As part of our ongoing work to uphold the principles and values of equality across our sport, we have established a voluntary female leadership forum to assist us in leading the way.
The group aims to promote and support female leadership at all levels within Athletics Northern Ireland, while providing a safe, inclusive and empowering environment for women to share experiences, challenges, and successes. The group will bring together women for all aspects of the sport, to create opportunities for networking, mentoring, and professional development in order to identify barriers to female participation & leadership and develop strategies to overcome them. They will advocate for greater representation of women in decision-making roles within athletics; develop and implement initiatives that support the long-term growth and retention of female athletes, coaches, and leaders and will celebrate and showcase the achievements of women in athletics across Northern Ireland.
We are conducting a survey to better understand the experiences of female coaches within athletics clubs. Your responses will help identify barriers, existing support, and areas where additional support is desired. All responses are confidential.
Role: Athletics Coach and Tutor, Participation Athlete, ANI Participation Development Officer.
Paula has many years of experience, as an athlete, a coach, and as a parent of high performing athletes. She is passionate about female development in all areas of athletics from grassroots and high performance athletes, to officials and coaches. She regularly dedicates her time to the advancement of the sport across Northern Ireland, both inside and outside of her working role.
Role: Athletics Coach, Athlete, and NI & Ulster Team Manager
Alison is committed to empowering more women to take part in leadership roles within athletics and successfully obtained funding to roll out the successful female development programme in 2025.
Role: Athletics Coach
Ursula brings a wealth of experience as both an athlete and coach. She is passionate about supporting women in all roles within athletics and is committed to ensuring that female participants have access to the support and direction they need.
Role: Athletics Coach
With over 30 years as an international athlete as well as being a coach and mentor, Kelly offers a wealth of expertise in athlete development. She is dedicated to guiding female athletes of all ages and sharing her extensive experience to inspire future leaders.
Role: Athletics Coach, Coach Educator
Emma is an experienced coach educator and sport coordinator, with a focus on high performance and long-term athlete development. She is active in policy design and committee work, and is passionate about mentoring other women to reach elite coaching levels.
Role: Athlete, Business Director
Carla combines her experience as an athlete with her professional role as a business director. She is passionate about empowering women, and as a mother and a leader, is dedicated to fostering resilience, teamwork and confidence in others.
Role: Athletics Coach, Government Project Manager
Gillian brings lived experience as a coach, parent, and government project manager. She has volunteered for Athletics NI and is committed to understanding and addressing the barriers faced by women, coaches, and parents in the sport.
Role: Leader (LiRF), Ladies Captain
Catriona represents the younger generation of leaders in athletics. She is involved at multiple levels, from leading C25k groups to serving as Ladies Captain and committee member for her club. Catriona brings fresh insights and is keen to advocate for her age group.
Role: Coaching Assistant
Tracey is deeply involved in athletics in rural communities, focusing on primary school children and the retention of teenage girls in sport. Her commitment to increasing female participation and leadership outside urban centres adds valuable regional diversity.
For more information please contact Athletics NI: info@athleticsni.org