BNSW Staff

Maria Nordstrom

She/Her

Chief Executive Officer

Maria is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Maria is at the helm of Basketball NSW as our Chief Executive Officer. She has over 25 years’ experience as a Business leader, sales professional, and board member.

For the past 18 years, she has worked as a senior executive with a proven track record in successfully and consistently building high performing organisations and cultures. She achieved this through the use of both standard and innovative leadership methodologies, developing and leading high performing individuals and teams.

Her leadership style fosters a culture of trust and empowerment, resulting in improved staff retention and engagement. While Maria uses proven techniques for leadership and coaching, her work is anchored in the reality of day-to-day business demands and challenges.

Maria has extensive expertise in organisational and sales strategy development and execution consistently, delivering solid financial management, effective sales planning and execution, people and performance management and tactical marketing. Her signature leadership style drives transformation and change, whilst creating a culture of innovation and creativity.

Maria spends her free time on horse back or hiking through the hills, practising pilates and spending time with her family.

Maria is a graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors course, and recently completed the non-for profit Australian Institute of Company Directors refresher course.

Maris is also a Non-executive Director Sport NSW and a Non-executive Director of IFMG

Caroline McLuckie

Chief Financial Officer / HR Manager

Caroline is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Being a stereotypical Scot, I am tight when it comes to cash and will keep a close eye on the $$$ being spent, from staples to apparel. Not a normal accountant, I look for ways to explain numbers to non-numbers people. Usually in the form of graphs and gifs, and using basic language – not everyone knows what a provision is!

With a background in community sport, I can sympathise with the challenges and frustrations faced by small committees and boards who would rather just develop their sport rather than spend hours understanding and working on the admin. Ask me for tools to make this easier.

Outside of work, I can be usually seen using my elbows to bash up players on the lacrosse field and gaining unknown bruises due to my clumsiness.

Geoff Tripp

He/Him

General Manager Community Growth & Marketing

Geoff is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ambassador

Geoff is an experienced basketball administrator with more than 25 years of involvement in the sport at all levels, from refereeing at the local stadium to working at a national level. Passionate and enthusiastic, Geoff has a wide range of skills in event management, product and program development, marketing, brand management, and more.

At Basketball NSW, Geoff is responsible for Community Growth & Marketing, which includes developing community programs and expanding participation in the sport among diverse groups such as LGBTQIA+, as well as providing support services to member associations and organising events.

Better known as the Trip Advisor, Geoff’s other loves include photography and drinking coffee!

Brett Coxsedge

General Manager Coaching and Development

Originally from the country and a graduate of Gilgandra Grammar, Brett has coached at just about every level from Association land, to State teams, to college in the USA, at World University Games and in the NBL as an assistant coach with the mighty West Sydney Razorbacks and Sydney Spirit. This is Brett's second stint at Basketball NSW (having worked previously at the ITC Head Coach back in the early 2000's) and also spent 6 years working in the wild west for Basketball WA.

Jokingly referred to as the "best in the business," Brett also has a personal motto of "no excuses...get it done" and loves pineapple on pizza!

A tragic Parramatta Eels and Sydney Swans supporter who longs for a return of the glory days, Brett believes that the future of basketball in NSW is very bright with the talent of athletes available and the great array of hard-working coaches that volunteer their time to help make the sport better.

Liz Mills

Head of Competitions & Leagues

Liz Mills is an Australian basketball coach who began her career in Sydney in 2002, working with junior and senior women's teams.

Since 2011, she has focused on coaching men's teams in Africa, leading senior club teams, national university teams, and national teams. Notably, Mills made history as the first female head coach of a men's national team at a FIBA continental championship when she coached the Kenyan men's national team in 2021, and as the first female head coach in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2022.

She has also achieved milestones as the first female head coach of a men's team in Morocco, North Africa, and the Middle East, and has coached various teams in the BAL and its qualifiers.

Liz also has a Bachelor in Sport Science and Sports Management (UTS) and a Masters Degree in Education majoring in Coaching (USYD) and a diploma in Basketball Analytics (Sports Management Worldwide or SMWW).

