OLIVIA THORNTON

Sport has had a significant impact on Olivia, both personally and professionally. She firmly believes that the positive power of sport brings people together and promotes a more inclusive, diverse and peaceful society through its universal values and principles. She has experienced this firsthand, having used cricket as a vehicle to help settle, connect and support newly arrived refugees in Canberra. Olivia has had the opportunity to work across several sectors including education, local government, state and national sporting organisations and is the current Chair of the Coalition of Major Participation Sports in the Nation’s Capital. She actively sets out to create high performing cultures where people feel empowered, trusted, safe and supported. Additionally, Olivia understands the importance of providing people with the space and scope to shape their own work to ensure that they achieve the best possible outcomes.

Olivia completed a Bachelor of Human Movement and Education at the University of Technology, Sydney and completed a Masters Program at the University of Canberra with a specific focus on leadership and management in high performance sport.

In 2021, Olivia was appointed as the first female Chief Executive Officer of Cricket ACT in its 100-year history, an achievement she is incredibly proud of. Olivia is passionate about giving back to the game that has given her so much and continues to use the wonderful platform she has to support and inspire the next generation of players, coaches and administrators, both in Australia and abroad.