Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Inc
May 2009: The Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Inc is delighted to announce our new Patron:
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia
The Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Inc (AWRA) is an enthusiastic and dynamic national volunteer association "to provide leadership and a voice for women and girls in sport, physical activity and and active recreation, to enable their full participation".
AWRA is linked with the International Association for Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW). The President serves as a Vice President. AWRA is also affliliated with the International Working Group for Women in Sport (IWG) which will hold a World Conference in Sydney next May 2010.
Click the links for information about the policies, history or events AWRA has organised, or use the navigation menu on the left hand side of the page.
Achieving its aims
To begin with, in July 2005, AWRA's key priorities were:
1. To develop and publish its Strategic Plan 2005 - 2008.
2. To commence the building of a website, to provide a web-based learning centre.
3. To develop the initial content for the web learning modules.
4. To produce and distribute a membership brochure.
5. To undertake a research survey of national sporting organisations and associated agencies.
AWRA has been successful in achieving all of the above and wishes to acknowledge the support and assistance of federal government funding from the Office for Women and the Australian Sports Commission to undertake this work.
Look at the History page to find out about the more recent work and projects of AWRA.
About the 2009 Board
President - Janice Crosswhite OAM (Victoria)
Janice has experience in sport and recreation at a local, state and federal level. She has taught physical education, been a sports administrator, consultant, and recreation planner. Janice was the founding president of Womensport and Recreation NSW and now AWRA. She is Vice-President 2009-2013 of the International Association for Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women. She has an Australian Sports Medal (2000) for basketball and her Order of Australia (2001) recognizes her services to the community and women's sport.
Vice President: Heather Reid (ACT)
Heather has wide experience spanning more than 30 years in sport at local, state and national level. She has been a lecturer in sport management, a consultant and is the only female CEO of a state football (soccer) federation. Heather was executive director for Womensport Australia and isa member of the Football Australia Hall of Fame in recognition of her contribution to women and girls in football. She has been a passionate advocate for girls and women's sport for many years.
Secretary: Jennifer Riatti (Western Australia)
Jennifer was recently appointed as the Director of Programs and Services for the Department of Sport and Recreation in Western Australia. Prior to that she was the Manager of the WA Premier's Physical Activity Taskforce for 5 years. She has had extensive experience as a project manager for many years at both the state and national level. She is a past president of Womensport West.
Treasurer: Nicolle Rantanen (South Australia)
Nicolle is a Certified Practising Accountant, holds a Master of Business Administration and a Masters in Commercial Law.. She has extensive government, business and community experience and is currently the Director, Strategy and Member Services in the Department of Treasury & Finance in South Australia. Nicolle holds a number of other Board positions in the Health and Finance sectors.Board members
Dr Imke Fischer (NSW)
Imke has extensive teaching experience in both secondary and tertiary education sectors. She is currently a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Australian Catholic University, North Sydney. Her voluntary work in the sport not-for-profit industry stretches over many years, including several Board positions. She is President of Womensport and Recreation (NSW) Inc. and has been on the board since its inception in 1994.
Professor Kristine Toohey (Queensland) Kristine is the head of Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management in the Griffith Business School at Griffith University, Gold Coast. She has been a board member of a number of sport related organisations and researched and consulted in women and sport for over 20 years. Kristine was the founding Treseasuer for Womensport and Recreatrion NSW and a consultant to the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee.Sue Scudds (Western Australia)
Sue received a Prime Ministerial Award for Sport in 1992 and is a Life Member and former Board member of Volleyball WA. She has just retired, after 25 years as a Volleyball Referee, having achieved an Australian sports record of Refereeing 6,000 Volleyball games. Sue also serves on the Board of Womensport West. She works in the disability services area.
Co-opted: Nicole Dunn (Victoria)
Nicole is the CEO YMCA Greater Murray, based in Echuca Victoria. Her previous employment was in Local Government, as the Senior Recreation Coordinator (Monash Council) and prior to that as a Leisure Service Officer (Bayside Council), Melbourne. Nicole was actively involved in sport from a very young age, growing up in Swan Hill, country Victoria. She played junior and senior representive basketball, juniors with Melbourne at State Titles Level and Seniors through the Country Victorian Invtitational League. "I feel very fortunate to be on the Board of an organisation where I can play a part in supporting female participation in sport and recreation. "