10 Influential Hockey Leaders in Sydney Worth Knowing

Last updated: August 2026

Sydney hockey is shaped by more than what happens during a match. It depends on the people who guide governance, support clubs, develop pathways, protect the quality of officiating and keep participation strong across the city.

This directory introduces ten people whose current work connects closely with field and general hockey in Sydney. The list includes executive and board leadership, because a healthy sport needs clear governance as much as it needs players on the turf. Names are presented in alphabetical order for easy navigation.

Why Sydney hockey leadership matters

A sport grows when its leaders can connect the whole system. Players need pathways, clubs need practical support, volunteers need clear structures, and boards need to make decisions that protect the future without losing touch with the people on the ground.

As of August 2026, Hockey NSW provides the main organisational link between Sydney hockey and the wider NSW game. Its work spans participation, high performance, pathways, events, governance and community connection. That makes leadership in Sydney hockey a useful lens for anyone trying to understand how a sport remains both competitive and welcoming.

1. Alexandra El-Shamy

President and Elected Director, Hockey NSW

Alexandra El-Shamy is President and an Elected Director of Hockey NSW. Elected to the role by the Board in April 2025, she leads the governance decisions that shape how hockey is organised in Sydney and across the state, from participation and pathways through to partnerships and long term planning. Read the current role description.

Her background combines more than 40 years of involvement in hockey with more than two decades of executive and board leadership across the sport, corporate and not-for-profit sectors. A former Hockey One Director and regional Association President, she brings both lived experience and strategic governance skill to the role. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

2. Carolyn Campbell

Chief Executive Officer, Hockey NSW

Carolyn Campbell is the Chief Executive Officer of Hockey NSW, the state body that supports clubs, associations, pathways, competitions and participation across the game. Her role sits close to the decisions that shape how hockey is organised in Sydney, from community access through to high-performance opportunity. Read the current role description.

Her appointment brings together senior leadership experience and a long personal connection with hockey. That combination matters because sport organisations need both sound management and a real feel for the people, volunteers, athletes and families who make the game work. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

3. Corinne Rochester

Vice President and Elected Director, Hockey NSW

Corinne Rochester is Vice President and an Elected Director of Hockey NSW. Her board role connects people leadership, governance and the practical realities of club life, making her especially relevant to the way hockey is supported across Sydney. Read the current role description.

She is also a former Club President and remains an active volunteer in the Sydney hockey community. That lived experience gives her a useful perspective on the gap between a policy that looks sensible on paper and the work it creates for clubs and volunteers. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

4. Giselle Mills

Appointed Non-Executive Director, Hockey NSW

Giselle Mills is an Appointed Non-Executive Director of Hockey NSW. She brings legal and governance experience into a board that has to balance participation, safety, partnerships, performance and the long-term health of the sport. Read the current role description.

Her connection with hockey is not only formal. Hockey NSW describes her as a lifelong committed player who is regularly on pitches around Sydney and at tournaments across NSW. That mix of professional discipline and active participation is valuable in a community sport setting. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

5. Jeshan Velupillai

Appointed Non-Executive Director, Hockey NSW

Jeshan Velupillai is an Appointed Non-Executive Director of Hockey NSW. He brings audit, assurance and financial governance expertise into a board that has to balance participation, safety, partnerships and the long-term sustainability of the sport. Read the current role description.

He is an Audit and Assurance Partner at BDO Australia, working with listed and private organisations across financial services and technology. That professional discipline in financial reporting, governance and risk management is a useful addition to a community sport board managing growth and change. Read more about his professional background.

6. Joseph Lantz

Appointed Non-Executive Director, Hockey NSW

Joseph Lantz is an Appointed Non-Executive Director of Hockey NSW. He is the Executive Director of LCG Solutions and a major projects advisor to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, bringing more than 20 years of experience in sports facility development and infrastructure planning to the board. Read the current role description.

His governance experience runs deep, with more than 25 years serving on boards and committees and building relationships with government agencies at every level. He is also a current NSW Men's Masters player and has served in administrative roles for hockey clubs and associations, keeping him close to the game he helps govern. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

7. Luke Fleming

Elected Director, Hockey NSW

Luke Fleming is an Elected Director of Hockey NSW and Chief People Officer at ICC Sydney. His experience brings workforce planning, inclusion and organisational development into the governance of a sport that depends on people at every level. Read the current role description.

