Kathryn McCann is General Manager Marketing, Public Affairs and Social Impact for the Tasmania Football Club, aka the Devils. With the very intentional decision to name up ‘social impact’ in her title, she is helping to pioneer a model of what professional sport can achieve beyond the boundary line. She has also just been named Chair of Brand Tasmania. Both roles draw on her deep connection to Tasmania.
Kathryn is deeply connected to Tasmania. She spent her early childhood in Bridgewater, in Hobart’s northern suburbs, and was the first in her family to go to university. Originally enrolled in Arts and Law at the University of Tasmania, she quickly pivoted to a combination of courses that have suited her to a tee, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing).
"At the time it was a little bit unusual to do the double degree," Kathryn reflects. "But the psychology element is about how people think and behave, and the marketing piece is about using communications to shift behaviour. The two combine really nicely."
That combination has served her well across a 20-year career spanning tourism, aviation, hospitality, and the not-for-profit sector. As Director of Marketing at Tourism Tasmania, she led the State's brand redevelopment. At Hobart Airport, she contributed to significant aviation capacity growth. As Chief Operating Officer at the Beacon Foundation, she helped deliver programs lifting aspirations for young people.
But it's her current role with the Devils where Kathryn’s passion for social impact truly shines.
“One of the things about the football club and certainly one of the reasons I joined the board was a really strong belief that this club had not just the opportunity, but the necessity, to have benefits beyond the boundary line,” she said.
“Sport gives us this opportunity to go beyond race, religion, socio-economic status and geography. It’s a leveller, a chance to connect people who otherwise may not be connected. " Kathryn McCann
“And with that comes an opportunity for social impact and change that I don't think we've experienced in recent history. I feel deeply passionate about that.”
The club launched in March 2024 and the examples of social impact are already there. The Tasmania Academy of Leadership and Sport, launched by the Devils in partnership with the Jack Jumpers, Cricket Tasmania, and Netball Tasmania, means that for the first time in Tasmania's history, young people can study sports management without leaving home.
"I was with the students recently and asked who might be interested in university – pretty much the whole class raised their hands," Kathryn said. "Then I asked how many were interested in university before this program, and very few raised their hands. That's a really nice entry point."
The program, which has enrolled 55 students aged 18 to 53, is expanding to Launceston next year and already has more than 20 graduates employed across partner organisations. University pathways are being developed, creating an entirely new educational ecosystem around sport.
But perhaps Kathryn’s favourite example of social impact is Rum’un, the Devils' distinctive mascot. The club partnered with Terrapin Puppet Theatre to create something uniquely Tasmanian. The 400-hour creation process involved young people across the State, with students at New Norfolk High School physically crafting the mascot from recycled school uniforms.
“We've got arts students and sports students working together,” Kathryn said.
Since the Devils launched, AFLW participation across Tasmania has increased by 40 per cent, with the club now having more than 211,000 members.
"We've created a new audience," she said with pride. "These are new eyeballs finding something that they want to belong to."
For Kathryn, who has run 12 marathons and is a Netball Tasmania Hall of Fame member, the drive for social impact stems from personal experience. She now dedicates significant time to working with young athletes and mentoring emerging leaders.
"Once you've been given an opportunity, it's your responsibility to provide that to others. There's nothing that gives you greater joy than seeing someone else succeed," she said.
Tasmania has changed dramatically since Kathryn’s youth. She believes the opening of MONA gave Tasmanians new confidence. Recent sporting successes – from the Jack Jumpers to the AFL announcement – have made locals walk taller. But for Kathryn, Tasmania's greatest asset remains unchanged: its people and their willingness to support each other.
As the Devils prepare to enter both AFL and AFLW competitions simultaneously in 2028 – a first in league history – Kathryn is focused on developing the club's theory of change. It's ambitious work for someone whose day might involve anything from strategic planning to member emails to community consultation.
“Some days it’s like drinking from the fire hose, but I wouldn’t have it another way.”
You can hear more from Kathryn as a panellist at the 2025 Melbourne Alumni Event:
Game changers: The power of sport in community and economy
Miranda Harman spoke with Kathryn McCann for Alumni Magazine Issue 56, 2025.
Connect with our alumni community to discover more.
Top right: Kathryn McCann and Ricky Ponting AO Photo: Oi Studios
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