Chantella Perera: from WNBL to AFLW to sports marketing and advocacy

Paralympian Kate Naess on resilience, loss and success

Paralympian, psychologist, high performance coach, author, and speaker Kate Naess talks mindset, resilience, and responding to change with intention. Content warning: this episode contains discussion of lived experience with disability, mental health, and grief. For support in Australia visit: deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport [http://deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport] or for support in another country visit spotify.com/resources [http://spotify.com/resources] Links: Read more about Kate’s story [https://together.deakin.edu.au/?p=5588&preview=true] Read ‘The Hand You’re Dealt’ [https://katenaess.com/book/] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuo3rG4Mz_I] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/4f90acbe/transcript] * (00:10) - Introducing Kate Naess * (01:05) - Core mindset – challenge, learning and no regrets * (03:27) - Challenging early limitations * (04:26) - Growing up with assumptions and barriers * (06:40) - Curiosity, disability and self-belief * (08:32) - Adapting through music and sport * (10:25) - Early sport – horses and school * (13:24) - Studying psychology at Deakin * (16:13) - Discovering organisational psychology * (17:51) - Why Deakin worked as an athlete * (21:15) - Placements and building a career path * (22:28) - High performance in sport and leadership * (24:26) - Recovery, burnout and workplace performance * (26:55) - Balancing study, sport and life experience * (31:19) - Grief, uncertainty and rebuilding * (34:22) - Running, triathlon and a new path * (38:14) - Reaching the Paralympic start line * (41:58) - Returning to racing after motherhood * (43:53) - Support, funding and being a parent * (45:26) - Racing internationally with Henrik * (46:50) - COVID, Tokyo and retiring from sport * (50:32) - Why Kate wrote The Hand You’re Dealt * (53:18) - Quick fire * (55:12) - What’s next – book two and leadership work * (56:30) - Final reflections Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.

Jayden Battey: what is a career in community advocacy and development like?

Jayden Battey’s career has spanned across community development, advocacy, live-in community housing management, and recently documentary filmmaking. Content warning: this episode contains discussion of homelessness and grief. For support in Australia visit: deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport [http://deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport] or for support in another country visit spotify.com/resources [http://spotify.com/resources] Read more about Jayden’s story [https://together.deakin.edu.au/?p=5524&preview=true] Learn more about Servants Community Housing [https://servants.org.au] Watch ‘Love in the Walls’ on SBS [https://sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/love-in-the-walls/2488690755695] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIq13WDtUXY] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/fd8f427a/transcript] * (00:07) - Jayden Battey’s story * (00:37) - Growing up with curiosity and empathy * (01:59) - The drive to create belonging and connection * (04:07) - Living with 28 others * (09:20) - Redefining connection and community * (12:14) - Day-to-day life * (13:22) - Balancing work and purpose * (14:42) - Studying economics at Deakin * (17:11) - Thinking differently about systems and change * (19:21) - The real cost of inequality * (21:42) - Global systems, poverty, and impact * (24:36) - Studying online at Deakin * (26:47) - Learning to understand people and worldviews * (29:57) - Making meaningful connections while studying * (32:02) - Love in the Walls – the documentary * (40:49) - Loss, grief, and real life in the community * (42:37) - How advocacy really begins * (45:57) - Advice for getting started in advocacy * (47:19) - Living your values and leading with care * (49:08) - Why giving back matters * (55:45) - Quick fire questions * (52:26) - What’s next for Jayden Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.