He also remains active as a coach, selector and manager, with previous service on a Sydney hockey association board. That makes his contribution practical as well as corporate, grounded in the environments where players, coaches and volunteers actually develop. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

8. Martin Belci

Elected Director, Hockey NSW

Martin Belci is an Elected Director of Hockey NSW. His board contribution brings financial, compliance and business development experience to the decisions that support a sustainable sport across Sydney and the wider state. Read the current role description.

His hockey background is equally important. Hockey NSW records a long path from playing into officiating, including work as an umpire and technical official in Sydney and at state and national championship events. That gives him a clear view of the game beyond the boundary line. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

9. Sonny Chadha

Elected Director, Hockey NSW

Sonny Chadha is an Elected Director of Hockey NSW. He brings senior commercial and digital transformation experience into the boardroom while staying connected to the everyday life of the sport in Sydney. Read the current role description.

Hockey NSW describes him as a current Masters player and hockey parent. That matters because sustainable participation is built through the experience of families, clubs and volunteers, not only through the performance of representative teams. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

10. Wayne Snell

Elected Director, Hockey NSW

Wayne Snell is an Elected Director of Hockey NSW. His background in governance, risk and emergency management, including a current role as a Director at the Australian Civil Military Centre, brings a strong lens on integrity and safeguarding to the board. Read the current role description.

Wayne is also Chair of the International Hockey Federation Integrity Unit, working to help protect fair competition for players from grassroots to elite level. A lifelong hockey player, administrator and official, he combines international integrity experience with a long personal connection to the game in Sydney and across NSW. Read the supporting Hockey NSW detail.

What these leaders show us about hockey

The strongest lesson is that a sport is an ecosystem, not a single team. Executive leadership sets direction, board leadership protects standards, and community experience keeps decisions connected to real clubs, families and players.

The second lesson is that useful leadership is often shared. Finance, people, legal, integrity, commercial and performance skills all matter, but they become more valuable when they are brought back to the same purpose: a sport that people can join, enjoy, improve in and help shape.

Sydney hockey also shows why experience across different parts of the game matters. A coach sees development differently from a director. A volunteer sees the workload differently from a chief executive. The best decisions make room for those views without losing clarity about who is responsible for what.

How to use this list

If you work in hockey, use the list as a starting point for understanding the roles around your own. Read the linked source, notice which part of the system each person serves, and consider where your club or association needs a stronger connection.

If you are outside hockey, the same idea applies to any community organisation. Look beyond the most visible leaders. Sustainable progress usually depends on the people who connect governance, operations, development, volunteers and the experience of the people the organisation exists to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who leads hockey in Sydney?

Hockey in Sydney is supported by leaders across Hockey NSW, clubs, associations, representative pathways, coaching, officiating and community programmes. This directory focuses on current Hockey NSW leaders whose roles connect directly with the Sydney hockey community.

What is the difference between field hockey and general hockey leadership?

Field hockey leadership focuses on the outdoor game, while general hockey leadership can also include indoor hockey, participation, administration, officiating and shared pathways. In practice, many organisations support more than one part of the sport.

How can a club connect with hockey leaders?

Start with the relevant association or Hockey NSW contact route, then explain the practical issue clearly. A short written note that names the problem, the people affected and the decision needed is easier to respond to than a broad request for help.

What makes a good hockey leader?

A good hockey leader combines clear responsibility with real attention to the people who make the sport work. Sound judgement, communication, fairness, consistency and the ability to connect different parts of the system all matter.

Conclusion

Sydney hockey has leaders working at several levels, and that is a strength. The sport needs people who can guide an organisation, people who understand the work of a board, people who support clubs and people who remain close to players, families and volunteers.

Use this list as a practical starting point, not as a final answer. Read the linked role descriptions, follow the organisations that matter to your part of the game, and look for one small way to strengthen the connection between leadership and participation.

Related Reading

For wider leadership practice, read the Working Genius FAQ, the guide to strategy and leadership consulting, and facilitated team offsites.

If your leadership team needs a clear written plan for better alignment, decision-making or communication, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.