Chanelle Bailey

(On long service leave, returns 1st Nov 2025)

NBL1 East Competition Manager

Chanelle also works in our competitions department, during the season you’ll find her working with all of our country associations or going cross-eyes, from the numerous court grids and draws that need to be completed for the five country junior leagues.

It’s fair to say that Chanelle has a competitive streak, but keeps it on the down-low so naturally, competition (off-court) arises between the competition department with Country v Metro.

In the off season, Chanelle loves venturing out and exploring the world of ours, trying new things and always planning the next getaway. Always on the hunt for a last-minute deal when it comes to getaways.

Joeanne Jourieh

Competitions Administrator

Joeanne enjoys her sports, coming from a netball background and being an avid Basketball spectator, after having children Joeanne broadened her spectator support to NRL and Tennis.

With 20 years experience in administration Joeanne is ready to tackle any task at hand within the Competitions Team.

Joining the Competitions Team puts Joeanne right in her element as she enjoys a little bit of banter when it comes to her teams winning (not so much when they're loosing).

Louis McGuckian

Competitions Coordinator

Louis joins Basketball NSW from Ireland, having completed a Bachelor's degree in Sport Management at Loughborough University in England.

He is a huge sports fan, particularly Rugby Union, having played for 20 years as well as watching any rugby game going.

He enjoys topping up the Irish tan (burn) at the beach and travelling around Australia, making the most of not seeing rain everyday like he would at home!

Kasey Abbott

Junior Leagues Competitions Coordinator

Kasey keeps our junior leagues running smoothly, making sure competitions are organised, teams are set, and everything is good to go come game day. During the season, you’ll find Kasey juggling draws, schedules, and the occasional curveball—because what’s sport without a bit of unpredictability?

A lifelong sports enthusiast, Kasey brings experience from coaching, umpiring, and swim instruction, but don’t be fooled—there’s a competitive streak lurking beneath the cool coordination.

When not deep in competition logistics, Kasey loves to explore new places, play various sports, and plan the next adventure.

Nik Mailk

Competitions Coordinator, Country Junior Leagues & 3x3

Nik looks after our Country Junior leagues as well as 3X3.

Nik is a Sydney local & comes from a rich basketball background, having coached, refereed & still plays at the representative level, with various experience working in the NBL & WNBL.

He is passionate about enhancing the growth of the game & providing opportunities for more people to engage with & enjoy basketball. This passion drives Nik's eagerness to contribute to inclusivity & inspiration for the next generation of basketball enthusiasts. His journey has been fueled by an unwavering commitment to make a difference, as well as a love for community, comradery & the special way in which basketball brings us all together.

When not on court, Nik enjoys learning to cook & cruising on his skateboard.

Ben Stoodley

Competitions Coordinator, Senior Leagues

Ben joins Basketball as the Competitions Coordinator, Senior Leagues after multiple years in the industry working at places such as Sport NSW and Venues NSW

A lover of all things Sydney Roosters, Green Bay Packers, Sydney Swans and cricket (All forms)

When not at work Ben is always found somewhere near a soccer or baseball field as either a coach & manager for son's team , a player, or just a spectator enjoying the game or just watching any sport that is on. Also spending time with Family, being in nature or watching Marvel Movies.

Janna Mizens

Wheelchair Basketball Manager

Janna Mizens has over 25 years of experience in various administrative, management, design, and delivery roles in adaptive sports with particular interest in wheelchair basketball. She has proficiency in supporting athletes and coaches from grassroots to high-performance, internationally and in Australia.

Currently, the National Coach Developer for Basketball Australia and Wheelchair Basketball Manager for Basketball NSW. She designed and delivered the first Wheelchair Basketball Association Course in a four-day camp with 30 coaches from across the nation with significant increase in female and past athlete participation. As Wheelchair Basketball Manager, she is instrumental in creating the framework for the first state athlete development program and supporting clubs in the inclusion of wheelchair basketball.

