Draft:Nadine Cohen

Nadine Cohen is a current sports administrator with an outstanding record of creating and implementing strategic visions that have shaped the success of several organisations with impacting outcomes for the community.

From 2001 to 2011 she was a member of the Australian Sports Commission’s executive leadership team with responsibility for delivering on government policy to strengthen the sport industry in Australia, increase participation rates, achieve sporting excellence in high performance, and ensure the integrity of the sector. Cohen led the Sport Partnership Management, Funding and Planning, Integrity/Ethics, Sports Coach and Official and National Athlete Career and Education Programs. Cohen's roles included, Deputy General Manager, Sport Performance and Development Division, General Manager, Sport Services Branch and General Manager, Planning and Reporting Branch.

From 2011 to 2021, Cohen was Deputy CEO at Netball Australia, responsible for leadership of strategic and operational planning, internal and external stakeholder engagement, strategic growth initiatives, budgeting, continuous business improvement, growing revenues and strengthening the status of netball in Australia and internationally.

In 2015 Cohen was appointed at the ingural Chief Executive Officer, Company Secretary and Public Officer of the Confident Girls Foundation, Netball Australia’s registered charity

From 2021 to 2023, Cohen was appointed the Executive General Manager, Government and Stakeholder Relations at Norh Melbourne Football Club. Cohen identified, led and coordinated advocacy, strategies and campaigns at local, state and federal level for the North Melbourne Football Club and its community arm, The Huddle. The emphasis was on maximising the Club’s contribution to, and legacy from, the multi-billion-dollar Arden Urban Renewal Precinct in North Melbourne

Cohen is currently leading Tennis Australia and the Australian Open's government engagement strategy.

NETBALL

Cohen inaugurated, led and executed Netball Australia’s parliamentary engagement strategy, resulting in the formation of the Federal Parliamentary Friends of Netball, increasing influence with key decision makers and securing government funding, including: o	Achieving Gender Equality Through Netball Growth Strategy ($20 million) o	Indigenous Strategy o	Multicultural Programs o	Prevention of Violence Against Women and Their Children o	Netball World Cup Sydney 2015 and 2027 Hosting Rights

Cohen led Netball Australia’s COVID response, including the successful hub delivery of the Suncorp Super Netball League and international tours by the Australian Netball Diamonds.

SUBMISSIONS

Cohen has authored several submissions, including

Statutory Definition of Charity, making the argument that sport and recreation ought to be included in the definition list of charitable purposes https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/Netball-Australia.pdf Restating and standardising the special conditions for tax concession entities (including the 'in Australia' conditions) https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/Netball_Australia-1.pdf

Inquiry into the Contribution of Sport to Indigenous Wellbeing and Mentoring https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=atsia/sport/subs.htm

CONFIDENT GIRLS FOUNDATION

Cohen conceived, implemented and led the Confident Girls Foundation, Netball Australia’s charitable entity, raising more than $1.7 million to support more than 75,000 marginalised Australian girls, women and their communities to thrive though the power of netball, both on and off the court. Cohen

AUSTRALIAN SPORT

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Cohen has been a strong advocate for gender equity, women in sport and mentoring. She has held various professional and volunteer roles.

Researched, developed, engaged with community, and achieved Board approval of the “Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse Athletes in Elite Competitions” Framework. https://netball.com.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/ExplanatoryMemo-TransgenderandGenderDiverseAthletes-NetballAustralia-022020%20.pdf https://netball.com.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/ExplanatoryMemo-TransgenderandGenderDiverseAthletes-NetballAustralia-022020%20.pdf

https://vic.netball.com.au/news/netball-australia-confirms-its-support-marriage-equality-australia

In 2018, Cohen led the Strategy and consultation process that resulted in Netball Australia achieving accreditation as a White Ribbon Workplace, engendering a whole of organisation commitment to stop violence against women, meeting 15 criteria under three standards to create a safer and more respectful workplace. At the time, Netball Australia was only the second national sporting organisation to achieve this accreditation. https://netball.com.au/sites/default/files/2019-06/Annual-Report-2018.pdf

Initiated and led the Australian Sports Commission’s partnership with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to roll out the inaugural anti-homophobia project.

Led social policy areas, including Play By the Rules focusing on discrimination, harassment and inclusion issues, increased opportunities for women in sport, developed universal codes of behaviour for sport and progressed child-safe and child-friendly practices.

Engaged with the Equal Opportunity Commissions and State and Territory Departments of Sport and Recreation to deliver a nationally coordinated approach for the “Play by the Rules”.