Global Game Changers: Rewriting the Playbook: Women Leading the Future of Sport

Women are transforming sport — from science and coaching to global event leadership. Join leading researchers, coaches and executives as they explore how women are driving high-performance innovation, shaping major events, and changing the future of sport.

Hosted by UTS, this inspiring event showcases the research and talent behind the next era of inclusive, world-class performance.

About the Event
From sports science, biomechanics and coaching to the delivery of global tournaments, women are rewriting the playbook for how sport is played, led and studied. This conversation celebrates those leading the charge — breaking barriers, challenging systems, and redefining what elite performance looks like.

UTS is at the centre of this shift, producing the research, talent and industry partnerships driving a smarter, more equitable future for sport. Through initiatives like the UTS–Cricket NSW partnership and global collaborations in performance science, UTS is showing how women in sport and innovation are elevating performance on and off the field.

Hosted by Stephanie Brantz, award-winning sports broadcaster and MC, this event showcases the research and talent behind the next era of inclusive, world-class performance.

Whether you’re an athlete, researcher, industry professional or simply passionate about the future of sport, this event offers a powerful look at how women are leading global change — from grassroots to high performance.

MC

Stephanie Brantz - Freelance Sport and Events Presenter, Producer and Commentator.

With over 25 years of experience as a Sport & Major Events presenter, sport producer, commentator and MC, Stephanie also has wide experience beyond the sporting domain, regularly facilitating conferences and moderating panels in the fields of education, technology advancement and corporate product rollouts.

Immediate past Chair of DFAT’s Sports Diplomacy Advisory Council and Deputy Chair of the Football NSW board, Stephanie is currently a director on the Venues NSW, Volleyball NSW and Stadium Australia Club Boards. She sits on the committee of the Primary Club of Australia, the Carbine Club of Australia and the Pacific Sports Diplomacy Network as well as the UNSW Sport Advisory Council.

Speakers:

Leah Poulton – Head of Female Elite Cricket, Cricket NSW

A recognised leader in women’s cricket, Leah Poulton brings over 20 years of experience in high-performance sport and athlete development. A former Australian international cricketer, she now oversees female cricket in NSW, leading all aspects from pathway athletes to professional teams.

An Australian international cricketer, she opened the batting for Australia across Tests, ODIs and T20Is from 2006 to 2012. She captained New South Wales at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-23 levels and was instrumental in five consecutive Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) titles for NSW from 2005-06. In her senior domestic career, she also played for Nottinghamshire in England, and in 2009 she made her Test debut and scored a standout 104* in an ODI against New Zealand.

Since retiring from international play, Leah has taken up senior leadership roles in women’s cricket. She led the Female High-Performance Pathway at Cricket Australia, served as assistant coach and pathway director in NSW and was appointed Head of Female Elite Cricket at Cricket NSW — overseeing athlete development, coaching programs and elite teams. Widely regarded as a thought leader in talent development and is widely regarded as an expert in women’s cricket and talent development, Leah drives forward the future of women’s cricket in Australia.

Katie Slattery - Senior Lecturer at the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, UTS

Her career has evolved from being a sports science practitioner, and coach (Track Endurance Cycling) within the National Institute Network to an applied researcher. As part of her role she supported the women's track endurance cycling squad to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This career pathway has provided a unique lens in which science is contextualised with holistic athlete development. Katie’s research has direct impact on how elite athletes train and prepare for competition.

Samantha D'Souza - Director, Women Sport Australia

'Samantha is a culture storyteller and leader who builds communities of change through vibrant brand identities, dynamic communication strategies, and artistic content. Her career story spans several industries (social impact, sport, entertainment, & science) and continents from Australia, the US, Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. 

As Managing Director of act.3 Australia, she’s leading the agency’s expansion across APAC while driving cultural marketing for brands like adidas. Samantha’s leadership also extends as a Board Director of the UCLA Alumni Association and Women Sport Australia.

Libby Pickering Rodriguez - Lecturer in Sport and Exercise, UTS Faculty of Health.

Libby is a specialist in biomechanics and applied sport science. Her research includes muscle stiffness, injury risk, and movement analysis using 3D motion capture and force platforms. She has worked with athletes in AFL, netball, and cricket, and teaches biomechanics within UTS sport degrees.

Join us for what we think will be an inspiring event.