Paula Frances Ward
Paula Ward was appointed to the Board of The Rugby Club on 20 March 2017.
Paula possesses the valued combination of business and sports administration experience with a proven track record of successfully transforming businesses grappling with a significant change agenda.
A registered psychologist and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Paula is the General Manager, Governance & Business for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Previously, Paula has led two National Sporting Organisations. In 2014, Paula became the inaugural Chief Executive Officer for the Judo Federation of Australia. She was then Chief Executive of Equestrian Australia from January 2016 until June 2018 during which time the Australian Eventing Team won the Bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Rio.
Prior to this, demonstrating her ability to bring entrepreneurial ideas to life, Paula founded the niche consultancy, Know The Game, in 2010. Paula achieved triple digit year on year revenue growth and introduced more than 3000 people to Australian sport as a mechanism for inclusion and social cohesion. A significant portion of her business revolved around rugby. It is this connection that introduced her to The Rugby Club.
Before immersing herself in the sporting sector, Paula held HR executive roles with Goldman Sachs JBWere, PKF Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers and Atlassian.
Paula has previously served two terms on the Board of The Rugby Club, from April 2013 to August 2015, fulfilling roles on the Finance Committee, Marketing & Operations Committee and Rugby Club Foundation, as well as being a founding member of the Sydney Rugby Business Network Organising Committee.
Other non-executive roles Paula has previously undertaken include appointments to the Cricket Australia Multicultural Reference Group, NSW Equal Employment Opportunity Practitioners’ Association, Australian Womensport & Recreation Association (now Women Sport Australia) and the Federal Government’s Horse Industry Consultative Committee.
Paula was a member of the Weary Dunlop Club in Victoria for over a decade and a Foundation Member of the Melbourne Rebels. She has previously held memberships with Cricket Coaches Australia, NSW Yachting and the Australian Davis Cup Tennis Foundation. She is a current member of Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club and has been since 2003. Although now based in Sydney, Paula continues the long wait for admission to the Melbourne Cricket Club.