Kathryn Hogg's USAFL Board Nomination

Kathryn Hogg has been involved in footy and the USAFL since 2003.  Since she's of a certain age, she initially became interested in Australian Rules Football from the old VFL broadcasts on ESPN starting in 1980.  After many years, she discovered the USAFL and hopped on the forums where she helped organize the first women's match at the 2003 Nationals in Kansas City.  She has been a leader since day 1.

Shortly after that successful match, she launched womensfooty.com to serve as a portal and information hub for all things related to women's footy in North America.  Kathryn was asked by the USAFL board to organize another women's exhibition match at the 2004 nationals in Atlanta, Georgia. 

After the 2004 Nationals, she was asked to join the board as the Women's Football Portfolio Director.  Always dreaming big but not biting off too much, her tenure included the following highlights:

1. Establishment of a women's division at nationals initially with 3 teams playing 9 a side.  The number of teams and players at nationals grew every year. In her final year as the women's director, 8 teams competed at Nationals.
2. Establishment of clubs in every region.
3. Established the Women's National Team program in 2006.
4. US Freedom traveled to Vancouver, BC for the first match.
5. US Freedom tour of Australia in 2009 that directly led to a women's division being included in the 2011 International Cup.
6. Built up strong relationships with women's footy stakeholders in Australia.  The 2009 tour included a game in Bendigo which did not have a women's football team.  The Freedom match was a key component in the formation of the Bendigo Thunder who began play in the VWFL Northwest Division in 2011.

Kathryn's has not limited herself to women's football. Prior to  2004, the Minnesota Freeze existed in name only.  Kathryn immediately organized and ran co-ed trainings.  She arranged for the Freeze to combine with Milwaukee's B team at matches in 2004 and brought Minnesota's first contingent to the 2004 Nationals.  The Nationals experience focused people on having a standalone club which was achieved the next year.  She has served in various leadership positions in the Minnesota Freeze including Vice President, USAFL liason, and Women's Football coordinator.

Professionally, Kathryn is a software developer specializing in distributed, highly available systems that run electric utilities.  She  is the developer of womensfooty.com which is not only the highest ranked page for women's australian football, it is also quite highly ranked for Australian Football.  In addition to providing resources for new players, coaches, and clubs, it has a vast array of multimedia documenting women's football from 2003 to the present.  There is also a wealth of back room functionality that is used to manage things like player development for the US Freedom national team.

In conclusion, Kathryn has been a visionary in developing Australian football in North America, has worked tirelessly and always done what is best for the overall growth of the sport.

She would be an excellent candidate for the position of At Large member of the USAFL board.