ON International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the incredible contributions and achievements of women to our great club, and the integral role they play in our wider football community.

We’d love to introduce you to some of the incredible women keeping the wheels turning at Port Adelaide, who help make this club what it is!

Tara MacLeod
General Manager, Game Day and Events


What does your role involve?
My role involves overseeing and executing the game day experience for our supporters, from inside the stadium events like Never Tear Us Apart to March from the Mall and Game Day Village, along with all of our flagship events throughout the year such as Best and Fairest, Hall of Fame and Italian Night. From a strategic perspective, I also work on longer term projects like China, Heartland and our 2020 celebration.

Why do you love working at PAFC?
It’s the perfect mix of a dynamic, creative and passionate environment. Everyone working here has a pivotal role to play in the club and we all feel a part of the journey - there’s a real sense of togetherness. Loving the club also helps - there’s no issue of getting up and coming to work every day!

Why are you celebrating IWD / what does it mean to you?
I manage a team of highly skilled, fantastic women, all of whom are dedicated to their role here at the club. Some balance this with families, others don’t but have huge priorities outside of work and I take seriously the role of helping them achieve their ambitions in a flexible and collaborative environment. Women are pretty amazing – how on earth do we balance everything?!

Emily Hartley
Performance Dietician



What does your role involve?
I’m responsible for the players’ training and game day nutrition. It’s my job to ensure they’re in the right shape and fueled nutritionally so they’re able to perform at their best and recover for the following training or game. You’ll often find me mixing shakes at the protein station, giving out hydralyte on the oval or creating individualized nutrition plans for our players!

Why do you love working at PAFC?
I love the history of the club and being the next generation of fresh, new and exciting ideas moving forward. I also love that my role is very dynamic which means I’m always doing something different every day - from trainings, to gym sessions and travelling away with the team!

Why are you celebrating IWD / what does it mean to you?
I think International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful impact women make and to celebrate the achievements we’ve made as a community to encourage equal opportunities.

Promise Xu
Executive Partnership Manager – China Engagement



What does your role involve?
As an executive partnership manager, my role involves trans-cultural communication between Australia and China, helping my colleagues at the club and our key stakeholders from China have better understanding of each other to strengthen the relationship towards positive developments for both parties.

Why do you love working at PAFC?
I love the open-minded, dynamic, and challenging nature of the environment here at Port Adelaide. It’s an exciting place to work, and I feel challenged in my job everyday.

Why are you celebrating IWD / what does it mean to you?
I feel privileged to be a woman, and any opportunity to celebrate that is fantastic!


Kellie Graves
Aboriginal Programs Manager



What does your role involve?
As the Aboriginal Programs Manager my role involves overseeing the staff management, budgetary, planning and operational activities of the Aboriginal Programs delivered through Power Community Limited.

Why do you love working at PAFC?
Being of Aboriginal descent I have always wanted to work with my people and for my people. Through PAFC I get to work on programs that are strengths-based, bring about sustainable change, work directly on Close the Gap targets, empower the next generation of future leaders whilst preserving and immersing myself in the oldest living culture, Aboriginal Culture, my Culture.

I also get to work with a group of people that I can’t work/live without. Every day I get to come to work and be amongst inspiring and wonderful people within my team, I do not take that or the opportunities I get for granted - I cherish them all.

Why are you celebrating IWD / what does it mean to you?
IWD is significant to me because there have been so many fabulous women that I have had the pleasure in learning from throughout my life so far- in which I hope continues. It is a great way to call to our attention to stop and acknowledge these fantastic women and their efforts. This year the 2018 NAIDOC theme is: Because of her, we can! Again, another way of acknowledging women in an official capacity.

Elly Siklic
Marketing Coordinator



What does your role involve?
My role involves executing the marketing campaigns across all departments of the club. This can include club events, membership campaigns or even our game in Shanghai! I coordinate all of the brands within the Port Adelaide portfolio, ensuring correct brand representation by all internal users and external parties such as suppliers and commercial partners. I also work closely with our amazing graphic designers to continuously come up with new graphics whether that’s on our membership packs, or the big screen at game day!

Why do you love working at PAFC?
I love working at the club because every day is different, it’s such a fast paced environment where you have to be so reactive as things can change! I grew up around the corner, as a supporter of this wonderful club so I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to do what I love every day while working with the best group of people.

Why are you celebrating IWD / what does it mean to you?
A footy club is typically male-dominated so it’s great that we’re celebrating the wonderful women at our club who do such fantastic things and work tirelessly for our members and supporters. We have such strong influence and impact within our community so it’s great to demonstrate to young women that they can achieve whatever they desire.

More on portadelaidefc.com.au...