She is a two-time Paralympian and Gold Medallist for Team USA wheelchair basketball. While attaining a double master’s as a student-athlete at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Urban and Regional Planning and Sports Management she wrote her master’s thesis on “Constraints of Elite Athletes with Disabilities in Kenya,” which she later published in the Journal of Leisure Research. Her research provides a hierarchical model of constraint at the societal level. As a result of research, she also was the Director of the University of Illinois Instructional Series on wheelchair basketball that provided over three-hours of individual, small group and team skills that had global reach.

Janna is passionate about establishing grassroots to high-performance frameworks that support participation in sport for all. Outside of wheelchair basketball, she loves being a wife and mum of two boys.

Jarrod Moore

Coach Development Manager

Jarrod is passionate about Australia, basketball and people. Hope to see the game one-day grow into a sustainable and well-oiled machine in Australia.

Macs Monk

High Performance Coach

Original from Coffs Harbour, Macs am an avid basketball fan. He has played Representative Basketball for the Ryde (now Inner West) Bulls. Once Macs graduated from playing basketball he moved into the coaching space becoming the Development Officer at Ryde and was there for four years before moving to Norths Basketball as their Development Officer. He has also been a network coach for BNSW for 4 years.

Macs holds a degree in education from the Australian Catholic University and have a passion for athlete welfare and development.

A fun fact about Macs is that he was the 2nd Trombone (out of 2) for the Marsden High School Big Band. He no longer plays the trombone.

Curtis Sardi

High Performance Coach

I started out as a die-hard basketball fan of the West Sydney Slammers who later became the West Sydney Razorbacks, I have been around the sport for 30 years. I began playing at Penrith Basketball Association, then I turned to coaching junior teams whilst continuing to play at Penrith. I then became a Basketball NSW network coach for NITP (SPP) and was given the opportunity to coach NSW State teams.

I was then fortunate enough to become the Basketball NSW High-Performance coach in 2018, dedicated to athletes and coaches in country NSW. I've been focusing on building relationships and seeking out the hidden talent in untapped areas. I'm driven to get out to our Country areas to deliver SPP but also develop the SPP program to have unity across Metro & Country and help our State teams be as successful as possible on a regular basis at Nationals.

Outside of work I love to spend as much time with my family as I can. I enjoy watching as much basketball & soccer in my spare time. My favourite TV series is 'The Big Bang Theory.

Antonio Rosina

Coaching & Development Administrator

Antonio joins Basketball NSW in the role of Coaching & Development Administrator after completing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Sports Management abroad in the United States.

A lover of all things Sydney Roosters, Manchester United, Western Sydney Wanderers and or anyone else who rivals a team Jaylee supports.

When not at work Antonio is always found somewhere near a football (soccer) field as either a coach, a player, or just a spectator enjoying the game. Antonio is also a strong believer that it should be called football across Australia.

David Watts

Member Protection Officer & Disciplinary Tribunal Manager

David is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

David has been involved with the sport of basketball at various times over the past 35 years. David joined the Basketball NSW ‘family’ after an lengthy and highly decorated career with the NSW Police.

A graduate from Charles Sturt University, David has gained extensive experience working on a number of covert and overt drug operations, a wide variety of investigations, and he was also an integral member of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Security Command police contingent which was given the honour of being “…the most successful, safest, friendliest Games ever staged…”

With more than 21 years experience as a trained investigator and 15 years as a criminal law prosecutor within the NSW Police Force, David now performs the roles of in-house Investigator, Member Protection Officer and the Manager of Disciplinary Tribunals.

Steve Clark

Head of Technical Officials

Steve joined Basketball New South Wales in 2021 as our Head of Technical Officials after a 25 year career in the National Rugby League as an on field referee, video official and then in referee coaching, education and development. Steve refereed in over 300 games on field another 300 plus games as a video official as well as refereeing 5 State of Origin Matches, 8 Test Matches and 2 World Cups.

Outside of Rugby League, Steve is a general Sport lover and is a keen golfer. Steve his wife Christine and their daughters are all regular sport participants.

Steve loves a coffee and also a good meal at night with the family.

