Shining a light on women in sport leadership

A NEW initiative to elevate and support women in sport recently launched with the inaugural SheDevils event, featuring a powerful address from Western Bulldogs trailblazer Sue Clark. 

Tasmania Devils general manager of marketing, public affairs and social impact Kath McCann said the event brought together emerging leaders and industry pioneers to share ideas and insights about their careers and the future they were helping shape. 

“The launch of SheDevils marks the beginning of a broader effort to elevate and support women working in sport across Tasmania and beyond,” she said. 

“It was an honour to welcome keynote speaker Sue Clark, chief operating officer at the Western Bulldogs and one of the most respected executives in AFL history, to share her experiences. 

“Sue has led transformational change at multiple clubs, including overseeing the $80 million redevelopment of Whitten Oval.” 

Ms Clark said leading complex problems like Whitten Oval was about creating spaces that reflected the values of the club and its community. 

“It’s the proud home of our club, in the same place it’s always been, and now we can fully integrate our women’s and men’s programs along with our administration while also facilitating a strong connection point for our community,” she said. 

Ms McCann said the SheDevils event reflected the Tasmania Devils’ broader mission to build a high-performance, inclusive culture from the ground up.

“We’re not retrofitting equality, we’re embedding it,” she said.

“From the design of our new high-performance facilities to how we hire and work, we’re intentionally creating a club where everyone belongs.”