Scholarship & Mentoring Program Committee
The Scholarship and Mentoring Program (S&MP) Selection Committee is responsible for considering all applications that meet the eligibilty criteria and submitting final successful applicants to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) Board for ratification.
The SAHOF S&MP Selection Committee comprises of up to five SAHOF Members, up to one additional expert, up to two SAHOF staff Members (including the Manager) and the SAHOF CEO.
Sue Stanley OAM – Chair
Sue has a career that lasted from 1991 to 1994 and a comeback in 2000; she single-handedly took sport aerobics from the health clubs of Australia to the world stage when she was crowned World Sport Aerobics Champion on three consecutive occasions.
Sue began winning gold medals on the international sport aerobics stage early in 1993. Her successive wins at the International Aerobic Federation World Aerobic Championships in 1993 made her the only woman in the history of the sport ever to successfully to defend a World Title. Sue’s incredible sporting achievements soared to an unparalleled level with her win in the 1994 World Aerobic Championships in Las Vegas. Her dream of becoming the only aerobic athlete to win three World Championships became a reality.
So dominant was Sue Stanley in the sport aerobics that she was undefeated both at a national and international level for four years. Amassing an amazing 35 consecutive wins, including three World Championship titles, numerous international titles and eight Australian and national championships. Without a doubt, Sue Stanley is the queen of her sport.
However, Sue is not only an Aerobics star. She is a unique individual who has been able to represent her country at the highest level, in four different sports. As a child she began her sporting career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the Australian gymnastic team, the versatile Sue then turned her talents to water-skiing and was able to represent Australia again at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. In a brilliant comeback in November 2000 at the Olympia World Championship, Sue, after a five-year retirement from all international sport, stunned the sporting world by winning gold and becoming the 2000 Ms Fitness World Champion.
Sue has now turned her attention to encouraging Australians and citizens of the World of all ages to take care of themselves and enjoy life to the fullest. Sue is a believer in the ‘sport for all’ principle. Her immediate aim is to utilise her current status and profile to deliver motivating, basic health and fitness messages to a broad cross-section of the community; reaching people who may otherwise not be inclined to participate.
Sue is considered one of the leading Australian women in sport. A recipient of a Medal of the Order (OAM) of Australia for service to sport, a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, an Australia Day Ambassador, and is the recipient of the Advance Australia Award for her ongoing contribution to sport.
Achievements
- 1998: Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
- 2006: Appointed to Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Selection Committee
- 2006: Appointed Chair of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Selection Committee
Leisel Jones OAM – Athlete Member
At just 15 and the youngest member of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Swimming Team, Leisel won two silver medals in the 100m breaststroke and 4x100m Medley Relay, making her one of the youngest Olympic medallists in Australia’s history.
By the age of 18, Leisel was competing in her second Olympic Games in Athens, winning gold in world record time in the 4x100m medley relay, silver in the 200m breaststroke and a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke.
After facing many adversities and setbacks, she finally fulfilled her dream of winning individual Olympic gold in Beijing, 2008 in the 100m breaststroke. She also won gold in the 4x100m medley relay and silver in the 200m breaststroke.
Before farewelling her swimming career (and swimsuit wedgies) forever, Leisel competed in her fourth Olympic Games in London in 2012, finishing on a high by winning a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay and becoming the first Australian swimmer to compete at four Olympics.
Post retirement has seen Leisel’s career include releasing her memoir, Body Lengths; hosting Network Ten’s coverage of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and as a swimming expert commentator for the 7 Network’s Tokyo Olympic Games. Now working on Triple M’s Rush Hour in Brisbane.
Achievements
- 2005: Awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
- 2005: World Female Swimmer of the Year
- 2005, 2006: Australian Female Athlete of the Year
- 2006: People’s Choice Award Winner
- 2008: Telstra Swimmer of the Year
- 2015: Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
- 2017: Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- 2024: Appointed to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentor Program Selection Committee
Mark Knowles OAM – Athlete Member
Mark Knowles OAM is one of Australia’s most respected and accomplished hockey players, celebrated for his tireless work ethic, exceptional leadership, and enduring influence on the sport. Over a 16-year international career, he competed in four Olympic Games, won two World Cups, and claimed four Commonwealth Games gold medals. He retired in 2018 as captain of the Kookaburras, leaving behind a legacy defined by consistency, character, and success at the highest level.
