The Wāhine and Kōhine Advisory Group (WKAG) is a sub-committee of the WaiBOP Board, established in June 2025.

The WKAG supports the delivery and outcomes of the Gender Equity Strategy and Action Plan, and the five-year Statement of Strategic Direction 2025-2030, specifically relating to Girls and Women. 

The full Terms of Reference for the WKAG, including the Objectives and 2025 Work Programme can be accessed here.

The WKAG can be contacted via the email address wkag@waibop.co.nz

Caitlin Byrne

• Club: FC Tauranga Moana

• Role at club: Coach, Player, Female Liasion Officer

• Term: 2 years

Caitlin is a player and coach. She's played in the Northern League since she was 15. She has a strong passion for coaching and player development, and has been involved in several editions of Wahine Toa.

She brings experience, leadership, and strong regional connections. Caitlin sees the advisory group as a chance to help strengthen female football across the region and ensure others can access the same positive experiences that she did.

Daniel Davidson

• Club: Otumoetai FC

• Role at club: Junior girls coordinator and Junior/youth rep on the executive meetings

• Term: 1 year

Daniel coaches his daughter’s team and is the  junior girls coordinator at Otumoetai Football Club. He represents junior and youth voices at the club’s executive meetings and helps organise events through the club committee. Outside of football, he has a leadership role as a depot manager.

Since stepping into coaching, Daniel has developed a genuine passion for female football. He values the enjoyment, growth, and sense of belonging it brings to young players and is committed to keeping girls involved in the game for as long as possible.

Catherine Donovan

• Club: Lakes FC

• Role at club: Executive Committee member and Lead for the Women and Girls sub committee

• Term: 2 years

Catherine has been involved in junior football in Rotorua for over seven years as a coach, administrator, volunteer, and parent. She leads the junior and youth kōhine space at Lakes FC and has been on the club’s executive committee since its inception in 2021.

She’s helped drive the creation and growth in girls’ only teams in Rotorua, and leads the Lakes FC Girls Football Festival. She has a background in event coordination and works as Sports Coordinator at Lynmore Primary, bringing strong administrative skills and a commitment to inclusive, community-focused football.

Neda Espie

• Club: Tauranga City AFC

• Role at club: Committee Member, Coach

• Term: 2 years

Neda has over 13 years of playing experience and spent five years coaching high school girls. She is currently coaching her son’s U8 team and serves on the executive committee at Tauranga City AFC. She led a youth organisation in Auckland for five and a half years, and currently works for a community funder.

She brings a Māori perspective and a broad understanding of community needs, including where support is available and where gaps exist. 

Neda is committed to creating more opportunities for young girls in football, and ensuring diverse voices are included in strategic planning, policy, and programme design.

Leonie Gordon

• Club: Tauranga Blue Rovers

• Role at club: Secretary, Team Coach, Committee Member, Girls Programme Coordinator, Player

• Term: 1 year

Leonie plays in the women’s Bay League, coaches a girls’ team, and is a parent of a youth female player. She serves as a team coach, committee member, girls’ programme coordinator, and parent volunteer at her club.

She is passionate about the continued growth of the girls’ game and firmly believes football can be a powerful and positive influence in the lives of girls and women.

​​​​​​​Misha Greenall

Club: Tauranga City AFC

​​​​​​​Role at club: Coach, Player and Volunteer

Term: 1 year

Misha Greenall is a long-time contributor to football in the Bay of Plenty, having played for and coached at several clubs across the region. She has broad experience in the girls’ and women’s space, coaching, playing, and off-field support.

She has a strong passion for promoting wāhine in football and is committed to creating more opportunities for female players.

Tiffany Ulatowski

• Club: Claudelands Rovers

• Role at club: U10 Girls Coach

• Term: 2 years

Tiffany coaches the U10 girls team at Claudelands Rovers, plus supports the club’s U8 girls teams, helping build skills and connection across age groups.She coaches futsal at Marian Catholic School. She's originally from Louisiana, USA, where represented her state in football, going on to play at Methodist University.

She was the Director of Youth and Adult Athletics for Oxford Park Commission in Mississippi, overseeing league games for over 600 players and developing competitive structures that ensured equal opportunities for girls. Tiffany holds a National Youth Soccer License from US Youth Soccer, and has trained community coaches.

Tiffany is passionate about growing the girls’ game and wants to help create more equitable opportunities for future players, including her daughter.

Sofie Ware

• Club: Otumoetai FC

• Role at club: Coach & Manager

Sofie has been a coach and manager for her three daughters over the past seven years. Originally from Sweden, Sofie has played football since she was a child, and represented her country. She continues to play socially.

She brings an international perspective shaped by her experience in Sweden, where football is the dominant sport and has strong structures for female players. Professionally, she is a health coach with a background in sport science and has 18 years’ experience working in psychology and physiology, with a focus on women’s health.

Sofie is deeply invested in female football, both as a parent and a former high level player. She sees gaps in the current structure in New Zealand and wants to help create clearer strategies and pathways for girls. 

Selina Oliver

• Club: Cambridge FC

• Role at club: Womens club captain

• Term: 1 year

Selina has played and managed teams for over 25 years in both the women’s and juniors’ spaces. She is involved in high school football through her 16-year-old daughter and is currently serving her third term on the Cambridge FC committee as women’s club captain and media lead.

She attended the Women’s Leadership Programme in 2024 and also volunteered at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Selina takes great pride in the progress made in girls’ and women’s football in the Waikato region in recent years.

Appointed Members and WaiBOP Football Board and Staff

Appointed Members

Kelly Oldridge, Women and Girls Lead at Sport Waikato

Luuka Jones, Women and Girls Lead at Sport BOP

Donna McCutcheon joins the group as the WaiBOP Board Member representative, and is the Chair of the group. 

WaiBOP Football are represented by Natalie Broadhead and Anna Harris, both Women and Girls Development Officers; and Alida Shanks, GM Operations, who takes the role of Secretary.