AS part of Port Adelaide’s preparation to enter the 2023 NAB AFLW competition, the club has appointed a Steering Committee whose charter is to guide the integration AFLW into the club.
The AFLW Steering Committee was formed in November 2020 with the original purpose of guiding the bid and tender process for an AFLW license.
The club’s submission document outlined the strategic vision for AFLW at the club, detailing how AFLW will be integrated into each pillar of the club’s strategic vision while positively affirming the value of all women and young girls throughout our community.
On the 12th of August this year, the AFL confirmed that Port Adelaide was successful in securing an AFLW license and will enter the competition in Season 7, to commence in December 2022.
The committee will assist chief executive, Matthew Richardson and the Board with strategic and advisory oversight of AFLW integration into the club.
The primary duty and responsibility of the committee is to ensure successful integration of AFLW into the Port Adelaide Football Club, to create one club, with one united voice, with one common purpose.
There are nine members on the club’s AFLW Steering Committee.
Holly Ransom, director of the Port Adelaide Football Club since 2016, will chair the committee. A renowned public speaker, author and content curator, Holly holds an array of professional positions, including chief executive officer of her consultancy firm, Emergent, as well as director for Hudson, Port Davis and Shaw+Smith. As well as these accomplishments, Holly co-chaired the G20 Youth Summit in 2014, joined the United Nations Coalition of Young Women Entrepreneurs as Co-Chair in 2016, and was instrumental in the initial advisory group that steered the AFL to establish the AFLW competition.
Holly will be supported by the following members who make up the Steering Committee:
Vicky Welgraven, is a proud Adnyamathanha woman from the Northern Flinders Ranges SA, a White Ribbon Australia Community Partner and a Director on the Our Watch Board where she promotes gender equality and respectful relationships and advocates for an end to Family and Domestic Violence.
Christine Zeitz, General Manager, Asia Pacific, for the Northrop Grumman Corporation and current Port Adelaide Football Club director and also a Board member of SBS.
Dani Glatz, Australian Defence Force Australian Rules Liaison Officer, who established and directed Women’s Aussie Rules in the ADF, former member of Women’s Football Australia governing and coordinating the Women’s National Championships, and importantly a player, coach and a relentless advocate for Women’s football since 1998.
Matthew Richardson, Port Adelaide Football Club Chief Executive Officer.
Juliet Haslam, inaugural Port Adelaide Head of AFLW and previous Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal-winning Australian hockey player.
Chris Davies, Port Adelaide Football Club General Manager of Football.
Shane Smith, Port Adelaide Football Club Chief Operating Officer.
Jules Johnson, Head of Operations and People and AFLW Integration Lead at Port Adelaide Football Club.
The Steering Committee, with a diverse range of suitably qualified members will lead the integration project and in doing so, will ensure the club sets up the AFLW program to optimise long term and sustained success both on and off the field.
The integration of AFLW into the club will guide the new AFLW team into its valued and integral position in the club.
