THE CARLTON Football Club is pleased to announce Patty Kinnersly and Robert Priestley as Vice Presidents.
Ratified at a recent Board meeting, the pair will provide key support to President Luke Sayers and the eight-person Board.
Following the departure of Jeanne Pratt, who last year retired from her Director position as Vice President after a long and dedicated service to the football club, which dates back to 2011, the vacancy resulted in a Director vote, with Patty Kinnersly and Rob Priestley appointed joint Vice Presidents.
Jeanne Pratt will continue to be recognised as an official club patron moving forward.
“In Patty and Rob, what we have are two people who are values-led and have the best interests of the Carlton Football Club at heart,” Sayers said.
“When it comes to their skillset, there aren’t many better in their respective fields, and anyone who has come across them - whether that’s personally, professionally, or even a passing conversation at the footy - can vouch for their quality of character.
“We have constantly spoken as a football club of the need for a skills-based Board and both Patty and Robert well and truly bring that to the table. We’re delighted that they have been appointed as Vice Presidents of a football club which they have both grown up loving and supporting.”
Kinnersly has been a Carlton Football Club Director since 2018 and is the Chief Executive Officer of Our Watch — a national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia.
Kinnersly was the first designated Carlton Board member to oversee the Club’s AFLW and VFLW programs, and - as a key voice and advocate for the Carlton Respects initiative - regularly communicates with the AFL and AFLW playing groups in regards to the Club’s community programs.
“The Carlton Football Club and its people is something which I have been passionate about for such a long time, so to be appointed as Vice President alongside Rob is an honour which I don’t take lightly,” Kinnersly said.
“For a number of years, I’ve seen first-hand the work that is being put in behind the scenes to ensure we continue to invest in our football club and led by President Luke Sayers and along with our Directors, I’ve been extremely proud of the direction we’re heading and the inroads we’re making both on and off the field.
“I’m honoured to be sharing this responsibility with Rob and as Vice President, I look forward to continuing to grow the Club’s flagship community program in Carlton Respects, as well as focusing on fostering a community within the Carlton faithful that celebrates diversity and inclusion.”
Priestley, who has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, became a Director of the Club late last year.
Priestley has worked for J.P. Morgan around the world for nearly three decades. Since returning to Australia in the early 2000's, he served, among other roles, as CEO of Australia and New Zealand, before being appointed Chairman in 2017.
