Women's Advisory Council

Susan Horwitz

Susan currently Chairs Sport NSW's Women's Program Advisory Council. She is the former President of Womensport and Recreation NSW, an organisation that for many years championed sporting opportunities for women and girls in this state. 

Susan is also an experienced publisher with strong commercial management and corporate experience in media, the arts and communications. She is a past Director and Shareholder of Horwitz Publications Pty Ltd., and for many years oversaw and spearheaded the publication of a diverse range of popular books, educational titles and consumer magazines. With this business background, Susan was appointed a Member of the Dean's Advisory Council, Faculty of the Arts & Social Sciences, University of New South Wales in March 2015.

Throughout her career Susan has always been closely aligned with advancing women’s issues. She is a past Vice President of Chief Executive Women and Chair of Chief Executive Women’s NSW Events Committee.  In October 2015, she was appointed to Chief Executive Women's Leaders Program, Advisory Board.

Before joining Horwitz, Susan co-founded a successful radio production company in the USA. Her business experience here and abroad has highlighted to her the vigilance required to support female talent. Apart from her own personal interest in most sports, Susan believes there are leadership, health, educative and disciplinary benefits in encouraging participation in sport and recreation. Susan has held previous directorships in several media and arts companies.

Susan is currently a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Patron of Sculpture by the Sea.

Susan was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2003 for services to Australian society in business leadership.
 

Jessica Hurford

Jessica currently works as the Head of Commercial Operations at the Australian Olympic Committee and the Director of Partner Servicing and Fulfilment at global sports agency Sportfive.

With over 20 years commerial experience her career has included; the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Australian Rugby Union, including six years in London, firstly managing the ARU's northern hemispheres commercial program for 2007Rugby World Cupand then as Director of Corporate Partnerships for the British Olympic Association in the lead up to the London 2012.

Jess has been involved in projects outside sport including founding work for Conscious Capitalism Australia and the promotion of Australian Business in Europe.

Jess brings her lifelong sporting passionate and a career of commercial sports experience to Sport NSW.
 

Sarah Stewart

Sarah is a 3-time Paralympian, winning silver in Athens 2004, bronze in Beijing 2008, and silver in London 2012. As well as competing, Sarah coached the WSNSW juniors, currently manages the Sydney University Flames Wheelchair Basketball Club and WNWBL team, and started (and continues to run) the WSNSW Women's Festival of Wheelchair Basketball, and WSNSW HERSport Festivals.

Sarah has worked as a university lecturer and tutor, a teacher, for the NSW Government, and Paralympics Australia. Sarah is on boards and committees across women's sport, para-sport, basketball and universities, and is on the Paralympics Australia Athletes Commission.

Sarah is passionate about the value of sport for everyone, but especially women and people with a disability.

Kerry Turner

Kerry is the current lead for the NSW Government's Women in Sport Strategy - Her Sport Her Way (2019-2023). She is a multi-award winning project manager, innovator and strategist, and has been the public face of a multitude of initiatives that promote sport for all and wellbeing in the community like Sport Rage Prevention, Think.Act.Play, and Finish with the Right Stuff.

She has over 25 years' experience working across Australian sport, including board and advisory roles in sport and Government, and has held senior management roles at the NSW Office of Sport in the areas of sport participation, policy, and childhood obesity prevention. 

A former World Champion who has played 108 test caps for Australia in water polo, Kerry understands the power of sport to influence culture. She is also a budding actress who has been cast in a number of playes including My Wonderful Day, Playhouse Creatures and Bombshells.