Drawing upon her expertise from the corporate world to drive sports engagement, Alicia Nagle’s journey took a transformative turn with the aid of a Women Leaders in Sport (WLIS) grant. In the midst of the pandemic, Ms. Nagle made a pivotal choice to leave her corporate role, seeking a more meaningful path to contribute to society. Her dedication led her to Empower Golf, an affiliate of Golf Australia and Special Olympics Australia committed to facilitating access and participation in golf for individuals with disabilities.

While actively contributing at Empower Golf, Ms. Nagle seized the opportunity to apply for a WLIS Individual Grant, propelling her professional growth. The WLIS Individual grant initiative is crafted to bolster women in accessing professional development avenues, honing specialized skills, and augmenting existing expertise tailored to their stage in the sport leadership journey. Opting for the Australian Institute of Company Directors Foundations of Directorship program, Ms. Nagle delved into a three-day course encompassing Governance, Risk and Strategy, and Finance for Board Directors.

Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Nagle expressed, “I found the program incredibly useful and insightful … the detailed learning materials, the interesting perspectives, diverse participants, and the network I gained from the course were invaluable.” Today, she stands as the CEO of Zonely, her own sports tech venture, utilizing the profound lessons from her directorship course in her daily operations. Zonely endeavours to unite individuals through social golf activities within their locale, striving to foster active communities.

Stepping into her role as Kel Nagle’s granddaughter, a trailblazer in Australian professional golf, Ms. Nagle’s initial focus has naturally centered around golf. However, she envisions a broader spectrum of sports offerings in the future. The Australian Sports Commission’s WLIS initiative has unfailingly provided leadership and developmental opportunities for over two decades, positively impacting more than 27,000 women and 800 organizations.

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Photo Courtesy Australian Sports Commission

Courtesy Australian Sports Commission