Born and raised in Rockhampton, Queensland, Knowles grew up in a hockey family and quickly rose through the ranks. He made his Olympic debut in 2004 as the youngest player on the team that won Australia’s first-ever Olympic gold in men’s hockey. He went on to claim bronze medals in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and played a key role in the team’s sustained international dominance for over a decade.
Knowles helped Australia secure two World Cup victories in 2010 and 2014, four Champions Trophy titles, and four consecutive Commonwealth Games golds between 2006 and 2018. In 2007, he was named the International Hockey Federation’s Young Player of the Year, and in 2014, he was named World Player of the Year. That same year, he was appointed captain of the national team, a role he held with distinction through to his retirement.
He finished his career with 324 appearances for Australia, and was chosen as Australia’s flag bearer for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, where he led the Kookaburras to one final gold medal in front of a home crowd.
Since retiring, Knowles has remained deeply involved in sport and athlete development. He is Hockey Australia’s National Athlete Pathway Program Technical Lead – Men. He also runs coaching and leadership programs across Australia, regularly mentors junior players, and is committed to building the next generation of talent. In 2024, he served as Deputy Chef de Mission for Australia’s Olympic Team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In 2005, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to hockey. In 2024, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Australian sport.
Achievements
- 2024: Inducted into The Sport Australia Hall of Fame
- 2025: Appointed to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program Selection Committee
Brad McGee OAM – Athlete Member
Bradley McGee OAM OLY, has been part of 6 Australian Olympic Teams stretching from Atlanta to Beijing as an athlete (Track Cycling) and most recently the Tokyo and Rio games as a Staff member leading the operation behind Rohan Dennis’ bronze medal on the Mt Fuji Time Trial circuit.
As an athlete, McGee achieved 5 Olympic medals (Gold, Silver and 3 bronze) on the velodrome and competed as a professional road racing cyclist over 11 years (1998 – 2008). During his professional career McGee won stages and lead all 3 ‘Grand Tours’ (Tour de France, Spain and Italy) – a first for an Australian.
Other notable results during his career included a perfect ‘5 from 5’ Commonwealth Games gold medal haul and multiple world championships and world records.
On conclusion of his professional racing efforts McGee turned to pro team directing to lead the Danish outfit, Team Saxobank, most notably to victories in the Tours of France and Spain during his 5 years with the squad (2008 – 2012).
In 2005 Bradley was honoured with an OAM. In 2017 he become an inducted member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and remains an ambassador for MS Australia since 2013.
Returning to Australia in 2013 to take up the dual positions as Head Cycling Coach for the New South Wales Institute of Sport and the National Technical Director for Road Cycling, McGee has recently navigated to the role as a High Performance Coach Advisor (NSWIS) and enjoys working across multiple sports supporting Australian Athletes to take on the world’s best through improved coaching delivery.
Achievements
- 2005: Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
- Inducted into NSW Hall of Champions
- 2013: Appointed Ambassador for MS Australia
- 2017: Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
Katie Craig – Head of Events, Marketing & Partnerships
Sport Australia Hall of Fame
Katie Craig joins us with over 12 years’ experience in the sports industry and has extensive knowledge of sports media, broadcast, event production and campaign management.
Katie spent 11 years working at Cricket Australia across a wide range of roles, most recently as Production Manager within the Media Rights & Broadcasting team, where she managed and delivered high-profile strategic projects and events, including the ground-breaking docuseries on the Australian Men’s Cricket Team The Test which launched worldwide on Amazon Prime Video to critical acclaim.
Katie has experience across a diverse range of areas including sponsorship, marketing and communications, event production and management, PR, broadcast and content development, and creating and executing brand opportunities across various activities and platforms.
Prior to joining the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Katie worked as a Senior Event Producer at JAM TV, where she managed production of live events for JAM TV partners and developed and delivered media planning and video content and digital and social media marketing campaigns.