Katrina Fanning AO PSM

Women's rugby league pioneer

2020 ACT Australian of the Year

For over 25 years, Wiradjuri woman Katrina Fanning has lived and breathed rugby league.

Following a successful career as a player, she was appointed manager of the Indigenous Women's All Stars team, Chairperson of the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council, and President of the Canberra and Australian Women's Rugby League Associations.

In 2014, she was named Canberra Woman of the Year, and ACT NAIDOC Person of the Year. Then, in 2019, Katrina was the third woman to be appointed to the Canberra Raiders Board of Directors. She brings enormous management capability and experience to the appointment – having held senior government roles with Centrelink, Aboriginal Hostels and the Department of Education, and Employment and Workplace Relations to Board membership experience.

Katrina is also Director of Coolamon Advisors, an Indigenous majority-owned and managed consultancy. She firmly believes that the ACT can lead the way nationally for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people outcomes, in creating and leading their own solutions.