Louis Brockwell

Technical Officials Administration Officer

Louis is a dedicated basketball referee within the Australian basketball community. With 18 years of experience in the game, Louis has honed his skills on the court and is currently ascending the ranks of the Australian Junior Nationals, showcasing his passion and commitment to the sport.
Proudly representing the Norths Bears as a referee for five years, Louis feels a deep connection to the club, as his father once graced the field for the North Sydney Bears in the 80s.

Beyond the basketball court, Louis is a multi-faceted individual with a diverse range of interests. An avid music enthusiast, he enjoys creating and producing his own music, finding inspiration in rhythm and melody. Additionally, Louis harbors a keen interest in the world of film, harboring aspirations of one day stepping behind the camera as a director, bringing his creative vision to life on the big screen.

Driven by passion, integrity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Louis Brockwell is a force to be reckoned with both on and off the court. Whether he's blowing the whistle on a pivotal play or crafting captivating melodies in the studio, Louis approaches every endeavor with unwavering dedication

Brendan Lloyd

he/him

Technical Officials State Development Manager

Brendan is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Brendan began his basketball journey in Albury, picking up the game at age 7 and began refereeing at 12, inspired by his two older siblings. He progressed through the Junior National programs and went on to referee in the Waratah League, earning selection to the NBL Elite Referee Program in 2017.

With over a decade of experience in referee development, Brendan served as Referee Development Officer at Albury Basketball Association from 2011 to 2017. After relocating to Sydney, he took on the role of Referee Development Manager with Norths Basketball from 2018 to 2023. After many years at a high level, Brendan retired from refereeing in 2022, officiating his final NBL1 game - fittingly a matchup between Norths and Albury, with Australian Basketball legend Lauren Jackson playing.

Beyond basketball, Brendan is an avid netball lover and has represented NSW Men's Netball at multiple National Championships and enjoys spending time at his local beaches of Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Alisha Sixtus

Basketball Connect Manager

Alisha is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Alisha is our resident Kiwi and has a sporting background in Equestrian (horse riding) as an athlete, coach and in recent years administration and management of the sport. She has a thorough knowledge of sport databases and online management systems as well as experience in website design/management.

With her sound problem solving skills she is looking forward to helping our associations make the most of the technology available to them, to minimise their time spent on administration tasks.

Being new to Basketball she has no pre-existing team loyalties and welcomes all suggestions on who to support!

Jaylee Ismay

She/Her

Media & Communications Manager

Jaylee is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Jaylee is our social media/marketing/communications guru who has been with us for close to five years. She is all about female empowerment and makes sure that all girls young and old are treated fairly and granted the same respect, especially in sport. Jaylee spends most weekends away on the sidelines taking photos and videos across our leagues and high-performance events.

You’ll find Jaylee in the winter months trying to stay warm as she cheers on her beloved NRL team, the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks.

Caleb Fogarty

Content Creator and Communications Coordinator

Caleb is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Caleb is our Content Creator and Communications Coordinator.

Originally from Maitland, via Newcastle, Caleb has a background in commercial radio and journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Communications majoring in Digital News & Media, and Media Production from the University of Newcastle.

Since 2023 he has been the play-by-play commentator for the Maitland Mustangs and has been lucky enough to call the 2023 NBL1 East Women's Grand Final and 2024 NBL1 East Men's Grand Final. Additionally, he has also commentated for NSWRL TV and BarTV covering Rugby League.

If you're lucky enough, you may just stumble into him hosting a night of trivia at your local.

Rachel Herrick

She/Her

Program Manager, Women and Girls

Rachel is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Meet Rachel, our Program Manager Women and Girls here at Basketball NSW.

Rachel is a great ambassador for the game of basketball, she has played at an elite level in Australia’s national competition for women, called the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) where she played for numerous clubs from the AIS, Adelaide, Bendigo and Sydney Uni.

Rachel leads a number of our participation programs from I Am A Girl, I Can Do Anything!, Wheelchair Basketball, Walking basketball, Basketball for Players with an Intellectual Disability, Rachel strongly believes and lives that basketball is a game for everyone.

Away from the office Rachel also volunteers her time as a freelance commentator and calls the home games for the Sydney Uni Flames in the WNBL.

