Our team

Our board

UniSport Australia (UniSport) is a not for profit company limited by guarantee. UniSport is governed by a nine person board comprised of six member elected directors, two independent directors appointed by the board, and one director appointed by Universities Australia.

Each elected Board Director and the Chair serve on the board for an initial two year term, after which they can choose to submit a nomination to be re-elected for a further term.

The board meets a minimum of five times per year and is represented by the following people.

Board vacancy: UniSport Australia is currently seeking expressions of interest for the roles of two Independent Directors to serve a three year term on our Board. Expressions of interest are sought from candidates with skills in the areas of Public Relations and Advocacy, Broadcast Platforms and Production, Corporate Partnerships and/or Social Media and New Media. For more details, please review Call for Directors paper.

David Schmude

Chair – Member elected, 2016–current

David has extensive experience in sport management and marketing at a national and regional level. As UNE Life CEO at the University of New England in Armidale, David has a proven track record in extending sport’s influence in the community and corporate sector to improve student services and enhance university sport’s profile, including forging partnerships with multiple state and regional sport organisations.

He shares UniSport Australia’s commitment to foster university sport as a part of university life and represent university students’ sporting needs in government decision making. At UNE, David has spearheaded policy initiatives that enhance the place and potential of university sport, especially for regional universities who typically combine an on-campus residential population with externally enrolled students living in various cities and regions.

Katrina O'Mahony

Deputy Chair – Director – Member elected, 2018–current

BA (Hons)

Katrina has 15 years’ experience working in sport, within tertiary, not for profit, and commercial sectors. With over a decade in sports marketing she brings strong commercial, brand and marketing expertise to the board. Katrina has worked with global brands to drive business objectives through sport, leading the delivery of international sponsorships at the Australian Open Tennis, Hong Kong 7’s Rugby Union, London 2012 Olympics, and Paralympic World Cup.

Katrina’s experience spans multiple markets, having cultivated her career in London, Hong Kong and Sydney, bringing with her different cultural perspectives on the value of sport. In her current role as CEO of ANU Sport, located in Canberra, Katrina is responsible for all campus sport and physical activity.

Katrina is passionate about sport and believes in its power to deliver social change and build community – particularly within the tertiary education sector. She was a representative netballer and the founder of the Women in Sport group.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English and Philosophy – University of Leeds

Prof Tim Brailsford

Director – Appointed / Universities Australia recommended, 2014–current)

SF Fin FCPA FAIM PhD MEc BEc (Hons)

Tim is Vice Chancellor and President of Bond University. Located on the Gold Coast, Bond University is Australia’s first independent, private non-profit university. Tim’s experience includes academic and administrative positions at Monash University, The University of Queensland, The Australian National University and The University of Melbourne. He holds PhD, Masters and Honours degrees and is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Fellow of CPA Australia. Tim is a qualified referee and coach, and has been involved with sport for several decades, particularly cricket and rugby.

Qualifications

BEc (Hons) MEc PhD (Monash)

SF Fin, FCPA, FAIM

Prof Russell Hoye

Director – Member elected, 2017–current

PhD MPP MES BA

Russell is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Development) at La Trobe University and Director of La Trobe Sport. He brings detailed knowledge of community and elite sport from his two decade long research and consulting background, along with current experience managing La Trobe University relationships with a variety of state and national sport organisations. As Director of La Trobe Sport he’s overseen the development and implementation of a university wide strategy for sport and a significant restructure process. His role has oversight of all campus sport experiences, participation opportunities, university clubs, commercial partnerships, elite athlete support, and sport infrastructure, curriculum and research. He is a widely published author and sought after conference speaker in Australia and internationally.

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (Griffith University)

Master of Public Policy & Management (Monash University)

Master of Environmental Studies (The University of Melbourne)

Bachelor of Arts (Recreation) (Victoria University of Technology)

Chris Massey

Director – Member elected, 2017–current

GAICD Med MBA BPE

Chris brings 28 years’ education sector experience encompassing tertiary and secondary teaching, physical education, and management of an educational self-esteem program in Australia and Singapore. Part of UWA’s senior leadership team and reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Chris is UWA Student Life Director and UWA Critical Incident Team Deputy Chair. He’s responsible for leading, driving and implementing the UWA student experience and his portfolio includes oversight of UWA Sport, Student Accommodation Office, Health Promotion Unit, Medical Centre and Early Learning Centres. He’s passionate about the value sport offers in the education sector including participation, volunteering and leadership opportunities and believes that sport is a sound investment from graduate, employer and universities’ perspectives. Chris is Leadership WA Fellow, UWA Football Club Life Member and recipient of a UWA Excellence in Teaching Award.

Qualifications

Doctorate of Education (in progress) (The University of Western Australia)

Diploma Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors (Australian Institute of Company Directors)

Master of Education (The University of Western Australia)

Master of Business Administration (Edith Cowan University)

Graduate Diploma of Management (Edith Cowan University)

Diploma of Education (The University of Western Australia)

Bachelor of Physical Education (The University of Western Australia)

Peter McGrath

Appointed, 2015–current

FAICD FAPI LLB

Peter is a highly experienced corporate/sport lawyer and administrator. He’s undertaken and collaborated on multiple national sport organisation governance projects for the Australian Sports Commission.

Peter’s a government appointed director of Canberra Institute of Technology. Formerly he was the Chair and Director of Rugby Australia, member of the International Rugby Board (iRB) and was a member of the iRB Executive Committee. Peter was a Director and Chair of Brumbies Rugby and was a member and Chair of SANZA which was a Joint Venture between the Australian, New Zealand and South African Rugby Unions. Peter is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is also a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute.

Qualifications
Grad Dip in Legal Practice (Australian National University)
LLB (Australian National University)
Associate Diploma in Valuation (Sydney Technical College)

Paul McJannett

Director - Member elected, 2019 - current

Paul has 23 years’ experience in the co-curricular Australian Higher Education sector with experience extending across multiple disciplines. Dedicated to his current role as the Director of Student Engagement and Services at the Australian Catholic University, Paul is committed to promoting student equity, access to higher education and engagement through holistic support and programs. This has involved establishing sporting programs, accommodation and medical structures nationally for the Australian Catholic University.

Former CEO of the University of Sydney Union, Paul has extensive experience leading and managing change in large and complex organisations.

Paul is passionate about sport and has served many years as a volunteer in the sports of surf lifesaving and water polo and is currently a delegate to the Australian Water Polo League and a member of the Executive Committee of the Sydney University men’s water polo club, one of the largest and most successful University sporting clubs in Australia. He recognises the important role UniSport Australia plays in facilitating a rich aspirational sporting pathway.

Qualifications

Graduate Certificate, Catholic Culture & Leadership

Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors

Graduate Diploma in Property Investment & Finance, Property Council of Australia

Business Management Certificate, Australian Institute of Management

Bachelor of Building (Hons 1st), UNSW

Diploma of Teaching SCAE

Mark Sinderberry

UniSport CEO

Mark commenced his role as UniSport CEO in December 2018.

Mark was the founding chief executive of the ACT Brumbies Rugby in 1995, and spent six years as Group CEO of English premiership club Saracens, and four years as CEO of the Western Force.

"I am delighted to be joining UniSport Australia at this significant time, with the opportunity to build on the work that has commenced under Don Knapp and the UniSport Board to fully develop and implement the divisional and national sports model,” Mark said.

“I am particularly keen to work with the UniSport staff to ensure we are driving value to our members, and supporting them to provide the opportunity for all students to have a healthy, active, engaged, and well-rounded higher education experience”.