GOLD COAST (Australia) - The WiLEAD Internship program in Oceania started with guest presenter Dame Jenny Shipley, presiding over the first session as a guest presenter.

The WiLEAD Internship program gathered female participants to give them training in administration, leadership, and the development of their skills to be future leaders of basketball in Oceania.

"Women need to see themselves as leaders, our voices need to be heard. Be ambitious about what you want to do in the future because Oceania needs you. I need to know that there are more female leaders moving forward because that's what success looks like for me," Shipley shared during the presentation.

"You've got an organization that wants to support you and the work you do, I want you to be the leaders you wish to be to achieve all your goals," she added.

Shipley's presentation focused on the importance of leadership and discussed numerous topics while also sharing practical experiences with the participants as female leaders.

"Our first session on leadership with keynote speaker Dame Jenny Shipley was nothing short of inspiring. The session left me reflecting on my sense of self-awareness. I know now that’s one skill I hope to focus and build upon moving forward," shared Northern Marianas Island representative, Lia Rangamar.

"I appreciate a lot what Jenny shared with us for this session, it brought full circle to me, I am struggling a bit at work because I don't feel like I'm making an impact compared to before, but I believe that Jenny validated us and what we are trying and going to do as women leaders," shared Guam's Jill Acda.

The participants include Fiji's Sera Vugakoto, Guam's Jill Acda, New Caledonia's Melissa LeJeune and Nicky Francois, New Zealand’s Krystal Leger-Walker, Northern Mariana Islands' Lia Rangamar, Papua New Guinea's Janine Aringa-Garap, Samoa's Lori Joseph, and Tahiti's Teimiri Hunter.

The first part of the internship program will include an online session providing professional development opportunities. The second session will focus on presenting and public speaking and a question and answer panel with Oceania female leaders.

FIBA