Anita Palm makes history as Volleyball Australia’s first female president

A new chapter has begun for Australian volleyball.
Anita Palm has been elected President of Volleyball Australia, becoming the first woman in the federation’s history to hold the position. The appointment was confirmed at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting on November 7, with the federation officially announcing the news two days later. For Palm, it represents both a historic personal milestone and the continuation of a relationship with Australian volleyball that stretches back several decades.

She succeeds Craig Carracher AM, who has served as president since 2013. Carracher is stepping down from the role but will remain on the federation’s Board, ensuring continuity during the leadership transition.
She is certainly no newcomer to the organisation: she has served as its vice-president since 2013 and has therefore been closely involved in its development and strategic direction for more than a decade.

Her connection with volleyball, however, began long before her administrative career.
Born Anita Spring in Bundaberg, Queensland, in 1965, she initially represented Australia in indoor volleyball, earning 28 appearances for the national team and winning six national championships. She later moved into beach volleyball, where she became part of a landmark moment in the sport’s history.
At the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, beach volleyball made its Olympic debut, and Palm competed alongside Liane Fenwick under the name Anita Spring-Palm. The Australian pair finished equal seventh in the women’s tournament, making them the country’s second-best team behind Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst, who claimed bronze. It was a significant achievement at the very first Olympic beach volleyball competition and secured Anita a lasting place in Australian sporting history.
Her contribution was formally recognised in 2013, when she was inducted into the Volleyball Australia Hall of Fame. That same year, she began her tenure as the federation’s vice-president, combining her knowledge of the sport with an increasingly extensive career in sports administration.

Beyond the volleyball court, she has built more than 20 years of senior executive experience in the planning and delivery of major international sporting events. Her work has included Olympic and Paralympic Games projects, from Sydney 2000 through to the preparations for Brisbane 2032. She currently serves as Executive Director of Games Coordination within the Queensland Government’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Office, working alongside government bodies and the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee.
This background will be particularly relevant as Australian volleyball approaches two major Olympic milestones: Los Angeles 2028 and, four years later, Brisbane 2032. The latter offers a unique opportunity to raise the profile of the sport in its own country, while strengthening participation, development pathways and support for elite athletes.

Anita Palm has already outlined the priorities she wants to pursue. She has spoken about building on the foundations established by previous administrations, increasing participation at grassroots level and raising the visibility of Australian players. She also pointed to recent developments that have created momentum for the sport, including the national launch of the Play Volley participation initiative, the hosting of the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide and the progress of Australia’s men’s and women’s beach volleyball programmes towards LA28.

“Volleyball has given me so much throughout my life, and now as the sport’s first female President, I feel a genuine responsibility to give back to the sport and the community that has shaped me,” she said following her election.

She also paid tribute to her predecessor, acknowledging Carracher’s contribution to Australian volleyball and his influence within the international, Asian and Oceania volleyball structures. During his presidency, Australia secured the hosting rights for the first FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships staged in the country and helped secure beach volleyball’s inclusion in the Commonwealth Games programme. His tenure also included the hosting of international indoor Grand Prix events for both men’s and women’s national teams.

The November 7 AGM brought further changes to Volleyball Australia’s leadership. Boris Georgieff was elected to the Board and awarded Life Membership in recognition of nearly three decades of involvement in coaching, governance and athlete development. Jane Ballantyne and Simone Waugh also joined as appointed directors, bringing extensive experience in professional sport, major events, media, marketing and business strategy. Mal Borgeaud, who had served on the Board since 2012, concluded his tenure.
Anita Palm’s election has also received international recognition. The Asian Volleyball Confederation congratulated her on the historic appointment, with AVC President Ramon Suzara highlighting the significance of her Olympic background and long-standing commitment to the sport.

From the indoor national team to the Olympic beach volleyball tournament in Atlanta, and from the federation’s vice-presidency to the leadership of Australian volleyball, her career has followed an unusual path. Her new role now places her at the centre of an important period for the sport, with Los Angeles 2028 approaching and Brisbane 2032 offering the prospect of a home Olympic stage. For Australian volleyball, the appointment is not simply a change at the top: it is an opportunity to connect its sporting heritage with its ambitions for the future.