellow Deakin graduates.
Speaker biographies
Josh Vanderloo
Josh Vanderloo is the Head of Female Football & Junior Development at the Australian Football League (AFL). He has close to 15 years of industry experience having begun as a regional manager in South Australia before managing State and National Auskick portfolios; eventually taking on a broader National Participation Management role in 2010.
During his time at the AFL he has worked on numerous major projects such as the development of AFL 9s and AFL Active as new social versions of the game, re-writing the Australian Football Match Policy to ensure the game is delivered consistently across Junior leagues on a national scale, developing a high performance talent pathway for female footballers as well as leading the growth in participation past 1 Million for the first time in 2015.
He is now embarking on the biggest project of his career in establishing the new AFL Women’s League in preparation for the inaugural season in 2017.
Jodie Fields
Jodie captained Australia in 58 international matches between 2009 and 2014, and led Australia to the 2012 Women’s World T20 Title against England and the 2013 Women’s World Cup title in India. She has over 15 years playing experience for the Queensland Fire and Southern Stars and is a current contracted squad member for the ACT Meteors in the Women’s National Cricket League Competition. Jodie grew up in Queensland and played boy’s and men’s cricket at school before playing women’s cricket at University.
Jodie was appointed to the newly-created position of Manager Female Cricket Operations and Membership with the ACA in October 2015. Jodie has previously held positions with Queensland Cricket, Australian University Sport, Department of Sport & Recreation Queensland and Jetts Fitness Australia.
Jodie’s role with the ACA is to manage, maintain and further develop relationships with current and potential female ACA members. She also advocates on behalf of female players, leads the female membership on various issues, develops new initiatives to improve the services available to female members and continues to drive the ACA’s commitment to growing the game for women and girls.
Jodie has a Bachelor of Science degree, a Diploma of Management and is currently completing her Master of Business Administration.
Kate Patterson
Kate is an events and communications specialist with 20 years’ experience in the sports and entertainment industry. She first joined Netball Australia in 2010, as Media & Communications Manager for the then fledgling ANZ Championship (trans-Tasman netball league). After two years with the ANZ Championship, she joined Netball’s Commercial team where she led a number of projects aimed at building new audiences for both elite and mass participation netball events.
For the past 12 months, Kate has headed up the ‘NNL project’ – Australia’s new national netball league, featuring three new teams (including the introduction of clubs from the AFL and NRL) and a landmark broadcast deal set to transform the perceptions of netball in this country.
Prior to netball, Kate ran a media and communications consultancy specialising in participation events. Her clients included the Melbourne Marathon, Ironman Australia, the Track Cycling World Cup and Run Melbourne. Kate also launched and ran an annual triathlon race series in Melbourne, which is now owned and operated by Sole Motive.
Kate has also held senior roles with Bicycle Victoria, the AFI Awards and Melbourne Festival. She is passionate about creating amazing experiences for ALL stakeholders, and building communities around sports and fitness events and products.