Our Team

“I’ve run against people from every race and culture, and whilst we have seen a wonderful representation of Indigenous athletes in the explosive sports such as AFL, league, boxing and sprinting, I’ve been surprised by the lack of Indigenous representation in distance running or the marathon.

“With research we have discovered that there are no avenues or opportunities for Indigenous long distance runners. I believe that we need to explore the possibilities and beg the question: How do we create champions without opportunity?

“At the moment, there’s no real culture of distance running among Indigenous Australians, but I believe there is potential given the history of endurance evidenced by a nomadic existence, traditional hunting and recorded history of an extraordinary ability to cover vast distances.

“The overwhelming response we’ve had demonstrates this latent interest in marathon running. I think we have the potential of identifying some real talent New York takes front stage when it comes to hosting and delivering a truly spectacular marathon. It is a 42.195 kilometer, river of mankind and everything good about our human spirit.

“What better event than this to take our Indigenous running team to, to highlight their potential on an international stage.”

World champion marathon runner
Robert de Castella is Australia’s greatest ever marathon runner.

He set the world record in 1981, became Australia’s first Track and Field World Champion in 1983, won two Commonwealth Games marathons in 1982 and 1986 and dominated the event worldwide for most of the 1980’s.

While he represented Australia at four Olympic Games, finishing 5th, 8th, 10th and 26th, Robert is probably best remembered for the Brisbane Commonwealth Games when he came from over a minute back to catch, and eventually run away from, duel Tanzanian champion JumaIkanga.

Robert’s dominance resulted in him being voted World Best Marathoner of the 1980’s decade.

In 1983, he was voted Australian of the Year and honoured with an MBE. In 1986 he was inducted into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame and in 1990 he was named World Marathon Runner of the Decade by Track and Field News.

As Director of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) for five years in the early 1990s, Robert re-positioned the AIS as a centre of excellence after the drugs in sport debacle of the late 80’s. He was also involved in establishing the elite sports system being used today by our Olympic athletes and teams.

In 1995 Robert established his own not for profit company, SmartStart for Kids. SmartStart works through schools to encourage children to be healthy and active. It especially targets escalating obesity, poor nutrition and inactivity and has resulted in large improvements in child fitness and health. The SmartStart longitudinal database of children’s health and fitness statistics has enabled valuable reports to be generated and a range of follow up services for students, parents, schools and government.

Charlie Maher is a proud Western Arrarnta man. His running journey started back in 2010 when he was one of the four members of the inaugural Indigenous Marathon Project team in 2010 and became the first Indigenous Australian runner ever to finish the New York Marathon.

Following the success in New York, he continued his running and completed the Boston Marathon (2011), Gold Coast Marathon (2013), Tokyo Marathon (2015), Berlin Marathon (2016), Chicago Marathon (2018) and then created history by being the first Indigenous Australian runner to complete all 6 Major Marathons in the world by finishing the London Marathon in (2022).

His strong faith has always been very important to him, and he has been very grateful and blessed to have his young family in his life (Talitha, Frankie, and Boston), along with his close family and friends. Over many years running has helped changed his life for the better with so many wonderful opportunities that the Indigenous Marathon Foundation have provided, and he has been very fortunate to travel the world which he has always been very thankful of. He hopes that he has helped inspire others around the nation, through his actions, story, and journey.

Jack Stevens is a Gunggandji man, raised on Larrakia Country in Darwin, before moving to Wurundjeri Country to study at RMIT and Monash universities and establish his career in Naarm.

Jack is a 2023 IMP Graduate #137 who brings a deep passion for distance running, marathons, and IMF to the role, together with more than five years’ experience in Indigenous community engagement within the higher education sector.

He understands firsthand the life-changing ripple effect created by IMP graduates within their communities and across the country. Jack is committed to supporting the next generation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander leaders.

Jack believes the marathon is a journey of resilience, patience, and belief in the process with the small, repeated efforts in training compounding over time to create something extraordinary.

Sharman is a proud Kalkadoon, Pitta Pitta, Bundjalung and Meriam woman living in Gimuy (Cairns). She graduated from James Cook University and has a background in nursing, alongside extensive experience working with and supporting young people across Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands.

Passionate about empowering First Nations people, Sharman has dedicated much of her career to community wellbeing, mentorship and advocacy. Her work has focused on creating opportunities for young people to build confidence, strengthen connections to culture and achieve their goals.

As a 2025 Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP) graduate (#162), Sharman experienced firsthand the transformative power of the program. Through the challenges of training for and completing a marathon, she developed greater confidence, resilience and belief in what is possible when people are supported to step outside their comfort zones.

Now serving as a IMP Assistant Coach with the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, Sharman is committed to guiding and mentoring the next generation of IMP participants. She is passionate about helping runners discover their strengths, embrace challenges and achieve goals they once thought were out of reach.

Sharman believes First Nations peoples are strong, resilient and capable of extraordinary achievements, and she is proud to support others on their journey toward health, wellbeing and personal growth.

Stephanie is a collaborative leader focused on process improvement, workplace culture, and organisational effectiveness. She recently joined IMF as Finance, HR and Governance Manager. A Chartered Accountant, Stephanie began her career in taxation and audit at KPMG and spent 12 years at Qantas in accounting and business transformation roles. Most recently, as Head of Operations at the ACT Council of Social Service, she strengthened governance and operational frameworks to enhance sustainability. Holding a Commerce (Accounting) degree from the University of Wollongong and a Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand membership since 2003, Stephanie is motivated about using her expertise to drive positive change in the not-for-profit sector.

