Brisbane Lions have appointed former Sunshine Coast Lightning CEO Danielle Smith as the new General Manager of its AFLW program.
Smith takes over the role at the Brisbane club from Bree Brock, who recently resigned after 10 years with the club.
Smith is an experienced sports administrator and was the inaugural CEO of the Sunshine Coast Lightning Super Netball franchise. Under her guidance, the club won back to back premierships in its first two seasons.
Smith has also held leadership roles with Melbourne Storm, the Geelong Cats and the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
More recently, she was the CEO of Exercise & Sports Science Australia. She was awarded QSport’s Sport Administrator of the Year in 2021
“I’m incredibly honoured to join the Brisbane Lions to lead its AFLW program and build on the outstanding legacy of Bree Brock,” Smith said.
“The opportunity to work with Craig Starcevich, our talented playing group, high performance staff and the broader club is incredibly exciting.
“I’m passionate about continuing to grow and elevate elite women’s sport while supporting an environment where our athletes and staff can perform at their very best.”
“The Brisbane Lions have built a passionate AFLW supporter base and I’m looking forward to connecting with our fans and community as we continue to grow the program.”
Brisbane Lion CEO Sam Graham said he was really looking forward to Smith joining the club.
“Danielle has a deep passion for the code and importantly has significant experience in successful high performance environments,” Graham said.
Smith is due to start the role on March 30.