Football Queensland is excited to announce the appointment of three new team members in the role of Officer – Participation (Women and Girls) as part of the expansion of the Game Development team as FQ reinforces its commitment to achieving 50/50 gender parity in participants by 2027.
These appointments have seen Leah Gubb join the team based in the Northern region, and two new members, Sophia Stathoulis and Jess Austin, commence in the roles at Football Queensland’s Meakin Park headquarters to provide a brand new level of support for clubs and participants across every region.
“2023 is an incredibly exciting year for women’s football with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ coming to our state, and the introduction of new roles such as these will prepare Football Queensland to meet the increasing demand of the rapidly growing women and girls participation base,” Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci said.
“Expanding the Game Development team with a particular focus on female participation will allow us to continue to build upon the successes from the past and strive towards our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan target of reaching 50/50 gender parity by 2027.”
Football Queensland Senior Manager – Game Development Kate Lawson said she is excited to see the expansion of the team and the key role the trio will play in strengthening Football Queensland’s support of clubs as part of the Be23Ready initiative alongside the statewide rollout of the Girls United program.
“These new team members will have a focus on female participation and the planning and facilitation of programs throughout Queensland, including MiniRoos, holiday clinics, Walking Football, and school and diversity programs,” Lawson said.
“With each of them starting on the field before progressing to these administrative roles, the appointments of Leah, Sophia and Jess are a fantastic example of where the game can take you, and we’re confident that they’ll bring great experience and knowledge to the roles.”