Nicole Foran

Community Growth Programs Administrator

Nicole is a sports junkie and has played in various team sports with hockey being her true love. She has stood on the sidelines of rugby, cricket, water polo and rowing cheering (or rather screaming) on her two boys. She is super competitive and everything in her house hold becomes a competition.

She has a love of hiking and has climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, hiked the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Larapinta Trail in Alice Springs.

Nicole has a background in sports events and over the last few years worked on delivering several World Cups, including the FIBA Women’s World Cup. She is a master organizer and coordinator and loves rolling up her sleeves and getting stuck in.

Nicole has a Bachelor of Psychological Science and Master of Teaching. She has a passion for empowering young people to be themselves and believes sport is such a powerful tool in doing that.

Darren Allie

Programs Manager, iCaLD

Darren has spent the 20 years working in community development through sport. He has seen the difference sport can make in people's lives in metro, rural and remote settings and is passionate about empowering youth people to get out of their comfort zone and find a way to chase their dreams.

He has been a long term member of Basketball NSW through playing and coaching and is excited to have the opportunity to work in the sport he loves. Darren leads the Indigenous and Multicultural Programs with the dedicated team of region development officers that work across the state.

Darren believes that the most important aspect of work and life is quality relationships and making time for yourself to escape and switch off. In his time away from work he can be seen camping somewhere beautiful and remote or trying to hit a little white ball in a hole, "Tap it In!"

Cristi Juffermans

Regional Development Officer - Northern

Cristi is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Cristi is our Regional Development Officer for Northern NSW. She is a local Coffs Harbour resident with a love for basketball in her blood.

Cristi has continued to play, coach and raise her family to play the sport.

As somebody who grew up living and breathing basketball, Cristi is really passionate about promoting the sport to young people. Her own children all play (from domestic comp, to state level) and she can often be seen driving them up and down the highway taking them to their next tournament.

She believes that basketball has so many benefits and opens so many doorways for kids…. not just for their physical fitness.

Cristi is excited to be able to work with Basketball NSW to grow the sport from grass-roots level, and encourage more kids from all walks of life, into the sport that she loves.

Isabel Forbes

Regional Development Officer - Riverina

Isabel joins Basketball NSW as the Regional Development Officer – Riverina after a long military career as an Operational Administrator in the Australian Army which saw her live and work across many locations within Australia and deployments overseas.

Her passion for basketball stems from volunteering at a local association and becoming part of a strong sporting community and seeing barriers being broken down for children of all ages and backgrounds in an inclusive environment. Isabel is very excited to be part of the BNSW team and working with associations, schools and other agencies looking to increase awareness and participation in all basketball programs that BNSW have to offer.

In her down time, Isabel can be found planning the next getaway with family & friends; from camping to resorts. Party planning skills are well known amongst friends which also spill onto the basketball court adding a sprinkle of glitter where she goes.

Lauren King

Regional Development Officer - Far North

Lauren is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Lauren is our Regional Development Officer covering the Far North Region. Based in Lennox Head Lauren’s area runs primarily between Grafton and the NSW / QLD border.

Lauren grew up playing basketball in the Far North where the basketball community nurtured her love and enjoyment for the game. Lauren loved watching the Sydney Flames in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) on television as a kid, dreaming of one day playing for the Flames-her dream came true some years later, along with playing over 250 games in the WNBL.

When Lauren isn’t coaching or playing in her local basketball comp she loves to get out in the sun and enjoy the great beaches and food in the area with her family.

Adam McIntyre

Development Officer, Western Sydney

Adam has been a basketball referee for over 10 years, he has played the game for over 20 years and is now working on developing the game as on our of Technical Officials Development Officers.

Fair to say his life revolves around basketball!

On the court, everyone listens to him, at home…. Adam tells us NOBODY listens to him!

Away from basketball, he is the king of Golf Clash! (Just don’t ask the kids)

Lucinda Khawly

Management Accountant

Lucinda is a mother of two young children (3 if you include the husband) who has recently completed my CPA (certified practising accountant) studies.