Katie is an accomplished executive leader with more than 15 years of experience in partnership development, philanthropy, fundraising, and communications. Throughout her career, Katie has demonstrated a deep commitment to driving positive change through strategic leadership and collaboration, with a focus on empowering organisations to achieve their mission and maximise their impact.

Before stepping into the world of philanthropy and communications, Katie was a professional athlete, representing Australia on the international stage. For six years, she lived and raced across the globe, with a significant part of her career spent training and competing in the picturesque Tuscan hills of Italy. This experience not only honed her athletic abilities but also instilled in her the values of determination, discipline, and perseverance — principles that continue to influence her professional work today.

Katie is particularly passionate about causes that create positive, sustainable change, and her leadership is guided by a belief in the power of collaboration to build stronger, more resilient communities. With a proven track record of success and an unwavering dedication to her work, Katie continues to drive impact in every role she takes on, always striving to make the world a better place through the power of purpose-driven leadership.

Jaz is a Darkinyung/ Wonarua woman from Wollombi, Yengo Country near Newcastle NSW, who also has Chinese and English in the family ancestry.

Jaz grew up in Queensland in Ipswich and has been working and living in remote Indigenous communities across SA, WA and NT for over 15 years running and co-ordinating Youth Development programs. Jaz has worked with cumulative and complex trauma supporting young people in residential care prior to this in urban Queensland for several years. Jaz has also worked intensively with families providing case management support to prevent the removal of Aboriginal children and young people from family and community. Jaz has worked closely with Child Protection services, Police, youth services, Elders, community services, health clinics, schools and other stakeholders in all roles.

Jaz recently completed a Bachelor of Human Services (Community Development and Indigenous Studies) which was a long journey over 15 years. Jaz values the role at IMF leading projects through strong local relationships, youth and child priority and sharing and integrating First Nations knowledges within RAW, I-CAN and Warrior. Jaz enjoys working closely with the whole IMF team, First Nations program delivery consultants, Elders and other cultural authorities. Jaz previously led the Southern Region and is excited to enter a 3rd year with IMF in the Qld region.

Xavier was born and raised in regional South Australia, spending his early years on both the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas before completing his secondary and tertiary education in Adelaide. Pursuing his passion for coaching and sports development, he studied Human Movement and Education, launching his career as a Physical and Outdoor Education teacher.

He later moved to the Northern Territory, where he transitioned into youth development through AFL pathway programs, including the AFL’s Indigenous initiatives. From there, Xavier’s career took him to the Essendon Football Club, AFL Victoria, and the AFL National Office, where he worked across Diversity and Inclusion programs, with a strong focus on Indigenous and Multicultural pathways in the game.

Through his work in education and sport, Xavier has developed a deep commitment to reconciliation, inspired by the network of role models and leaders connected to the Indigenous Marathon Project and Foundation. He has undertaken a range of leadership development experiences throughout his career, most recently completing Executive Education in the Art and Practice of Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston.

Sue has an Information Technology as well as a statistics background and has attained a Bachelor of Social Science. Her previous experience includes working for IBM in IT Service Delivery for almost 15 years in varying capacities, including technical, reporting analyst, team lead, and delivery analyst roles.

In 2015, Sue reached out to the IMF to offer her services as a volunteer after a deep personal loss, and she has now been a supporter and volunteer for the past ten years. While not a runner previously, Sue was inspired to start running through her journey of supporting IMP graduates and squad members, and has now even completed the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors (New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, London, Tokyo and Sydney) to finish what her sister started.

Sue is passionate about supporting and contributing to the IMF Team and greater IMF family, and she sees the work of the foundation as invaluable to providing opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities around the country.

Olivia is IMF’s Events, Merchandise and Administration Officer, bringing experience from both private and public sectors, including coordinating social club events and managing merchandise for sporting organisations such as the Canberra Raiders. Raised in Canberra, she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Events and Tourism Management at the University of Canberra, following her passion for creating memorable experiences. Olivia also holds a Certificate IV in Government and has worked in regulatory roles. Highly motivated and organised, she is dedicated to supporting and engaging First Nations communities. Outside of work, she enjoys sports, travel, music, and spending time with family.

Pio Kelemete is a proud Tokelauan and Boigu Islander, born and raised in Townsville. He brings a diverse professional background spanning tourism, hospitality, education, and community services, together with a strong commitment to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

As a member of the 2024 Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP) Squad, Pio completed his first marathon, an achievement that reflects his determination, discipline, and belief in the power of stepping beyond perceived limits. His experience with the Indigenous Marathon Project reinforced his passion for creating positive change and supporting individuals to realise their potential.

Pio understands the transformative impact that healthy lifestyles, strong leadership, and community connections can have on individuals and families. He is passionate about empowering people to make positive choices, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward their goals.

Pio believes that everyone has untapped potential and that lasting change is achieved through consistency, perseverance, and support from those around us.

Just as marathon training is built on small daily efforts, he believes communities can move forward through collective action, healthy living, and a shared commitment to growth and opportunity.