Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has announced the launch of the elite SIGAWomen Council, with Amanda Vandervort, President of USL Super League, being one of its members.
“I’m always delighted to walk into a boardroom with other women,” said Vandervort.
“And I’m proud to be part of the SIGAWomen Council, working to bridge the gender gap in sports boardrooms globally.
“Diverse thought leadership creates opportunities for fresh ideas, effective communication, and more successful business outcomes,” she added.
Vandervort joins several women leaders from various fields in the high-level consultative internal organ designed to promote good governance in sport by advancing gender equity and promoting female leadership within the decision-making structures of sports governing bodies and other key stakeholders.
In line with the implementation of SIGA’s Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport, SIGAWomen Council was created with the following objectives:
To contribute to the realisation of SIGA’s mission and vision;
- To provide strategic guidance and advice on emerging trends and projects within the field of sport integrity;
- To act as an ambassador for best practices in governance and inclusion in sport.
SIGAWomen Council chair Katie Simmonds said she is thrilled that the members of the newly formed SIGAWomen Council, consisting of female leaders from all spheres of the sports industry with representation from each continent, have agreed to be a part of the initiative.
“They play a key role in the global expansion of our mission, and on behalf of SIGA, I thank them for accepting our invitation and for being agents of change,” said Simmonds.
“SIGAWomen’s mission is unstoppable, and I invite you to join us as we make 2025 our biggest and best mentorship programme to date.”
Cecilia Perez Rivas, Paraguay’s former justice minister and Member of the Paraguayan Permanent Mission, Organisation of American States, said that women leaders must continue to work actively to remove all the obstacles that women face in sport, especially in sports that women have only recently made inroads. She added that this should also extend to other facets of life that mirror sports.
“To do this, it is necessary to have the will and the determination to put all the knowledge acquired in all possible areas, in the service of our fellow women. For this, you can count on me,” she said.
SIGA is the world’s leading organisation for Sport Integrity. Twentytwo13 is SIGA’s official media partner.
SIGAWomen Council
Chair
Katie Simmonds – Global Chief Commercial Officer, SIGA; Chair, SIGAWomen Council (UK)
Members
Amanda Vandervort – President, USL Super League / SIGAWomen Global Mentor (USA)
Athena Constantinou – Director, The Sports Financial Literacy Academy / SIGAWomen Global Mentor (Cyprus)
Audrey Mothupi-Palmstierna – CEO, SystemicLogic Group (South Africa)
Cecilia Perez Rivas – Former Justice Minister, Paraguay; Member, Permanent Mission of the Paraguayan Republic, OEA (Paraguay)
Chantal Pillet – Director, Kroll Associates (Brazil)
Jennifer Ziemer – Director of Global Sponsorships, Mastercard / SIGAWomen Global Mentor (USA)
Jessica Smith – Paralympian / SIGA Global Mentor (Australia)
Priti Srivastava – Founder, DayaRani Wellness; Senior Vice President, Reliance Industries Limited (India)
Renee Montgomery – Co-Owner and Vice-President, Atlanta Dream, WNBA (USA)
Viktoria Slavkova – Member, SIGA EUROPE Advisory Board (Bulgaria)