She enjoys the challenge of complex reconciliations & continuous learning of different aspects of accounting.

In her downtime, I love keeping fit by heading to the gym where I love to smash out a HIIT class or outdoors with the family exploring wildlife on a bushwalk.

In the NRL season, you can find her either at Jubilee oval or WIN stadium cheering on my beloved St George Illawarra Dragons.

Ruth Sabado

Accounts Receivable & Payable

Ruth is our master of accounts receivable and payable; a super organised individual who is dedicated to her role. A team player within the office and loves nothing better to ensuring that timelines are met and that all of our associations are treated with the utmost respect.

You’ll also find that Ruth is a fan of coloured folders, and loves her filing, her indexing methods range from simply writing names on folder tabs to computer-generated strip labels complete with names, numbers, color codes and much more.

Luisa Mastrangelo-Clarke

Head of Partnerships

Luisa is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Luisa joined the Basketball NSW family in 2021 and heads up the grants, philanthropy and sponsorship area.

She has over a decade of experience in the Philanthropic sector and a passion for helping great ideas come to life. Luisa believes in building partnerships based on trust, common goals and a little bit of magic.

When she’s not flicking through the thesaurus looking for the perfect word for the perfect proposal you’ll find her supporting her three girls in a variety of creative and sporting activities.

Luisa loves all things food and has a flare for sorting a messy cupboard.

Gabriel Karagiannis

Assist All Hoops Programs Administrator

Gabriel (mostly known as Gabe) joins Basketball NSW as the Assist All Hoops Administrator after completing his Bachelor of Sports Business degree. Having worked and volunteered across a variety of sporting codes for the last six years, Gabe has shown a passion to encourage everyone to go out and play sport and is striving to make sport a safe and inclusive environment for everyone from grassroots all the way to representative level.

Being born and raised in Europe and family members from the United States, you can find Gabe playing and coaching soccer on the weekends with his bright pink boots or yelling at the TV watching his beloved New York Knicks or Arsenal FC disappoint him year after year.

Anoushka Sansom

she/they

Sports Administrator

Pride in Sport Ambassador

Anoushka is a skilled administrator, with strong experience in executive support. Prior to joining BNSW, Anoushka worked in the Galleries and Museums sector, as Executive Assistant to the director of a well-respected Australian commercial art gallery. She has also spent time living and working in São Paulo, Brazil, where she co-founded an art project that supported artists from underprivileged communities to develop and promote their work.

Anoushka is a practicing artist and curator. Her artistic practice includes painting, performance, and video - exploring narratives of gender, Queer Abstraction and myth-making.

Outside of the professional realm, Anoushka is a basketball fanatic, life-long Sydney Kings fan, and Doctor Who tragic.

Nicola O'Leary

Nicola is a Pride in Basketball LGBTIQA+ Ally

Wellbeing Officer

With a background in psychology and teaching, she has spent the past three years working closely with BNSW as the Association Sports Chaplain. Now, as our Wellbeing Officer, she focuses on meeting the needs of all staff, players, officials, and coaches at every level within BNSW.

Although multiple knee issues forced Nicola to leave the sports fields early on, she remains passionately involved from the sidelines, cheering on her daughters and pursuing her own interests. While netball is her preferred sport, she enjoys watching most sports—except golf or cricket. She’s still getting to grips with the rules of basketball and welcomes any explanations!

Nicola is deeply passionate about understanding and addressing all aspects of wellbeing that affect individuals. She has prior experience in suicide intervention and prevention programs, as well as critical incident response training. Her mission as the BNSW Wellbeing Officer is to create a supportive environment where athletes, staff, coaches, parents, and the entire community can thrive together.

Nicola is married and has three daughters, a cavoodle, and three cats. She loves cooking, especially baking, and enjoys traveling with her family—her ultimate mum holiday is cruising. In her spare time, Nicola enjoys playing games, listening to music, attending concerts, and spending quality time with her family.

Nicola's dream is to see not just athletes, but everyone involved in our sporting community reach their full potential both on and off the field. She believes that together, we can build a healthier, stronger, and more connected community.