People with Purpose: The athlete who punches above her weight at the board table

How did you become involved in Taekwondo?

I have a 20-year relationship with Taekwondo which took me to a global ranking of 28th in the world representing Australia from 2015 to 2018.

I started Taekwondo when I was five years old. There was a local school down the road from my house and my parents enrolled me. I loved it and would want to go every day.

I practised my technique, flexibility, and traditional Taekwondo for many years and at the age of 12 I had dreams of competing in sparring and that’s where my fighting journey began.

During my time in the national team, I travelled to multiple countries across the world. I competed at the highest level as an elite athlete – in the World Championships, Grand Prix events, Asian Games, Pacific Games, Oceania, and international open events.

I won multiple Australian championships and medalled in Greece, Luxembourg, and Croatia.

I now coach for a local Taekwondo academy and I find it very rewarding to share my knowledge with kids of all ages.

I have enjoyed building a sparring team and being able to influence the students in a valuable and memorable way.

What were the highlights of your Taekwondo career?

I represented Australia in the 46kg division throughout my whole athletic career, and in some cases fought 49kg as it was my Olympic division.

I fought and medalled in multiple G1, G2 and G4 ranked events throughout the years. I travelled to many countries and won medals in the Greece, Luxembourg, and Croatian opens.

I also won Oceanic Championships, and medalled in the Pacific Games and in the Presidents Cup in Uzbekistan. I qualified and fought in a number of Grand Prix events which are invite-only for the top 32 in the world.

I qualified for the Grand Prix events in the 49kg category in Moscow and London. I was chosen by the Australian Olympic Committee to be the flag bearer in the Asian Games in Turkmenistan, and I took great pride in that as it was the first time Australia was invited to this event.

I have a long list of achievements and many proud and memorable moments that I will cherish forever. I finished my athlete career in 2018. I love the sport and I am very passionate about it to this day.

Despite all the medals, I believe my greatest achievement was the discipline I learnt from a young age. This discipline, sacrifice and structure has shaped me into who I am today.

It has followed me into my professional career as a director and board member of Australian Taekwondo and as a co-owner and managing director of my national recruitment agency, Temp and Agnew.

How did you become involved in sports administration and how have you found that experience?

As a national Taekwondo athlete, I experienced the highs and lows of elite sport.

I identified areas that could be improved as well as areas that should be maintained. I am a young, passionate and fair individual. I wanted to bring my experience as well as my knowledge back to my sport as a board member and director and to be a voice for all athletes.

I am very committed to Australian Taekwondo and I am dedicated to ensuring the organisation continues to operate effectively. I am motivated to make an impact and I love that I can bring a different perspective, a unique experience and diversity to the board.

I am the youngest director elected to the Australian Taekwondo board and I have found my experience in this position for the past two years extremely valuable.

I feel empowered to share my thoughts and contribute to discussions as well as add valuable insights. I have had a very positive experience and I enjoy leading the organisation and always acting in the organisation’s best interests. This opportunity has also elevated me professionally and I am grateful for that.

Why did you apply for the 2024 Women in Sport Diploma of Governance program?

I saw it as an opportunity to upskill, develop and bring the best governance practices back to the board.

This type of program will connect me to a community of likeminded people where you can share and discuss common sporting obstacles. It will also give me the space to grow professionally and strategically.

I want to be the best director I can be and therefore I need the education and the tools to continue to succeed on the board.

I want to be able to deliver value to the organisation and it is imperative that I am a contributing and active board member. I hope that during my tenure and performance on the board and through successful experiences like this Diploma that I can encourage other women or other younger professionals who have the right intentions, attitude, and skills to apply for board positions or make conscious decisions to upskill.

The organisation and the broader community will also immensely benefit from the concepts and learnings this diploma will provide me and the organisation.

What have you learned as a result?

I have just begun my Diploma and I am really enjoying it. I love being in a forum with likeminded people, and in this case women. I enjoy listening to others experiences and how they problem solve. I look forward to completing this Diploma of Governance over the next 12 months.

I would highly recommend all women in sport to use these types of opportunities for learning, education, and development.

For any current board directors or aspiring board directors, this is a great forum to ask questions, share, network, connect and ensure that you are up to date with best practice.