Chantella Perera: from WNBL to AFLW to sports marketing and advocacy

Hear Chantella’s journey, from her WNBL days and subsequent successful AFLW career to her advocacy work in women’s sports and leadership in sport marketing. Content warning: this episode contains discussion of racism, sexism, discrimination, and grief. For support in Australia visit: deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport [http://deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport] or for support in another country visit spotify.com/resources [http://spotify.com/resources] Read more about Chantella’s story. [https://together.deakin.edu.au/?p=5326&preview=true] Learn more about Women Sport Australia: womensportaustralia.com.au [http://womensportaustralia.com.au/] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO31wu3jThc] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/ec3c6099/transcript] * (00:00) - Chantella Perera’s journey * (00:35) - From Sri Lanka to sport – early life and beginnings * (02:12) - College basketball and chasing the Opals dream * (03:15) - WNBL highlights and lessons from sport * (04:46) - Transitioning from basketball to AFLW * (06:17) - Life after sport – study, work, and finding direction * (08:04) - Discovering AFLW and starting again * (12:20) - Purpose and giving back through sport * (15:01) - The reality of being an elite athlete in Australia * (18:04) - Identity, culture, and representation in sport * (26:26) - Raising children and passing on culture * (30:48) - Career transition into sport marketing * (32:10) - Transferable skills from sport to leadership * (34:05) - Building a career at KOJO * (44:24) - Major events and creating fan experiences * (47:42) - Women Sport Australia and advocacy work * (50:54) - Progress and challenges in women’s sport * (55:02) - Advice for aspiring athletes * (56:44) - Quick fire questions * (58:00) - What’s next for Chantella * (59:10) - Outro Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.

Shaun Wilson talks business education and co-founding Bondi Sands

Shaun Wilson knows business. The Bondi Sands co-founder and Deakin Master of Business alum sat down with us to talk about his education and business journey. Read more about Shaun’s story. [https://together.deakin.edu.au/?p=5283&preview=true] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRsgv9icBuA] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/75a73d4e/transcript] * (00:00) - From Deakin to Bondi Sands * (00:31) - Meet Shaun Wilson (Founder, Bondi Sands) * (00:53) - Early entrepreneurial mindset & family influence * (01:51) - Lessons from sport, family & growth mindset * (03:03) - Leadership journey * (05:12) - Managing teams & learning people leadership * (05:55) - Why Deakin and postgraduate study? * (07:43) - Key business principles still used today * (10:58) - Applying Deakin projects to real-world business * (12:14) - Building confidence & leadership frameworks * (13:43) - What makes a great CEO? * (15:59) - Was the degree at Deakin worth it? * (16:48) - Why beauty? Choosing the self-tanning market * (18:56) - Identifying gaps & building a better product * (21:00) - Product innovation: solving real problems * (23:20) - From idea to product launch * (25:12) - Going all-in: when to leave your day job * (28:04) - Getting into retail * (31:00) - Major setback: product recall crisis * (33:23) - Why honesty & integrity matter in business * (37:12) - Lessons from building Bondi Sands * (40:01) - What makes a great leader? * (41:26) - Sustainability & brand values in action * (44:42) - Selling Bondi Sands – how it happened * (49:01) - Selling a company: what founders should know * (52:24) - The emotional side of selling a business * (56:59) - What's next for Shaun Wilson? * (58:00) - Sol Rise: investing in the next generation * (59:55) - Mentors who shaped Shaun’s career * (01:03:42) - Quickfire questions Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.

Vice-Chancellor Iain Martin on Social licence and the future of universities

In this episode, we catch up with Deakin’s Vice-Chancellor, Iain Martin to explore the evolving role of universities. From his beginnings as a medical student in 1980s UK to leading one of Australia's major universities, he explores the delicate balance between education and research, the concept of social licence, and why "ceaseless curiosity" matters more than ever. Read Iain’s white paper on social licence here. [https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/leadership-and-governance/vice-chancellor/the-social-licence-challenge] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC0tKINgT_Y] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/ff7d843f/transcript] * (00:00) - Introduction * (00:26) - University Experience * (03:52) - Trust in Universities * (05:21) - Social Licence and University Purpose * (07:36) - The Role of Curiosity * (08:19) - Evolution of Higher Education * (11:50) - Rankings and Research vs Education * (14:10) - Balanced Excellence at Deakin * (18:04) - White Paper on Social Licence * (23:45) - Universities and Difficult Debates * (27:48) - Creating Safe Debate Spaces * (29:27) - Personal Experience with Change * (34:57) - The Evolution of University Research * (40:24) - Making Research Accessible * (44:05) - Deakin Research Highlights * (46:06) - Why Study at University * (48:45) - Student Experience and Support * (50:16) - Advice for New Students * (51:50) - Improvements in Higher Education * (55:37) - Quick Fire Questions Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture. Information provided is as known at time of publishing.