Levelling the Playing Field - Women in Sport
Over the past decade, we've witnessed a remarkable rise in women's sport, with female athletes achieving unprecedented success and garnering widespread recognition and support. This is a testament to the talent, determination, and dedication of women in sports who have shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations. Increasing visibility and investment will inspire young girls to dream big and pursue careers in sports, challenging the long-held stereotypes that once confined women to the sidelines.
However, despite the progress made, significant challenges persist for girls and women in their pursuit of participation and equality on and off the sporting field. For example, female athletes often face unequal pay, limited media coverage, and fewer opportunities for sponsorships compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, the lack of representation in leadership roles within sports organisations perpetuates systemic biases and limits inclusivity.
With the FIFA Women's World Cup drawing to a close, and the 2023 AFLW season about to kick off, join us for a timely conversation on women's sport and how we might level the playing field.
Dr Shona Bass
Shona has lived her life as a trailblazer. She proudly wears the mantle of an ‘Original Matilda” – as a player in the inaugural Australian National Women’s Soccer team. Her passion and achievements power the beacon she represents for women and young girls not only in sport but through her successful professional career.
Shona’s experiences in breaking through a male dominated sport environment, her leadership and collaboration with team members and traversing through prejudices in relation to women in sport and leadership are an outstanding model of strategy, resilience, and stamina.
Shona has exceptional intuition that she brings to her professional mentoring and coaching roles that garner her thirty years of experiences underpinned by theory and practical strategies. She draws on and shares her learnings from her roles as an elite athlete, mentor and executive leader. Shona is inspirational, engaging and entertaining in her presentations in keynote, dinner and breakfast sessions, conferences and seminars. Shona is highly skilled at building trust and resonance with audiences, enabling her to challenge and motivate reflection.
Chyloe Kurdas
Chyloe is an inclusion and diversity specialist, known for coaching organisations towards delivering belonging and inclusion.
She was pivotal in establishing AFL Women's competition and led the implementation of Australian Golf’s national gender equality strategy.
Chyloe advises national sporting organisations, coaches on career development and inclusive leadership, and serves as an AFLW commentator.
Currently, Chyloe is the Inclusion and Diversity Manager at Australian Red Cross, driving organisational development efforts for greater belonging.
A TEDx Sydney presenter, Chyloe is public speaker, sharing her learning from her experiences leading cultural change in male-dominated industries.
Molina Asthana, our moderator for the August Folio Conversation
Molina is the Chair of Gymnastics Victoria and also serves on various other boards including AMES Australia, Graduate House of the University of Melbourne, Good Shepherd ANZ, AFL South East Commission, Table Tennis Victoria and Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health. She is also the co-founder of the Asian Australian Alliance and the founder of the organisation Multicultural Women in Sport. She is also the Change Her Game Ambassador for the State of Victoria and the National Chair of the Sport, Art and Culture Industry Chapter of the Australia India Business Council.
Molina is an experienced commercial lawyer having practiced at top-tier Australian law firms and the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office and in the Supreme Court of India. She serves on the board of, and was the first South Asian woman to be elected President Elect of the Law Institute of Victoria. She is also the National President of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association.
She has received multiple awards for her work including the Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence twice.
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This event will be held in the performance space at Library at The Dock:
Level 2, 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade
Corner of Collins and Bourke streets
Docklands VIC 3008
