Catherine Clark | Passing the Paralympic Baton

Catherine Clark, former CEO of Paralympics Australia and proud QUT alumnus, shared with us her transformative journey with the Paralympic Movement. Her tenure was marked by dedication and a relentless pursuit of equity and has culminated in our team's successful preparation for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Catherine's experience underscores the profound impact of sport on personal and societal change and she is so proud to see 170 athletes set to represent Australia across 18 sports. As the Paralympic world stage comes alive in August, the message is clear: imagine what we can achieve when we embrace inclusivity for good.

'IMAGINE.' This is the title given to the Paralympics Australia Strategic Plan. It is a call to action. A call to disrupt outdated stereotypes and challenge inequity. It is also an invitation to imagine an exciting, bold vision – delivered together. The IMAGINE strategy is not a passive or theoretical document. It is clarity of purpose, the pursuit for equity and a vision for a more inclusive world through sport.

It was my QUT student experience of Law and Justice Studies (a cooler title of Criminology now exists) that really opened my eyes to systemic inequality and inequity, particularly around gender and socio-economic status. Being the CEO of Paralympics Australia (PA) has also been an intense education. Actually, it has been like drinking from a fire hydrant at times. Two and a half years feels more like five. I have learned so much more about an industry [and society] I thought I knew. It turns out, there was a lot I didn’t know.

We know social change is hard. This is also why PA’s values are Brave, Tenacious, Limitless, and Proud. These words reflect the demands and sacrifices our high-performance athletes make to chase their dreams. They also reflect the efforts of a great many amazing people who have been involved in the Movement for a long time.

You will shortly see Brave Tenacious Limitless and Proud in action at the Paralympics. The stage is well and truly set for Paris. Telling the stories of our incredible athletes has been our focus. Their stories, their dreams, in their words. I only wish we could share them all because each one is different and remarkable in its own way.  I hope you will see much more of them in the future.

Having recently announced my departure from PA, I am sad that I won’t be in the stands watching our Aussie athletes in Paris, but my heart is both full of pride for what has already been achieved and full of excitement about what is coming. When I started this job, a colleague told me the Movement would get under my skin. She was right. My life has been shaped by sport in so many ways but my experience with the Paralympic Movement has been a career highlight.  One thing is for sure - I will never view the world the same. We have such an opportunity to engage more people in everything just by considering accessibility. The phrase “my obvious is not your obvious” is a lesson etched in my mind.

So, if you are reading this, please look at your workplace, website or sporting club. Are you accessible? There are so many benefits to inclusion and the change starts with awareness. But for now, we’ve shipped 30,000 items of uniform. The athletes and support teams are ready to go. I hand over to them with complete confidence as they are poised to create their magic. I will be one of many Australians cheering loudly from home.

Catherine Clark

QUT Qualifications -  Bachelor of Arts (Justice Studies) (1999)

QUT Outstanding Sports Alumnus (2022)

Have a question for Catherine? Connect with her on LinkedIn.