George Peponis OAM is Chair of NSW Rugby League, NSW League Club and ClubsNSW, and Director of Hospitality Employers Mutual. He was Chair of the Rugby League World Cup in 2017, the Canterbury League Club Board and the Bulldogs Football Club. He had an 11-year playing career with the Bulldogs, captaining the side on 71 occasions. He represented NSW 7 times and played 8 Test Internationals, 5 of them as captain. Dr Peponis is a GP with an MBBS from UNSW. He received an OAM for services to rugby league and the community.
Prue Watt OAM is one of Australia’s most successful Paralympic swimmers. She represented Australia at the four Paralympic Games held between 2004 and 2016. At the Athens 2004 Games, she brought home five silver medals and one bronze medal – an outstanding result, which led to her being awarded the 2004 Australian Paralympic Committee Female Junior Paralympian of the Year.
Andrew is a wheelchair rugby player who made Paralympic debut in Rio, where the Australian Steelers became the first team in wheelchair rugby history to win consecutive Paralympic gold medals and a World Championship title in a four-year period.
One of Australia’s most successful ever cricketers, Alex Blackwell played 12 Test matches, 144 One Day Internationals and 95 T20 Internationals for her country. A vocal advocate for equality, Blackwell has been at the forefront during a time of rapid change for the women’s game that has brought increased pay and professionalism.
Chair
Simon is a UNSW Foundation Board Director who co-founded the establishment of the UNSW Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarship in 1988. He has extensive experience in the funds management industry, and is currently Managing Director, Corporate Banking at Bell Potter Securities.
Melanie Webb is a doctor and former Olympic windsurfer, one of the first recipients of a Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarship, and has been inducted into the UNSW Sport Hall of Fame. She continues to be involved with the sport, holding coaching positions with state and national windsurfing teams.
Paul Clitheroe is a keen sailor and a widely respected financial adviser and a Director of ipac Securities, a company which he founded with four partners in 1983 that is now one of Australia’s leading financial planning firms. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003, an OAM in 1988, and an AM in 2018.
Matt Carroll is an accomplished senior sports executive with over two decades’ experience. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Olympic Committee, having previously worked at Australian Sailing, Rugby Australia and Football Federation Australia.