Michelle Cowan

Gen Y leader, first female AFL-accredited coach

From being the only girl in the locker room to the only Gen Y in the Boardroom, Michelle Cowan has always defied convention.

At just 21, Michelle became the first female AFL-accredited coach in Australia, going on to coach in the WA Football League and put West Perth through their paces.

At 23 she managed a largely Gen-Y staff of 150 through a $10.3 million redevelopment of the Craigie Leisure Centre - with nationally award- winning results.

At 25 Michelle became the managing director of her own national training company, working with some of the biggest names in Australian sport.

An engaging and energetic speaker, Michelle talks about the issues surrounding women in business, women in sport and breaking down traditional barriers.  And, as an archetypical techno-savvy, career-hopping, lifestyle-focused, Gen Y purist, Michelle also offers company managers insights into the Gen Y perspective.

Michelle Cowan talks about:

• Floral Bras and Footy Boots - In 2004, Michelle Cowan was the first female in Australia to be an accredited AFL coach and went on to coach WAFL at the West Perth Football Club. This is an inspiring, entertaining and intimate tour of the change rooms, the training sessions and the attitudes of some of WA's premier athletes and what it has to teach us all about the potential of young women in leadership and the power of living our dreams.
• Overcoming personal odds - Michelle shares her experiences as she helped her sister through treatment for leukaemia. This is her personal story of confronting her own feelings on sisterhood and science, fertility and family, babies and biology, and facing this once in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference.
• Gen Y in the workplace - Michelle offers managers a revealing insight into their company and their industry through the eyes of Gen-Y, sharing insider secrets on how to use this perspective to attract, retain and understand the next generation of leaders. Michelle also talks to younger employees about generational differences in the workplace, work-life balance and how to make the system work to build fabulous careers within traditional organisations.