Sarah Styles and Andrea Pearman have been appointed to the Board of the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), bringing world-class expertise in sports governance, gender equity, and corporate leadership to support the Institute’s new strategic direction.
The VIS welcomes these strategic appointments, which strengthen the organisation’s capacity to deliver world-class performance excellence that inspires pride and delivers tangible value for every Victorian through athlete success, community connection, and sustainable high performance systems.
Sarah Styles is a leading figure in Australian sports administration, having served as Director of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation for the Victorian Government from 2021 until September 2025. In this role, she led the Change Our Game initiative to boost participation and leadership opportunities for women and girls in sport. Previously, as inaugural Head of Female Engagement at Cricket Australia, she contributed to the record-breaking 2020 ICC T20 World Cup final.
Andrea Pearman brings proven leadership from iconic Australian brands including Australia Post, NAB, Fosters, and Telstra, where she headed brand, stakeholder, and CSR functions. As CEO of Netball Victoria since 2023, she has advanced equity and inclusion in Australia’s largest female team sport, drawing on her co-founding of Inclusive Australia to tackle discrimination through data-driven approaches.
The VIS Board, working alongside VIS CEO, Nicole Livingstone AO, plays a pivotal governance role, shaping strategy to deliver world-class high performance support for Victorian athletes on the pathway to LA 2028, French Alps 2030 Winter Games and Brisbane 2032.
At the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, VIS-supported athletes from across Victoria won 23 medals (five gold, four silver, and 14 bronze).
Seven VIS athletes have joined Australia’s second-largest Winter Olympic team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, including snowboarding star Scotty James in his fifth Games and aerial skiing’s largest-ever contingent featuring Laura Peel and Danielle Scott. These athletes join the Australian team under the guidance of VIS alumnus and Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin-Warner AM.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Institute of Sport Chair, Dr Lauren Burns OAM
Quotes attributable to Sarah Styles
“For more than 35 years, the Victorian Institute of Sport has been at the forefront of supporting athletes to achieve their full potential. I feel privileged to support Nicole and Lauren at such a critical time for the organisation, as we seek to provide the best runway possible for Victorian athletes to excel ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Quotes attributable to Andrea Pearman
“I’m excited to partner with Sarah, Lauren and the VIS Board at this pivotal time for Australia’s high performance ecosystem. Together we’ll strengthen the Victorian talent pipeline to Brisbane 2032, guiding sustainable success for athletes while deepening community connection across our state.”
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