Guest Speaker Michelle Gerdtz

Brief bio:

Michelle was General Manager High Performance and Commercial at Netball Victoria. She was also in the leadership team for the Australian Masters Games in Geelong in 2009 and 2013. Michelle worked with the Department of Justice and Community Safety in contract management and stakeholder engagement capacities. She is netball and cricket player and committee member at Bell Park Sport & Recreation Club from 2001 to today. Michelle has served in multiple roles, including President of the Netball section and as the first female President of a Geelong Football Netball League club in the role of football President in 2012. She continued as Commissioner of AFL Barwon in 2016, eventually becoming Chair in 2022.

Currently Michelle is the General Manager of Read the Play, a mental health and literacy charity based in Geelong. Read the Play aims to enhance young people's understanding of mental health while fostering environments that encourage positive help-seeking behaviours and reduce judgment around mental health challenges.