ELECTED BOARD DIRECTORS

Tom Hoad

Chair

Tom has been President of the Western Australian Sports Federation which recommended the building of the Superdrome (the present HBF Stadium). Tom was on the inaugural supervising committee with Wally Foreman and Professor John Bloomfield which lobbied the government to have it HBF Stadium built.

Tom was President of the Western Australian Olympians association for 4 years as well as being an inaugural member of the Western Australia Institute of Sport for many years and likewise of the Western Australian Sports Centre Trust.

Tom has also served as Vice President of the Board of Australian Water Polo and had to resign due to health issues.

Tom lobbied the State Government and led the bid committee to Fina for Perth to host the 1991 World Swimming Championships in Perth. Together with the then Minister for Sport in Western Australia, the Hon Graham Edwards, Tom went to Canberra and succeeded in convincing the Federal Minister for Sport, Mr Graham Richardson, to provide funding for the 2×50 metre outdoor pools necessary to hold the 1991 World Swimming Championships.

Tom subsequently became the Executive Chairman of both the 1991 and the 1998 World Swimming Championships in Perth. Tom also lobbied Fina to have 4 separate Fina World Junior Water Polo Championships, Fina Masters World Swimming Championships at HBF Stadium and chaired the Organising Committee of all these events.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Western Australia and Patron of the University of WA Sports Committee. Until his appointment to Chairman of WPWAI, he has never been on a club or state water polo committee. Tom has a vast knowledge of International Water Polo and is a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Caitlin Read

Deputy Chair

Caitlin is an experienced human resources professional in people, capability and strategy, currently Human Resources Business Partner at Rio Tinto. With a background in the mining industry, Caitlin is passionate about helping organisations and people reach their full potential. Caitlin started playing water polo at Melville at 9 years of age and has represented at state level in both WA and Queensland in statewide and country teams at a variety of age groups, and a prior member of the Fremantle Marlins. Most recently Caitlin represented WA Country at the national Country Championships and was selected in the 2018 Australian Country squad.

Caitlin holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resources and Industrial Relations) and a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from Curtin University and is currently undertaking her MBA part-time. This is her first Director position and is eager to apply her professional and playing experiences to improve water polo in WA and give back to the sport as a member of the Board.

Stuart Dart

Director

Stuart was elected as a Director in September 2018. He has been involved in water polo for over 35 years as a player, manager, coach and committee member. Stuart played representative water polo for the ACT at Under 20 Level and for the combined Australian Defence Force side at Australian Country Championships.

After completing his service in the Navy, Stuart’s professional career has largely been in the sport and event industry both in community and professional sporting environments. This includes roles at Rugby WA, the West Australian Football Commission, Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust and the WA Department of Sport & Recreation. Stuart’s experience includes the successful bid for the Western Force and the Perth Stadium project.

Currently, he is the State Infrastructure Manager in Western Australia for Cricket Australia and the WACA.

Stuart holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma of Business (Sports Management) from Edith Cowan University.

Michael Sturgeon

Director

Michael began playing water polo at 12 years of age, playing in the river at Crawley, Nedlands and Claremont Baths. He has seen the evolution of water polo from the river times to Betty Park, and now the significant development of purpose-built swimming-pools.

The involvement of Michael’s late father, Frank Sturgeon, who was a committeeman of the Water Polo Association, State Manager and the recipient of the Beaurepair Trophy further enhanced his association with Water Polo WA.

Michael began his dental practice in Rockingham which he has grown to now include four separate locations, with the staff of approximately fifty people. During his time in private practice, Michael has also been a councillor on the Committee of the WA Branch of the WA Dental Association and a clinical tutor at the school of the UWA.

Michael spent 18 years with the Royal Australian Navy (Reserves) as an Officer with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

As a father of five daughters, Michael has been involved in junior water polo coaching and refereeing and recently he has been involved in refereeing in the Senior competition. Furthermore, he has also briefly been on the board of the referee committee.

John Hedges

Director

John Hedges joined the Board in July 2017 and was again elected for a two year term at the 2017 AGM.

John practices law from the Francis Burt chambers and specializes in Family law. He is an accredited mediator and has previously been a Councillor with the City of Fremantle.

John has a son and daughter involved in the sport playing at a National level.

Leanne Kelly

Director

Leanne is a Consultant with Kelly & McHale Family Lawyers, practicing in Family Law. She has been a lawyer for over 35 years, an Accredited Specialist and has practiced in a variety of roles including as a partner at a large firm, a Registrar of the Family Court of Australia and, most recently, in a boutique firm she established some 15 years ago. Leanne has been involved in water polo since high school and has played and coached both in Perth and in Melbourne, where she lived for more than 25 years before returning to Perth in 2017. She has coached at club and state level and has coached the Australian Country Team. She is currently involved in water polo as a masters player and coach, attending FINA Masters Tournaments, most recently in Budapest 2017 and South Korea 2019.

Paul Lilleyman

Director

Paul has been engaged within water polo as a player and official since he escaped from swimming in the late 80’s for a decade till having a break to raise a family, returning to the sport in 2006 with his wife and 4 children experiencing water polo at all levels the sport can offer. This not only involved playing but coaching, managing and serving on the committee of city beach/UWA in the roles of vice president and senior men’s delegate on the last 8 seasons. In the last 2 seasons he has also been a member of the water polo WA competition advisory committee. He also volunteers for the UWA Torpedo’s AWL teams home matches and has had the experience of Playing in masters world championships tournaments in Budapest and recently Gwangjui, South Korea.

Paul professionally has been in the ICT industry for over 30 years, but in the last 12 years focused on building engagement strategies across government and commercial organisations in WA while working with Telstra/Kaz, Hewlett Packard and recently his own consulting business Outerbox43. The main focus is on business development and understanding transformation strategies, ICT maturity and organisational risk levels leading to innovative road maps and solutions. This also includes proving risk assessment services for senior leadership and Board consumption. Paul has a Bachelor of Applied Science (information science) from Edith Cowan University.

APPOINTED BOARD DIRECTORS

Jonathon Shellabear

Director

Jonathan Shellabear has over thirty years’ experience in the mining and financial services industries having worked as a geologist, resources analyst, corporate executive and investment banker with NM Rothschild & Sons, Deutsche Bank and Resource Finance Corporation.

Jonathan was previously the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dominion Mining Limited which was acquired by Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd in February 2011 to create, at that time, the second largest Australian listed gold company by market capitalization. He has also held senior corporate roles with Portman Limited (now Cliffs Natural Resources) as General Manager, Business Development and Heron Resources as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Capricorn Metals Limited.

He has extensive capital markets and advisory experience and has advised on numerous public market transactions to companies.

Jonathan is an accomplished and respected senior executive with extensive knowledge across technical, commercial and financial disciplines. He has extensive relationships amongst the business community and has an engaging and results-oriented approach that utilizes knowledge and insight, in-depth analysis, experience and team engagement to fulfil objectives.

Jonathan was previously the Vice-President of Dolphins Water Polo Club and his family has been closely involved with the North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club for a number of years.

He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Geology and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia.