Saskia is a communications professional who collaborates with stakeholders to deliver strategic communications outcomes. Saskia holds a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations and Journalism) and a Diploma of Digital Marketing from Murdoch University, and has over ten years of marketing and communications experience across a variety of sectors including media, education, public health, not for profit, sports and community services.

Saskia was only ten years old when she migrated with her family from Indonesia to New Zealand. She was the newest kid in the block and didn’t speak the language of her classmates very well. But every lunchtime, everyone knew how to play her favourite game, football! Through football, Saskia made friends, learned the English language and was able to connect with her new community. When she relocated to Australia later on as a young adult, Saskia volunteered and coached at local football clubs which helped her find new friendships and a sense of belonging. Since then, Saskia knew she wanted to spread the word about the power of football in breaking barriers.

As a football fan, Saskia is an advocate for sports as a community development platform and works within the media and communications space to support Football Futures Foundation in delivering impactful messages to promote its mission.

Outside her 9-5, Saskia serves as an advisory board member at One Ball, a Melbourne-based not for profit football organisation championing inclusion for children and young people from immigrant and refugee backgrounds.

In her spare time, Saskia is usually watching football games, spending time with loved ones and travelling whenever she gets a chance!

Jason is originally from Manchester UK, and has been involved in soccer coaching professionally for the last 15 years.

Currently working on his UEFA A coaching licence and MA in Youth Arts & Sports Education, Jason has a strong commitment towards the development of youth participants.

In 2000 Jason moved to Cork, Ireland and in 2012 created soccer coaching program working with Individuals, Schools, Grassroots & Pro clubs in the Munster region.

Since arriving in Perth in 2022 Jason has been involved in coaching and is currently working with Football West & Subiaco AFC outside of his Football Futures role.

Brent is an accomplished leader within the fields of education, sport, health care and community services.

His expertise centres on the design, delivery and evaluation of social impact systems and services which optimise the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Brent is passionate about building capacity to support both disadvantaged and young people. He finds inspiration in the collective strength of thriving and diverse communities and the powerful role of sport. Brent’s engagement with diverse fields of practice and partnerships translates to meaningful outcomes.

Brent holds post-graduate qualifications in Education, Educational Neuroscience and Health and Human Services.

He is an Australian Mental Health Leaders Fellow, a Non-Executive Board Member at Chronic Pain Australia and performs several advisory committee roles within sport, community and health contexts at state, national and international level.

Brent’s appointment as Football Futures Foundation’s Inaugural Executive Officer coincided with the launch of the Foundation in 2021.

Art has over 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, of which eight were spent in community services. He is passionate about improving the lives of others and gets excited about strategy, innovation and new business start-ups.

He has experienced the power of football in connecting people from different backgrounds and cultures following his migration from the Netherlands in 2009. It is his mission in life to share the benefits he has received from the World Game with as many people as possible and give back to his adopted country. He is a grassroots football coach and volunteers at his local club in his spare time.

Art holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Small Business Management, a Master of Science in Policy, Communication & Organisation and a Master of Business Administration (adv) from the University of Western Australia.

Nick has over 50 years experience in business across a variety of sectors including primary production, hospitality, horticulture property development and professional sports. He currently owns Sumich Group which is the largest horticulturist in Western Australia. He was previously majority owner of Australian Fast Foods which owned both Chicken Treat and Red Rooster.

In 1995 Nick founded the Perth Glory Soccer Club, Western Australia’s first entry into the then National Soccer League. He was also instrumental in the redevelopment of Perth Oval (now HBF Park) by the Western Australian State Government.

In 2019, Ernst and Young recognised Nick’s business achievements naming him as its Champion of Entrepreneurship at the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
Nick is the Chair of the Football Futures Foundation.

Tanya is experienced in all forms of the game and is currently the Head Coach of Bristol City Women in the FA Women’s Championship. She has playing experience at a professional level for Perth Glory, where she was the first player of indigenous descent to captain a W-League side, and Doncaster Rovers Belles.

Tanya was born in the Pilbara town of Wickham and grew up playing football in a team coached by her father in the local community.

Tanya holds a UEFA A-Licence, a Diploma in Football Management and is a qualified sports psychologist.

James is an experienced senior executive, board member and advisor across government, not for profit and community sectors. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Football West and a member of the University of Western Australia’s Sports Advisory Board, whilst previously Executive Director – Community Development within the WA State Government and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Advisory Council. He is also current Director of Richmond Wellbeing who provide inclusive, community-based mental health and wellbeing support services across Western Australia.

James has worked in a broad range of sectors including media, health, education, Aboriginal affairs, finance, community services including as a senior management consultant providing strategy and evaluation advice to State and Commonwealth government agencies.

James holds a Graduate Diploma in Commercial Resource Law from the University of Western Australia and Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Social Science from Curtin University. James is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a member and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Chris has over a decade’s worth of experience in building and advocating for inclusive sport. He has worn many hats over that time, including an athlete, administrator, classifier and volunteer.

Chris has spent his working life working alongside communities and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) and a Masters of Professional Communications (Public Relations & Management).

As an athlete, Chris spent the majority of his Sunday League career playing for the Joondanna Blues. He represented the Pararoos at two world cups and won Goalkeeper of the tournament at the 2018 IFCPF Asian Cup.

He considers his proudest achievement to be co-founding the WA Para Football program in 2010 where he has witnessed first-hand the power of football to bring communities together and improve the quality of life of people regardless of their circumstances.

Chris provides advice on matters relating to community inclusion and is excited to support the Football Futures Foundation to ensure that the world game is a game for everyone.

Originally from Liverpool UK, Mick is a die-hard Everton supporter, living and breathing all things football (soccer). Mick loves playing and coaching and is passionate about inclusion in the sport – working tirelessly to ensure that the entire Perth community can play the beautiful game, regardless of disability, age, or background.

Mick leads the United Reds Football League project supporting local clubs to get involved in this fun and inclusive league for young players with disability or just new to the game!

Mick is also involved with the WA Paras football program and has been for the last 7 years. If you want to know anything about parafootball, ask Mick!

On the off-chance Mick isn’t coaching, playing or even thinking about football, you’ll find him cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or walking his beloved dog.

Ivy has held several senior corporate management roles. Currently Ivy is the Manager of the Corporate team and a Principal Consultant at CSA Global Pty Ltd where her areas of specialty include corporate governance, due diligence, mining studies and disclosure.

Ivy has been involved in the minerals industry for over 30 years in geology, mining and resource estimation, and management. Her operational experience in the mining industry in Australia and China as a geologist includes open pit and underground mines for gold, manganese and chromite. She is a director of the AusIMM, the largest professional association for those employed in the mining industry, and a non-executive director of Horizon Power, a WA state government trading enterprise.

Ivy’s passion for football was developed at a young age through growing up in Malaysia and being exposed to many international competitions. Ivy is now involved with Multicultural Futures, a not-for-profit organisation which provides support to migrants for the first five years in Australia, where English and living can be challenging, but football provides a great way for community integration.

Tony has over 30 years’ experience as a qualified lawyer in the areas of corporate law, commercial law, property law and commercial litigation. He has significant experience in commercial management across real estate, sport, not-for-profit entities, venue management and media industries.

Tony is currently Managing Director of Gramercy Legal and a former Director of the Educational Music Tour Bus Foundation Australia (The FAME Project).

Tony holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Psychology all from the University of Western Australia. He is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the High Court of Australia.