Meet the Ladder Board

Ladder’s board of directors bring together a wealth of knowledge and expertise in shaping the organisation’s strategic direction to achieve its purpose and goals. 

Paul Marsh (Board Chair)



Paul Marsh was appointed CEO of the AFL Players’ Association in September 2014, the official representative body for AFL and AFLW players and 4000 alumni members.

Paul led negotiations with the AFL towards a six-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for male AFL footballers in 2017. He also secured a landmark agreement with the league ahead of the inaugural AFLW season which has led to a further three CBAs since 2018 and more recently a 94% pay increase for AFLW players that recognizes the substantial hours players invest on their path to full time professionalism.

Paul has been a Director of Ladder since 2015 and has been on the Board of the Australian Athletes' Alliance (AAA) since 2007, including five years as Chairman. Paul was previously the CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) and also the Executive Chairman of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA).

John Ulkowski

John Ulkowski is the GM of Business Operations at the AFL Players’ Association, holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. 

John worked in various accounting roles between 1999 to 2005 at Moore Stephens, HLB Mann Judd / Stockford Limited and Lockwood & Wehrens, before moving to Hansen International taking up the position of Finance Manager.  After holding the position of Financial Controller at Aussie Farmers Direct for a short period in 2007/2008, John joined the AFL in March 2008 where he held various AFL State Body Finance Manager roles including for the GWS Giants from 2011 to 2013. In May 2013, John was appointed the AFL Finance Manager, where he remained until moving to the AFL Players’ Association in June 2016 to take up his current position as GM of Business Operations. 

Jo Gilbert

As a commercially savvy Strategic Partnerships executive, Jo brings a proven track record of conceptualising, negotiating, and managing innovative, mutually beneficial partnership and sponsorship strategies that build brand equity for all parties.

During the past 4+ years as Head of Commercial Partnership & Experiences for the AFL, Jo has delivered transformational improvements in the partnerships offering, maximising revenue opportunities to achieve double digit growth (year on year) in the $100M+ portfolio. This was achieved despite the challenges and restrictions arising from the COVID pandemic and she collaborated with partners and cross-functional colleagues to rapidly pivot the customer experience strategy in response to changing market conditions.

From November 2020, the portfolio was expanded to now oversee Events and Match Day operations to maximise the best possible experience for AFL fans.

Jo's previous experience includes sponsorship management for blue-chip organisations including General Motors (Holden) and National Australia Bank (NAB), as well as extensive agency-side marketing experience including events and sponsorship strategy, consumer research and shopper marketing engagements.

James Avery

With over two decades working with elite sporting teams and governing bodies, James Avery is currently the Chief Operating Officer with AFL Club the GWS GIANTS. Having worked for organisations including Melbourne Storm, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the AFL, James has a wide-ranging remit with the GIANTS, overseeing a host of portfolios including strategy and governance, corporate affairs and communications, community, coteries and events and the GIANTS Foundation, to name a few.

James has extensive experience working with high performance teams in addition to best in class community outreach programming across a number of regions in Australia and overseas. In his current role with the GIANTS, James has a particular focus on realising the organisation’s extensive growth agenda in Australia’s most culturally diverse communities throughout Western Sydney and the ACT.

Jordan Roughead

Jordan Roughead is an AFL footballer who currently plays with the Collingwood Football Club. Prior to playing with the CFC, Jordan played with the Western Bulldogs from 2008-2018. While competing in the AFL, Jordan has completed a Bachelor of Business through RMIT University and is currently studying a Master of Business degree through Deakin University. Jordan has been involved in player leadership groups at both the CFC and WBFC, represented the players as an AFL Players' Association delegate, been involved in the development of the WBFC Reconciliation Action Plan, and worked closely with charity organisations Ladder and StandUp Events.

Alicia Eva

Alicia is the current AFLW Captain and Development Coach at the AFL club the Greater Western Sydney Giants. In 2022, Alicia completed her Masters of Professional Psychology, and is working towards gaining her full psychological registration in the near future. Prior to moving to Sydney from Melbourne in 2017, she worked as Drug and Alcohol Program Support Officer and Intake Worker in the community health setting.

More recently Alicia has worked as a Program Coordinator in the pilot Ladder Step Up program in Western Sydney, before taking on the new role as a Development Coach with the GWS Giants at the end of 2018. She is a newly appointed member of the AFL Mental Health Steering Committee and the AFLW Game Committee.

Whist balancing her football career, she has extensive experience working in high performance development programs for young footballers- both male and female. She has a passion for youth work and enjoys providing opportunities for young people to develop both on and off-field skillsets that assist in all areas of their lives.

Caitriona Fay

Cat Fay is a senior social investment and business leader in Australia. She has more than nineteen years of private family and institutional philanthropy experience in Australia and Europe.

At Perpetual, Cat oversees approximately $5 billion in community funds across Perpetual’s work with philanthropists, non-profits and Native Title groups. Under her management, Perpetual’s clients distribute more than $100 million annually through philanthropic trusts, estates, and endowments.  She is also responsible for driving Perpetual Private’s Strategy in ESG investment.

Prior to her time at Perpetual Cat worked on community and built heritage regeneration projects across Scotland and London.

Outside of Perpetual, Cat is a leader in democratised philanthropy, focused on giving voice to communities in decision making. She’s a founding Board Member of GiveOUT – a national day of giving for LGBTQIA+ causes, a founding member of Melbourne Women’s Fund, a Board Member of Ladder and of Save The Children’s Impact Investment Fund.

Ben Ross - Company Secretary

Ben is a Private Client Adviser at Shadforth Financial Group, one of Australia’s leading Financial Advisory firms. Ben has completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance and Financial Planning and is also a Certified Financial Planner ®. Ben works with a wide-ranging client base, including high-net worth individuals, not-for-profit organisations, professional athletes and retirees.

Previously, Ben was an AFL Footballer for six seasons at North Melbourne and Hawthorn Football club.

ACNC Governance Standards

The Governance Standards are a set of core, minimum standards that deal with how charities are run (including their processes, activities and relationships) – their governance.

The Standards require charities to remain charitable, operate lawfully, and be run in an accountable and responsible way. They help charities remain trusted by the public and continue to do their charitable work.

Ladder is a registered Australian Charity with the ACNC and has deductible gift recipient (DGR) status.

Governance documents

Ladder Project Limited - Agreement by Members and Constitution

The Ladder Project Foundation - Trust Deed

You can access our recent Annual Reports here.