SportWest as the peak body for sport in WA aims to guide and support our members on delivering quality experiences in sport, now and into the future. One of these crucial foundations to safe, welcoming and inclusive sport is creating culturally aware and appropriate environments for all Western Australians, with a particular focus on our First Nations people.
As the first step in SportWest embarking on our cultural journey of learning and growth, Thursday 5 September 2024 will be a milestone date, with the announcement of our inaugural Cultural Navigation Lead in Sharon Wood-Kenney.
Sharon comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting WA communities to navigate cultural understanding, and SportWest will benefit greatly from her steady and experienced hands guiding us forwards.
To read the full press release click here.
For more information or general enquiries on SportWest’s cultural navigation journey, please contact Caitlin Spencer on caitlinspencer@sportwest.com.au.
Cultural Navigation Advisory Group
Abid Imam
Abid has been immersed in the West Australian sports industry for over 15 years in roles with Little Athletics WA, Gymnastics WA and Football West. His experience spans club development, community participation and inclusion. Most recently, he has been the Volunteer & Workforce Manager – Perth/Boorloo for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
Adam Cockie
Adam currently works as the Aboriginal Cricket Specialist at WA Cricket where his passion is around the Aboriginal space, working through metro, regional and remote communities of Western Australia. The main programs he delivers are the Deadly Cricket programs, designed mainly for after school and youth groups, Leadership programs focused on working with high school students to build leadership, confidence, and resilience, and the High-Performance Aboriginal State Program. Before his time at WA Cricket, Adam was at the WA Football Commission working as a Diversity Community Officer in the north metro with multicultural and Aboriginal communities engaging and building football.
Adam is a Whadjuk/Wiilman Noongar Man and grew up in the northern suburbs. He has played numerous sports, with most time spent in football, and was lucky enough to have played at the highest level in AFL for the West Coast Eagles in 2009-10, following which he continued playing state league football in the VFL & WAFL. Adam reached over 200 senior games retiring in 2018 from state league football, with his involvement continuing in the country and metro leagues.
Andrew Dawe
Andrew has been in and around sport all his life and can be grateful for the opportunities it has provided him. He sees sport as a lens into society and admits he doesn’t always like what he sees. Andrew firmly believes sport has the power to create positive change in society which is his motivation to be on this Advisory Group. He brings an alternative view, having not always worked in sport and can bring learnings from other industries to help shape better outcomes.
Beth Harvey
Beth Harvey is currently Netball WA’s General Manager Community with a netball history across playing, coaching and administration. She is an elite level coach continuing her involvement across all levels. Beth brings a strong background in governance, strategy and risk from her 16 years working in the community services sector.
Jade Narkle
Jade is a proud Noongar woman from Perth and has strong family connections to the Wongi people – from the Goldfields and the Yamatji people – from the Pilbara.
Jade currently works at the West Australian Football Commission as the Aboriginal & Diversity Programs Specialist and has been in the role for the last 3 years. She has also been very fortunate to be able to support and guide Tennis West and Hockey Australia in their Indigenous reconciliation journey.
Jade believes sport is a vehicle for change and if she can help with that change so that her people can participate in any sport of their choosing and feel culturally safe then she definitely wants to be on this journey.
Kara Antonio
Kara Antonio, a former AFLW captain and player of the Fremantle Dockers has dedicated her career to fostering her passion for inclusion and equality to break down gender barriers and create opportunities for underrepresented communities, in both Perth and Regional WA. With extensive experience in leadership, education, and coaching, Kara has built a distinguished career in sports, education, and community engagement. She currently serves as the Head of Senior School at SEDA College WA, leading the Inclusion and Diversity portfolio, and chairing the College’s Reconciliation Action Plan, while also contributing to the Fremantle Dockers’ AFLW Program as a backline assistant coach. Her achievements, including life membership at Fremantle Football Club and recognition as an Emerging Leader, reflect her dedication to driving diversity, equity, and cultural understanding through sport.
Karen Wickham
Karen Wickham joined Volleyball WA in 2015 and is the current Participation Manager at Volleyball WA with oversight of participation, inclusion, club development, education and regional development. She is passionate about creating opportunities for everyone to participate in volleyball regardless of age, gender, ability and background. She is currently on the Volleyball Australia RAP Working Group and is the Chair of the Volleyball WA Reconciliation Working Group. Karen is originally from Trinidad and Tobago but has called Australia her home over the last 9 years. She holds both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Sport Management and is committed to continuous learning and making a positive impact in the sport industry in Western Australia.
Mel Farley
Mel is currently the Executive Officer at Triathlon WA. Prior to this appointment, Mel held roles in the state government and not for profit sectors, along with various membership-based organisations. She holds a particular interest in physical literacy, having launched a multisport skills development program for primary school aged children in Colorado in 2014, that is reflected in her passion for developing equitable practices in all sports for all Western Australians.
Phil Narkle
Phil is a proud Noongar man and Elder from Perth. Phil has strong family connections to the Wongi people – from the Goldfields and the Yamatji people – from the Pilbara.
Phil currently works at the West Australian Football Commission as the Aboriginal Program Manager and has been in the role for the last 3 years. Phil has also been very fortunate to be able to support and guide Tennis West and Hockey Australia in their Indigenous reconciliation journey.
In Phil’s words, “In my Dreaming I see my Aboriginal People (who have been on this earth for 1000’s and 1000’s of years) who have had to build and develop a strong resilience to handle or tolerate adversity, hardship, harsh conditions and suffering that was put in their pathway of life. I believe I am carrying on that legacy, to help close the gap for Indigenous and non- Indigenous people. My Dreaming pathway is giving me direction and leadership.”
Zara Cavalot
Zara Cavalot is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional with sport touchpoints in Tennis, Aussie Rules, and Boxing. Zara is the chair of the Tennis West RAP Project Team and led the development of Tennis West’s inaugural RAP (Reflect) which launched in October 2024, and sits on the Tennis West First Nations Working Group. Zara heads the special rounds activities at University Football Club (Perth Football League): NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week programming within the club. Zara’s work involves workplace training, strategic planning, stakeholder management and community engagement. Zara is particularly interested in exploring the intersections of WA’s diverse demographics to enhance everyone’s sense of belonging and to drive meaningful change in workplaces and communities.
